Taxi Critiques VS the Real World don't Match.

[ej]

The taxi reviews for my songs have been decent but not one forword. One song got all 8s... all songs get great words for reviews but no forwords. I am very disappointed in Taxi, considering I waited 5 years to join. I doubt I will be a member next year... taxi is not going to get me where I need to go.The same song getting such differing opinions from reviewers... somehow, this feels more like a money grab than a forwarding service. The only thing the reviewers have in common is (R)The real world loves my music... the people resonate to my lyrics and tell me that my stuff is better than anything on the radio for the most part. My question is, how can the real people who listen to my CD and see me perform live love it... professional musicians love it... local producers love it, basically everyone loves it except Taxi.If I did not know so much better, it would affect my self esteem but I do not think the problem is with my music. There is something funny about this site. I will put my promotion efforts elsewhere, I have no faith in Taxi anymore. I have more songs up for review, but I already know what they will say. Rewrite, re-record them... NOT. I am on to my next CD. I am a songwriter and will go where I am acknowledged and respected for what I do.

[davewalton]

Quote:The taxi reviews for my songs have been decent but not one forword. One song got all 8s... all songs get great words for reviews but no forwords. I am very disappointed in Taxi, considering I waited 5 years to join. I doubt I will be a member next year... taxi is not going to get me where I need to go.The same song getting such differing opinions from reviewers... somehow, this feels more like a money grab than a forwarding service. The only thing the reviewers have in common is (R)The real world loves my music... the people resonate to my lyrics and tell me that my stuff is better than anything on the radio for the most part. My question is, how can the real people who listen to my CD and see me perform live love it... professional musicians love it... local producers love it, basically everyone loves it except Taxi.If I did not know so much better, it would affect my self esteem but I do not think the problem is with my music. There is something funny about this site. I will put my promotion efforts elsewhere, I have no faith in Taxi anymore. I have more songs up for review, but I already know what they will say. Rewrite, re-record them... NOT. I am on to my next CD. I am a songwriter and will go where I am acknowledged and respected for what I do.Like many who come and go, you're missing one crucial, important piece of information. To get forwarded (much less getting a deal) your song has to be good AND it has to hit the target of the listing - what the listing party is looking for. The greatest Country song in the world will never get forwarded for a Rock listing. I'm not saying you're missing the target by that much but if you're getting 8's and good comments, then the reason for the returns is that the listing party is looking for something other than what you're "selling".If you patrol the threads here on the forum you'll see LOTS of deals as a direct result of Taxi, not to mention forwards. We don't get those as a result of the incompetence of screeners (they return yours while forwarding ours). If there's a money grab going on, it's the people getting the deals. If it doesn't work out for you for whatever reason, saying that it's because Taxi is a scam doesn't do you any good as far as finding out what your music needs to find a home.Taxi or no Taxi, keeping an open mind when you get feedback from any industry professional who makes their living doing what you are still aspiring to do is much more condusive to success than concluding that your music is "there" and that the only work left to be done is to just find someone that agrees with you.

[Casey H]

Quote:The taxi reviews for my songs have been decent but not one forward. One song got all 8s... all songs get great words for reviews but no forwards. I am very disappointed in Taxi, considering I waited 5 years to join. I doubt I will be a member next year... taxi is not going to get me where I need to go.The same song getting such differing opinions from reviewers... somehow, this feels more like a money grab than a forwarding service. The only thing the reviewers have in common is (R)The real world loves my music... the people resonate to my lyrics and tell me that my stuff is better than anything on the radio for the most part. My question is, how can the real people who listen to my CD and see me perform live love it... professional musicians love it... local producers love it, basically everyone loves it except Taxi.If I did not know so much better, it would affect my self esteem but I do not think the problem is with my music. There is something funny about this site. I will put my promotion efforts elsewhere, I have no faith in Taxi anymore. I have more songs up for review, but I already know what they will say. Rewrite, re-record them... NOT. I am on to my next CD. I am a songwriter and will go where I am acknowledged and respected for what I do.HiThe important thing here is to define what you mean by "real world". Being well accepted playing gigs or getting great feedback from family, friends, and even other musicians doesn't always mean your music will work for a particular artist or film/TV opp... If you said you were getting great feedback or contract offers from A&R folks, music libraries, or film/TV music supervisors on your own, that would equate more with the "real world" loving your music. If that was the case and you are more successful with those types of folks outside of TAXI.... well, you have your answer. I have a feeling it is not the case, however.Most of the time when people get very high scores on their submissions but no forward it's either because the song doesn't fit the listing requirements or the listing is so high-bar (such as a Nashville country artist pitch) that the smallest issue-- maybe 1-2 lyrics lines, for example, is the limiting factor.You should post a link to a song, lyrics, and an entire critique to get some assistance from folks here. There's a pretty good crowd here that will comment on your songs, tough but honest and fair... And we don't ALWAYS agree with the screener, just most of the time....Good luck! Casey

