I guess that I don't know sh*t about sync

[BradleyHagen]

I just took TEN out of 10 returns on a funk instrumental brief....Great tracks too (maybe I will post them later....) Overall, I have 40-50 forwards in 16 months of being a TAXI member, with very few signings.....It is becoming apparent to me that I am "NOT GETTING IT"
"Cue Structure vs Song Structure?" That was a common theme in all of these recent returns, and to be honest with you all?? I don't understand what that means really.... I also get stuff returned over terms like "Modern" vs "Retro"... I don't know man, but to me - Blues Music is ALL "Retro". (Another recent failure...lol)
Oh..... I can sit here and whine about the libraries "not knowing what they want" or saying that the screeners "don't know what they are doing" But we all know that is a lie...It is a deflective move...an ego move......The issue lies here with me.... The issue is that I just don't get IT. I am missing some key elements to be successful here, and dammit, I am going to figure it out.....

I am going to start by watching some past TAXI TV episodes that I have missed, and watching all of @Matt Van Der Boegh's Youtube content that I have missed lately...... Any other suggestions?? Bring it!! Have a Good One everyone!

[douglasricketts]

Hey Bradley, have you been listening to the Forwards? I struggle with the desire to write a song instead of giving the screeners (and the publishing companies) what they want with regard to edits points and building forward momentum. Listening to what is getting forwarded has helped me a lot with that.

https://blog.taxi.com/forward/

My recent funk track was rejected for being TOO retro. I failed to include any modern elements. So saving it for next time!

Hey, that many forwards in that many months is nothing to sneeze at. I've been a member for just over a year and only have four. Just keep swimming... just keep swimming...

[macomposer]

I feel ya man. I remember someone saying during one of the panels last year to read the listing once, listen to the references once, put them aside and then go write. Unfortunately, I found that I have to go the other way. I'm constantly referring back to the references and the listing. I've gone so far as to design a whole system around matching references and the listings with what I'm doing. Does any of it work? I've only been doing it for maybe six months and I have signed one new deal in that time. So it worked for that particular genre. But I've gotten 3 fowards and 6 returns in that time period too.. So who knows if it really works yet.

Take a break. It's heartbreaking getting one or two returns. 10? Daaammm!! So breath deeply, relax, get some sleep, and tomorrow, come back and then think about whether you want or/and need to rework your workflow. There nothing wrong with learning more of course, but just because those tracks weren't forwarded doesn't mean your music is not great. We've all heard your stuff - it's killer! The people listening just didn't feel that those tracks worked for this listing this time.

[WSAO]

Hey mate,

I submitted two tracks for that listing as well, and both were returned. At least the feedback was positive — the main issue was with the structure not fitting the typical “cue” format, since I submitted full songs.

They didn’t mention in the listing that we should stick to just the “A” section and develop it forward without adding a chorus or bridge, like my feedback pointed out. Maybe we missed the key line:
"...don't get in the way of the dialogue!"
That probably says it all.

Next time they ask for a cue, let’s keep it simple — one motif, developed throughout.

As for the libraries, you're definitely not alone. I’ve only heard back from one in my whole year with Taxi. Sometimes I wonder if they really need more music when they already have thousands of tracks in every genre. Do they really need more?

Anyway, as long as we’re having fun, let’s keep at it.

Cheers!

[cosmicdolphin]

Package your 10 tracks together as an album and offer to libraries yourself.

Plenty of info online about the best way to do this.

[BradleyHagen]

Hey Bradley, have you been listening to the Forwards? I struggle with the desire to write a song instead of giving the screeners (and the publishing companies) what they want with regard to edits points and building forward momentum. Listening to what is getting forwarded has helped me a lot with that.

https://blog.taxi.com/forward/

My recent funk track was rejected for being TOO retro. I failed to include any modern elements. So saving it for next time!

Hey, that many forwards in that many months is nothing to sneeze at. I've been a member for just over a year and only have four. Just keep swimming... just keep swimming...

Thanks for the advice Douglas - Yeah, I do pay attention tot he forwards blog, but it typically just confuses me further to be quite honest.... Sometimes I am like "This track does EXACTLY what the screener is complaining about on mine" lol

[BradleyHagen]

Package your 10 tracks together as an album and offer to libraries yourself.

Plenty of info online about the best way to do this.

Thanks for the reply!!! I will have no problem getting all of these into other libraries, but I still want to figure out what I am doing wrong on HERE..... I guess it is the "nomenclature" of this sync thing that I am not understanding... I can certainly do the work, I just never seem to grasp what they are asking for. Coming from a songwriting background, I seem to think that even a 2 minute instrumental track needs 2 or 3 sections, but apparently not... I also tend to overplay and show off, which is the opposite of what they want.. I have work to do!!!

[BradleyHagen]

Hey mate,

I submitted two tracks for that listing as well, and both were returned. At least the feedback was positive — the main issue was with the structure not fitting the typical “cue” format, since I submitted full songs.

They didn’t mention in the listing that we should stick to just the “A” section and develop it forward without adding a chorus or bridge, like my feedback pointed out. Maybe we missed the key line:
"...don't get in the way of the dialogue!"
That probably says it all.

Next time they ask for a cue, let’s keep it simple — one motif, developed throughout.

As for the libraries, you're definitely not alone. I’ve only heard back from one in my whole year with Taxi. Sometimes I wonder if they really need more music when they already have thousands of tracks in every genre. Do they really need more?

Anyway, as long as we’re having fun, let’s keep at it.

Cheers!

Yeah Andre - It IS fun! Music is FUN, and that is why we all got into it in the first place (well, and for the girls lol) and like my friend Casey always reminds me....without the initial brief, the track probably never gets written in the first place! But like you, I am in this to win, and make a full time living at it.... So I am going to do whatever needs to be done to figure this out!!

[BradleyHagen]

I feel ya man. I remember someone saying during one of the panels last year to read the listing once, listen to the references once, put them aside and then go write. Unfortunately, I found that I have to go the other way. I'm constantly referring back to the references and the listing. I've gone so far as to design a whole system around matching references and the listings with what I'm doing. Does any of it work? I've only been doing it for maybe six months and I have signed one new deal in that time. So it worked for that particular genre. But I've gotten 3 fowards and 6 returns in that time period too.. So who knows if it really works yet.

Take a break. It's heartbreaking getting one or two returns. 10? Daaammm!! So breath deeply, relax, get some sleep, and tomorrow, come back and then think about whether you want or/and need to rework your workflow. There nothing wrong with learning more of course, but just because those tracks weren't forwarded doesn't mean your music is not great. We've all heard your stuff - it's killer! The people listening just didn't feel that those tracks worked for this listing this time.

I am not too bummed about it Mark.... It just shows that I need to learn what they WANT....This seems to be the one hurdle that I have difficulty overcoming. I WANT to give them what they want, but do not seem to know how.... Thanks for the comments!

[funsongs]

sent you a PM.