Need peer feedback - not on target...really?

[bobpaterno]

Help! I'm totally confused here. While the listing didn't come with a critique, the return said it was stylistically off target and then said they're looking more for a Snow Patrol thing (see below listing).Why list the 5 other bands if they're keyed in on Snow Patrol?! Why say they're looking for a wide variety of Brit rock?!The song I submitted was called "Bob's Your Uncle" and it's at http://www.taxi.com/bobpaternoWhat did I miss? Is it just not broadcast quality? Is it not current sounding?Returned due to being 'stylistically off target' and this comment:This listing is looking for more of a contemporary Brit Rock sound a la Snow Patrol.Y091013BRCURRENT-SOUNDING, RADIO READY INDIE BRIT ROCK/POP INSTRUMENTALS in the wide variety of Dirty Pretty Things, Franz Ferdinand, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, Babyshambles, Muse, etc. needed by a very successful Production Music Library who has placements with ABC, CBS, NBC, WB, Disney, Discovery, Lifetime, Fox, USA, etc. Songs that build and grow, with melodic and dynamic variation are a must. You may consider editing down a full-length song in order to avoid long sections of repetition in order to fit their need of tracks that are changing & building constantly. Tracks can range between 1-4 minutes in length - NO VOCALS. Broadcast quality is necessary (excellend sounding home recordings are fine.) Please submit one to three instrumentals online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS - NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXI - and must be received no later than Tuesday, October 13, 2009. TAXI #Y091013BR

[simonparker]

If this were based on "snow patrol" I'd say your track is slightly dated and off stylistically. I'd pay close attention to your guitar recordings and use Snow as a reference track to hear the differences. Also take a listen to their chord progressions, key they tend to work in, as well as their groove, and compare it to your track for differences. Hope this helps.

[bobpaterno]

Thanks for your comments Simon.

[scounter72]

Hey Bob, this one piqued my interest primarily because I'm struggling with this element lately (moreso than when I first started out). Personally, I'm getting a reality check these last few weeks, however I would encourage you to continue with the process and learn about matching songs to listings - I have a lot to learn in this respect. The Y/N listings don't offer nearly as much value as critiqued listings (he says, stating the obvious). As a consequence, I try to avoid them unless I'm, oh, 98% confident...even then I get it wrong more often than not. To this end, the returns I have with more detailed critiques have helped improve my songwriting approach in this arena, and also helped me to move from amateur sounding home recordings to broadcast / master quality.Your chosen listing has 6 bands listed, and the dreaded 'wide variety'. Muse have very little in common with Snow Patrol, for example, yet the library request has them as bed buddies. Therefore, one has to wonder why the TAXI screener will home in on one of the six referenced bands!? Still don't understand that. I think this is one of the hardest things to swallow when you get a rejection, especially without a fully reasoned response - such is the nature of the Y/N listing. Hard to know if a carbon copy is required when specific artists are listed as reference points, because a song that straddles the wide range listed here would be pretty funky (and probably not in a good way!)Anyway, I like your song, and in some ways it fits the bill. However, IMO, the song feels less contemporary than any of the listed bands. I think you're closer to Franz Ferdinand than any of the others here, but the overriding feel and production is more swinging rock n roll and from another time.What would be useful is for other members to share their successes with the same listing, of course.

[watksco]

+1 to what Scounter said - your track sounds more rock n roll than current Brit rock - it is a great sounding track non-the-less, just not on target.Cheers,Scott