Is this an Investigative Tension Instrumental Cue?

[DanWessels]

Hi all! I'm FINALLY getting around to taking Michael's advice from the January 6, 2020 Taxi TV episode ("RESOLUTIONS That Make you MONEY as a MUSICIAN" ), and posting the first instrumental cue I've written after watching reality shows and taking notes on their use of music. I wanted to ask for feedback to see if I'm hitting the "Investigative Tension" vibe.

https://soundcloud.com/danwessels/diggi ... er/s-PSxQl

Thanks in advance!

Here's the listing I'll be submitting this to:

INVESTIGATIVE TENSION INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a fast-growing European Music Library that's building a new catalog and is looking for a bunch of music in this style!

NOTE: We previously ran this request as a TAXI Dispatch Listing (#D191223CT), but the company still needs MORE material! If you submitted to TAXI Listing #D191223CT, please send in different material this time around.

They need a bunch of Investigative Cues in a variety of tempos, with moods ranging from tension and suspense to danger, distress, and anticipation! Please listen to the references below to get a general idea of the style and range they need:

Crime Scene - CSI Suspense Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSZ7_b8leNk

Stealth Music - Crime Scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNr28jsbM50&t=

Please submit well-produced Instrumental Cues that could enhance the investigative tone found in Crime-related TV Shows and Films! Craft your Cues around a simple, tension-inducing idea, and gradually add elements to create dynamics and interest as they progress. Your Instrumental Cues can be composed around Electronic and/or Orchestral Instrumentation, but don’t overdo it with this request! Keep your Cues on the simple side and remember that this is all about setting a mood!

TAXI Tip: For this request, you'd be wise to lean towards Tension Instrumental Cues that sound like they would be heard in a show like CSI.

All submissions should be at least 90 seconds long (give or take), with non-faded, button endings. Do NOT copy the referenced music in any way, shape, or form. Use it only as a guide for tempo, texture, tone, and overall vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so please be sure the Instrumental Cues you pitch for this opportunity are NOT already signed with other Companies or Catalogs. Any sync fees will be split 50/50 with the Company. You'll get 100% of the Writer's share, and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to submit. Please submit as many Instrumental Cues as you'd like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on Tuesday, February 25th, 2020. TAXI # S200225CR

[Susanstunes]

Yeah, I think so. The only thing that got in the way for me was the water(?) dripping.. Something isn't quite right there in the sound of the drops... but good track and hits the mark in my opinion.
Susan

www.susanhillmanmusic.com
www.soundcloud.com/susanhillman
www.instagram.com/susanhillmanmusic

[DanWessels]

Yeah, I think so. The only thing that got in the way for me was the water(?) dripping.. Something isn't quite right there in the sound of the drops... but good track and hits the mark in my opinion.
Susan

www.susanhillmanmusic.com
www.soundcloud.com/susanhillman
www.instagram.com/susanhillmanmusic

Thanks so much for the quick feedback, Susan! If you have another spare moment, would you mind giving me a timestamp for where the water dripping starts to your ears? I listened back and hear three different instruments that sound like water dripping: the hits on beat 2 starting at 0:01, the melody at 0:40, and the background eighth note pattern at 0:40-1:15. I want to make sure I can assess the one that's sticking out to you! Thanks!

[Susanstunes]

Hi again. I think I first hear it at 1:29, the 1:32, 1:38, 1:48, 1:56 and 1:57. It's probably one of your percussive elements with processing makes it an ambient high frequency sound that reminds me of dripping water, for some reason. But, it would be good to get other opinions, hopefully!

Susan

[superkons]

One of the percussive bits may sound like water drops, I was quite drawn it, as it has been mentioned so many times I did not find it totally out of the context, perhaps needs just a wee bit of taming?

[DanWessels]

Hi again. I think I first hear it at 1:29, the 1:32, 1:38, 1:48, 1:56 and 1:57. It's probably one of your percussive elements with processing makes it an ambient high frequency sound that reminds me of dripping water, for some reason. But, it would be good to get other opinions, hopefully!

Susan

Thanks again for the in-depth look, Susan! I believe I've isolated the water drop sounds - it's a percussive arp from an Omnisphere preset I used on the main melody (the preset called "Lit Up Like Christmas 1", if anyone who is curious). I'll see what I can do to mesh it with the rest of the track and post a v2.

[Horacemix]

Hi!
I've listened to your track! Pretty good! Definitively it is investigative.
I have only two suggestions to make.
First, be careful with the length since the listing says 90 secs give or take. Your track is 120 secs. I don't know if TAXI is really strict with the length but, once I got a song returned because it was shorter than expected. Although your track is longer and I'm not sure if it's a reason to get your track returned, just in case I decided to mention it.

Second, the high freq filtered-like sound could be lower in volume. It will be creating a nice effect but won't be too obvious, I guess.
My humble opinion, of course.
I'm pitching to that listing too, and I also have my doubts
Good luck with your pitch!

Regards

[andygabrys]

Its in the zone.

The initial sound (marimba maybe? @ 0:01, 0:06, 0:11) is sightly out of tune with the track. I would tune it with Melodyne or similar or replace it with something else. Maybe more percussive and less pitched i.e. not pitched percussion (marimba, vibes, Glock) but pure percussion.

The rest of the cue is the idea, but that sound being out of tune makes me think production problem, not tension.

Hope that helps.

[DanWessels]

Its in the zone.

The initial sound (marimba maybe? @ 0:01, 0:06, 0:11) is sightly out of tune with the track. I would tune it with Melodyne or similar or replace it with something else. Maybe more percussive and less pitched i.e. not pitched percussion (marimba, vibes, Glock) but pure percussion.

The rest of the cue is the idea, but that sound being out of tune makes me think production problem, not tension.

Hope that helps.

That helps a ton! It's a stock percussion sample from Stormdrum 2, and I would have NEVER thought of tuning it to the key of the track on my own. Thanks, Andy!

[DanWessels]

Thanks again for your feedback, everyone! I've been a Taxi member for three years, but always got lost in the weeds on submissions. Well, that's changing in 2020, thanks to support from great people like you all. Here's v2 of the cue I originally posted:

https://soundcloud.com/danwessels/diggi ... v2/s-eNwSx

I also wrote two more Investigative Tension cues for this listing, and have submitted all three. Are they the greatest pieces ever? Of course not. But it's nice to get started, and to something done!

I wrote, I submitted, and now I'm forgetting and moving onto the next submission!