Not Broadcast Quality

[allends]

I just received my lowest marks to-date (all 6s & 7s) from Listener ID # 53. It's a good thing Indiana is so flat because I feel like jumping off a cliff (kidding). I've had these songs reviewed before and this is the first time anyone ever came right out and told me that my material was just not broadcast quality. I admit that I am shooting for a particular unique signature tone in all my guitar work. I find this sound very appealing or I wouldn't produce it. Apprearently this screener REALLY doesn't like my sound although my compositions seemed to have potential. Previous reviewers didn't care so much for my compositions but could only fault my sound for its heavy reverb. The bottom line is I could choose to fault the screeners for giving me conflicting advice but instead I'm seeing it as my fault: My work is so weak that listeners don't know where to begin to start pointing out the fatal flaws.I guess I'm more than just a little depressed; it's more like I don't believe in the dream anymore. The tunes I submitted for this pitch were:If Only We CouldThe Answer Summer RainQuote:A wide range of really great, melodic, commercial-sounding NEW AGE SONGS & INSTRUMENTALS from Enya to Enigma to Dead Can Dance to Kitaro to Mannheim Steamroller, etc. are needed by a West Coast-based Music Publisher who needs to expand his catalog for film & TV projects. He’s NOT seeking Nature/Relaxation/Healing-type tracks -- no ocean waves crashing or birds chirping, etc. -- he wants more song-oriented New Age material (strong song structure, choruses, etc.). Please do not submit material with profanity and/or samples that have NOT already been cleared. He offers numerous types of publishing deals. If forwarded for D070117NA, do not submit the same material. Broadcast quality needed [excellent home recordings are OK]. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI and must be received no later than April 25, 2007. TAXI # S070425NA

[kouly]

Allen, I know it is easy to say but dont get down, you are putting out stuff that you think is good and if other people dont see it then you have nothing to be ashamed about. I personally liked "If we only could". The only thing I might have done different is to shrink that massive sound down by not putting everything through the big verbs. Maybe just a plate on the drums and bass. The drums sounded like there were 100 feet behind the guitar. I had a very hard time focusing on the bass line. Maybe this is what the reviewer meant when they said it was not broadcast quality. The song is good. Just do not let one "review" get you down. Believe me, if I had let all my bad reviews keep me from growing, I would be curled up in a ball in the corner. You got talent, dont stop now.

[johnnydean1]

You obviously have a lot of talent!My problem with your sound is the sound on the lead instrument.Why don't you either mic up an acoustic guitar or use an electric,the sound that you get with an acoustic with a pick up is just about acceptabe in a live environment but has no place in a studio.

[mikehelms]

Actually Allen try doing both, Mic the Guitar and use the pickup and mix the track and eq as nessasaryjust a trick some of my boys showed me'one will generaly come out with more meds and high the other low ends Michael

[davewalton]

Quote:I just received my lowest marks to-date (all 6s & 7s) from Listener ID # 53. It's a good thing Indiana is so flat because I feel like jumping off a cliff (kidding).Here in Missouri, there's a couple of hills but they're more for sustaining minor injuries. Some people are are good "coaches" in that they can identify all kinds of things. I'm not one of those, but I'll give my initial, gut-level comments.Mostly, to my ears, there's (way) too much reverb. That's a "production" item and if there's too much (or maybe sometimes not enough) then you'll get dinked on production. FWIW, I wasn't real hot on the constant chorus effect either. I think that both of those together are the culprits. Dialing those way back is an easy fix though. I think that If Only I Could would work really well as a solo guitar piece - very, very little reverb, almost dry. This is also one of those where I think if you took the drums out that you'd improve the track in just about every way, feel, sound, emotion, etc. Mute the drums and all but eliminate the reverb (easy to do both) and see how it sounds.I have NO comments on the compositions. They're fine I think. We can all improve but to me, the overall "sound" you're using is just too laden with effects. That's not a basis for a crisis though I don't think. FWIW, DavePS - "ditto" on the talent comments from the others.

[allends]

Hi Friends,I should have known better than to post a depressing message so soon after getting ripped by a screener. I just sat down and remixed one of those tracks drier and hotter and I think it sounds much better: who knows, maybe it'll be a winner someday.As for the lead instrument having a mechanical direct-in sound rather than a rich mic'ed tone: I don't own a good accoustic. I record with a solid body electric with a Piezo bridge but I'll be upgrading my mic soon so I might just re-record these songs with my ol' beater accoustic to see if that sounds better. If not, I'll upgrade that too when I get a chance.I'm finally realizing that the reason I mixed these songs so wet was to make up for the fact that my instrument isn't a natural accoustic. In this business it doesn't pay to compromise or settle for anything!Thanks for the support everybody! -Allen

[davewalton]

Hey Allen,I was thinking about your tracks (particularly If Only We Could) and I realized that there was one thing I didn't mention about the drums. I was thinking that the drums (other than being a football field behind everything else ) sounded to me like they belonged in a Country instrumental or ballad. I guess they were just too plain and straight-forward for a New Age piece. Other than just eliminating them, I thought that if you wanted to keep percussion in there, try something ethnic and mysterious. Udu, djembe, etc. To me, New Age lets us explore things beyond the norm, especially when it comes to percussion.Be the ball Danny... be the ball. Dave

[johnnydean1]

Quote:Hi Friends,I should have known better than to post a depressing message so soon after getting ripped by a screener. I just sat down and remixed one of those tracks drier and hotter and I think it sounds much better: who knows, maybe it'll be a winner someday.As for the lead instrument having a mechanical direct-in sound rather than a rich mic'ed tone: I don't own a good accoustic. I record with a solid body electric with a Piezo bridge but I'll be upgrading my mic soon so I might just re-record these songs with my ol' beater accoustic to see if that sounds better. If not, I'll upgrade that too when I get a chance.I'm finally realizing that the reason I mixed these songs so wet was to make up for the fact that my instrument isn't a natural accoustic. In this business it doesn't pay to compromise or settle for anything!Thanks for the support everybody! -AllenLook on the bright side Allen.You have the most important asset.Talent!The rest will come.Good luck to you.

[allends]

Quote:Look on the bright side Allen.You have the most important asset.Talent!The rest will come.Good luck to you. Thanks Johnny,Your kind words mean a lot. BTW: My head is in a better space today than it was last night. Only a few hours ago I couldn't imagine bouncing back. I need to learn to take everything in stride and keep learning. I wonder how many other musicians have fallen into the hole of loving their own creations too much to want to improve them. -Allen

[davewalton]

Quote:I wonder how many other musicians have fallen into the hole of loving their own creations too much to want to improve them. Hmmm... that seems familiar to me...