The Problem with Taxi

[bluntbeats314]

is the screeners and members are too picky! they have all of these critiques, straightforward (sometimes) harsh opinions of your beloved work! they return all of your work with brutal comments about your arrangement, sound kit choices and or missed notes! For this I say thank you! the critiques and returns i've gotten back since joining have made me more aware of my sound and helped me progress faster than I ever thought I would. I haven't gotten any forwards as of yet but because of the constructive criticism, I've recently managed to get a few collaborations under my belt. I still don't play keys too well but I can usually match the main keys in a sample and stay within that proper key to make the elements of the beat work. so to all of taxi's returns, ego crushing critiques and countless scrapped projects (because of sound clashing)-thanks my ramblings are done for the moment-lol!

[gburgess]

Sounds like you have the right attitude. I know that at times there is room to question the reviewers opinion as two different reviewers can go in two different directions with their critiques. But fact is, if in the honesty of your heart you know they are right, and their comments have helped you "progress faster" then they've got to be doing something right.I'm guessing most of us have gotten hammered by one or more reviewers. But that's real life in a super competitive business. In my first year I got three forwards. But there was a time when I wondered if I would ever get one. Like you, I tried to use the comments to build rather than tear down.I've raised five kids (the oldest will be 25 next month) and one of the things I tried to teach them was you've got to crawl before you can walk, and you've got to walk before you can run. Maybe you feel like you're crawling right now, but if you keep at it at some point you're going to walk. And who knows if you work at it enough (and you're blessed with the intangibles that make you "special") you may be a great runner some day!When you get that first forward make sure you share it with us. Hang in there!GB

[hummingbird]

Jan 24, 2009, 5:47pm, bluntbeats314 wrote:is the screeners and members are too picky! they have all of these critiques, straightforward (sometimes) harsh opinions of your beloved work! they return all of your work with brutal comments about your arrangement, sound kit choices and or missed notes! For this I say thank you! the critiques and returns i've gotten back since joining have made me more aware of my sound and helped me progress faster than I ever thought I would. I haven't gotten any forwards as of yet but because of the constructive criticism, I've recently managed to get a few collaborations under my belt. I still don't play keys too well but I can usually match the main keys in a sample and stay within that proper key to make the elements of the beat work. so to all of taxi's returns, ego crushing critiques and countless scrapped projects (because of sound clashing)-thanks my ramblings are done for the moment-lol! Amen to that. I KNOW my TAXI membership, feedback from screeners and my peers have been a HUGE part of my growth as a composer. Proof? I had NO forwards for 3.5 years. Now I get regular forwards... have signed deals; and just had another 5 instrumental tracks accepted by a music library I signed with last fall. I did it with a LOT of help

[bluntbeats314]

thanks . gburgess-I've been battling my whole life. im yr older than your oldest and I've been everything from homeless to being told by my mother that she regrets having me. I've been doubted by many early & often, but my refusal to settle for what other's think im capable of has gotten me this far. im still crawling but im using the corners of the table to pull myself up. hummingbirdI took the critiques hard at first but now I take my time and develop my ideas and elements completely. now I ask myself "if I were submitting this to an artist, would I embarrass myself or does the idea bleed through without being mixed?" this is probably one of the best investments I've ever made in myself.i'll come along in due time.

[gburgess]

Hummingbird is a great example - "Proof? I had NO forwards for 3.5 years. Now I get regular forwards... have signed deals" She could have given up, but opted to "grow up" in her maturity as a composer. Even the most successful people out there are in a continuous state of growth. It's really a matter of where you are in your trek.A little suggestion. Take some of those experiences (the hurts, the pain, the disappointments) and channel it into your songwriting or composing. And for those special songs, don't worry about what others think about them. Their your songs, songs that will provide an outlet for some of the struggles you've been battling with. As cool as it may be to get a forward, a contract, or a royalty check, one of the greatest things a song can do for us (be it one that we have written or one that someone else has written), is allow it to help us to work through our troubles, and even lift our spirits when we're down.I've written my share of those sorts of songs--none of which will ever see a forward because they really are not good enough to be deemed professional. But each one has helped me find an outlet when needed.I hope this small suggestion proves helpful.GB

[bluntbeats314]

i've come along way, so rather than let those things get to me, i'm still pushing a year away from my bachelor's, learning more about music and myself everyday. it's funny that you would mention "songs" i don't write anything but my favorite beat so far is 1 Opportunity (it's on my taxi page here).it was my first positive critique, the sample i built the beat around speaks to me everytime i hear it and it just puts me in a peaceful place no matter what the trouble. forwards are just a bonus and a reflection of my dedication to my favorite hobby. the hardest thing to do in my "hood" is stay out of trouble, but the hardest thing to do in my life is quit...because i expect more out of me than anyone else...

[gburgess]

Sounds like you're really making some headway and you're striving to keep the big picture in perspective. Very cool! Hang in there!

[bluntbeats314]

i'll be the 1st successful 1 in my family both, financially and morally as long as I stay humble and never forget where I come from. trust me thanks for chatting with me though, I really appreciate it.