[sgs4u]

Quote:My question is, how can the real people who listen to my CD and see me perform live love it... professional musicians love it... local producers love it, basically everyone loves it except Taxi. Applause is a distracting addiction, unworthy of your focus. (I made that up, trying to be deep) Unfortunately, Taxi can't be in business to love, your music enough, to present it to uninterested parties. Your recordings will either a) fit they opportunities Taxi has available, b) or not. You can learn quickly, where, how & if, you fit in. There are sooo many opportunities. Tons of them. Taxi IS an extremely effective way to LEARN REALLY FAST, and cost-effectively. Almost anything you need to understand about how to polish, fix, discuss, or pitch your style of music is available to you. The faster you assimilate new knowledge and techniques, the faster you go.

[geo]

Hey ej, geo here, welcome to the madness, and I suggest you stay around. First off don't let my "full member" status fool you into thinking I'm this successful member coming to the defense of the realm, that just means I've become an active member on the boards because in conjunction with the screeners that is the best way to grow and improve your music. The trick of it (for me anyway) is to look beyond the (R) ( let a week or so pass and then reread the critique)and try to understand what the screener is trying to say (sometimes they are not totally clear) and also understand the listing (for example, as has been recently pointed out to me, Nashville/country listing require nothing but the best, production/songwriting/vocals while TV/movie require crystal clear production, but the song may not have to be in the top ten hit category) . If you take a glance at my "3 more on the return pile" string you will see what I mean (have a listen to my songs and drop a comment while you're there as well ). My return pile is growing so rapidly that when I finally did get a forward I didn't even notice it at first (but wow what a feeling when I did!!). The one thing the successful members (I don't include myself here) have in common is a large pile of returns because it's a learning curve, you gotta ride it.Take Sebastian up on his offer he was very helpful in answering my email, helping me understand exactly where my listing fell short. In fact all the Taxi staff have been very understanding when contacted.I think what I'm trying to say is Taxi holds us to industry standards which unfortunately have risen due to the fact that every Joe with a computer can pump out decent sounding demos so there has to be a system to separate the chafe from the wheat. I'll be one of the last people to say that this a perfect system but to me Taxi is best option I've come across because even if you leave you're going to have to deal with the same standards but instead of getting a critique to tell you where you need to improve you might just get an entry in the dreaded "round file".So post some tunes, let's have a listen, listen and comment on some other member's tunes and hang in there... Geo

[geo]

Quote:[quote author=ej board=complaints thread=1192807988 post=1192807988]You should post a link to a song, lyrics, and an entire critique to get some assistance from folks here. There's a pretty good crowd here that will comment on your songs, tough but honest and fair... And we don't ALWAYS agree with the screener, just most of the time....Good luck! CaseyYou're not kidding there Casey ... Geo

[aubreyz]

Quote:I side with complaints alot because i think Taxi has stopped trying to improve and is happy with its current system BUT, if you don't come back to defend yourself then you probably did not have a lagit complaint.Did I mention my New Year's Resolution yet Aub

[jude3]

Quote:Quote:I side with complaints alot because i think Taxi has stopped trying to improve and is happy with its current system BUT, if you don't come back to defend yourself then you probably did not have a lagit complaint.Did I mention my New Year's Resolution yet AubHappy new year!I don't attack you personally, so why do you attack me? Or are you? I hope not. You don't know me.Lets try to stick to the topic. ok?

[aubreyz]

Quote:Quote:Did I mention my New Year's Resolution yet AubHappy new year!I don't attack you personally, so why do you attack me? Or are you? I hope not. You don't know me.Lets try to stick to the topic. ok?I'm certainly not attacking you. Just having a bit of fun. So what topic would you like to stick to? So far, because of my recent resolution... we would have little to talk about.Aub

[jeffe]

Taxi is in the business of receiving requests from the music industry, and trying to match those requests with its members material. Pretty simple really.You can be the best songwriter in history, but if your submission doesn't match what they are asking for then you ain't gonna get it.If you sit back and expect the industry to find you, then you probably have a better chance of winning the lottery. There's a lot of hard work involved. Taxi is just a small part of it.The biggest and best way to increase your chances, is by networking until you drop. You might not get much sleep but you will greatly increase your chances.If you are as good as you say you are, then you will eventually get somewhere To quote and over-used phrase:"It's not what you know, it's who you know".