HIGH OCTANE is it?

[vicky]

Hey there...I was wondering if anyone had any advice...for high octane...I wasn't sure if it's OK to be out of the preferred genres (electronica and rock), if the listing also says "but all instrumentation is OK, just so it's uptempo, energetic, and throat-grabbing." I was thinking of submitting: 'Helicopter Card 2' and maybe 'Buntzz'http://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_ ... ks...vicky

[billg]

Hey Vicky, tried to give a listen but they wouldn't play for me. Sometimes my computer won't play nice with the taxi hosting pages . . . never have been able to figure out why.

[vicky]

hi...I fixed it....Thanks,Vicky

[kurtkreimier]

Hello Vicky,I am not familiar with exactly what the listing is asking for but to my ears Helicopter Card 2 is certainly high octane enough. The other track seemed just a little more abstract and laid back to me.The only things I did not care for were the Bari Sax sound and the long solo section. I think you might do better with a heavy distortion guitar or perhaps a brass section or brass synth sound of some kind. If the listing is for a film or tv spot some of the big breaks and accents early on and towards the end might be hard to match up to a video clip in terms matching the action.Otherwise I think you have a very marketable High Octane Instrumental track here. I really enjoyed the drums, bass and guitar production, including the panning effects. Nicely done tracks. Just my 2 cents. I hope it helps.Kurt

[vicky]

kurt...thanks for getting back...I did some vigilante editing and still have time to fix it....do you think I should take out the hits in the beginning and the drum solo section (since it's surf I was paying tribute to 'Wipe out")? Also I took out the guitar solo because I thought the bari was more throat grabbing....thanks.....Vicky

[matto]

Hahaha that first track sounds like Madness on Acid I personally like it, but I don't think I've ever heard something like that in a high octane type tv or movie application. So you could certainly submit it, but realize you're way out on the fringes of the target zone for this listing, and I wouldn't know any library that would sign something like this.The second piece is not high octane enough. It's actually very interesting, but you'd need some really hard hitting driving beats at least to really propel this forward.As it is it's too "static".HTH,matto

[vicky]

Matto....Quote:I personally like it, but I don't think I've ever heard something like that in a high octane type tv or movie application. So you could certainly submit it, but realize you're way out on the fringes of the target zone for this listing, and I wouldn't know any library that would sign something like this.Thanks...My band recordings are very difficult to place. Is there a place for this kind of music? I have a similar feeling song that got forwarded on a listing like this, but it's in that same jazzy genre....I've been working on an electronica listing, and the amount of time for one song, seems almost not worth it....help...loosing sense of direction...I'm trying eveything to use my skills to fit here....I recently recorded solo piano "sad" "inspirational" etc pieces that I wrote to see if that was an alternative....I play lots of styles, I'm just trying to figure out where I fit in....and how to use my knowledge....thanks,Vicky

[mazz]

Hi Vicky,I can't listen to streaming stuff from TAXI at my day gig today so I can't comment on the pieces, but I can comment on your seeming frustration with trying to find a direction.I think it's important to step back from the music aspect of composing library music and think about the usage of the music first. This music isn't music in the pure sense of the word, it's music meant to accompany visuals and dialog/voiceover. As such, any melody that you write is really a countermelody and needs to leave room for something that it will be played under, it can't assert itself like a jazz tune or a piece of chamber music that is meant to be actively listenend to. As a bass player, you're always doing that because, for instance, in jazz you're creating a melody line behind a soloist. If your line is too busy, the average listener starts to lose focus from the soloist and gets confused about what to listen to. This can't happen in a TV show, the visuals and dialog always win unless it's a chase scene or something then it's usually the tire squeals and gunshots that win anyway!Libraries are looking for music they can license to media production companies, and really not to sell as listening CDs.My suggestion is to go to music library websites and listen to the examples there. Also, start watching a lot of TV and listening to what the composers are doing. Actually, these days, commercials have some pretty good music in them that really helps tell the story but stays out of the way at the right times (well produced commercials, that is, usually the big national ones). That's really the best way to get a feel for this stuff. Listening to "regular" music may not help here because it's designed to be listened to, not talked over.I think the ability to do lots of styles is a plus but it's a double edged sword. At least it has been for me. The more I do it, the more I learn to focus on a style while I'm writing the piece and not try to put too much in or mix styles to do something "cool". I'm not talking about watering things down but rather becoming skillful at making some great stuff that also works for the purpose it's intended for. It's a very fine line and one I'm learning to walk day by day.Hang in there,Mazz

[vicky]

thanks Mazz. I will reflect more...I think I might even be on the right track with some newly written stuff....Quote:I think the ability to do lots of styles is a plus but it's a double edged sword. At least it has been for me. The more I do it, the more I learn to focus on a style while I'm writing the piece and not try to put too much in or mix styles to do something "cool". I'm not talking about watering things down but rather becoming skillful at making some great stuff that also works for the purpose it's intended for.I'm trying to only use one cool idea at a time in the library music...I guess my band stuff is good for what it was actually written for...listening music that can be played live....and a full length CD....I will post the newer music...meant for library placement....when I have a couple finished....it looks realistic to think I don't have a workable catalog, and composing and recording are going to be high priority for this year....thanks,Vicky

[mazz]

Looking forward to hearing it!