Toward more useful dispatches...

[woundedego]

Humans don't communicate very well.How can TAXI Dispatches be improved?If the listing says:"French Soap Commercial - pays $$$$$$$$!""Must provide a cut that sounds like nature!"I hear:"They want my cut!"If I (or really, anyone does) submit a cut THAT TO THEIR MIND meets that criteria, but it does not, what happened?Did the submitter send something out of wishful thinking? I'm sure that happens....Did a TAXI reviewer misevaluate the song? I'm sure that happensI'm wondering if the problem might more OFTEN be that the description was not informative enough. I mean, the Dispatches are a paragraph long...I'm thinking that every Dispatch should have valuable info such as:"Submissions will be evaluated critically for pitch problems. Any pitch problems will result in an immediate rejection.""Submissions will be evaluated critically for sound fidelity problems. Any sound fidelity problems will result in an immediate rejection.""Vocal must be tremendous. If the vocals do not sell the song, it will result in an immediate rejection."In the back of most submitter's minds is the speech Michael gave about the A&R person who would NEVER reject a great song because of a technical detail, while the reality seems to be that for many Dispatches, the submitters will get Dear John letters that seem to imply that it was some detail that made the difference - if they get any reply at all.Am I bitter? Let's not talk about me. Let's focus on the problem.A submitter should have an unequivocal criteria by which to decide whether or not to submit a particular song (at a cost).I know TAXI works HARD to please the French soap whatevers, and I doubt it is easy. But Passengers ALSO work hard and they can't function without frustration without UNAMBIGUOUS data - - the criteria they need to decide whether to submit or not to submit.Of course, a bit of experience will educate most that if there is any flaw, all of the virtues of the cut will probably not be recognized.Hey, come visit me at http://www.woundedego.comBill Ross aka woundedego.com

[hummingbird]

wait wait wait wait wait...."In the back of most submitter's minds is the speech Michael gave about the A&R person who would NEVER reject a great song because of a technical detail, while the reality seems to be that for many Dispatches, the submitters will get Dear John letters that seem to imply that it was some detail that made the difference - if they get any reply at all."First of all, there is a BIG difference between pitching a song and pitching a piece of music for film/tv. That difference IS the fact that technical details count bigtime in broadcast quality stuff.Secondly, we ALL get replies on EVERY submission.Thirdly, the bar was VERY high for that French commercial and most of us here doubted we would get a forward.Fourthly, very very often you will see these words: 'Great vocal and musical performances are needed' or 'hit songs only' which means exactly what it says.The descriptions that are given are exactly what the listee has given Taxi. I'm sure Taxi does their level best to pull a decent description from the listee, but as other songwriters have said... a listee's idea of what they are looking for often doesn't come across as well as it could. Plus those folks are tremendously busy.Lastly, folks often get forwards with song pitches that only rate 7s and 8s on the point system, so obviously perfection is not the issue. Reading the listing and targetting effectively is an art in itself, and one that comes with time & experience.

[jeffe]

If screeners always worked strictly to a rule set then it would probably exclude many potential hits. How can you create a rule set for an arrangement that's never been heard before?Also. Screeners will be matched up to certain listing (those which cover their area of expertise), and some of them know the individuals in the companies that request the songs, and will look for their personal preferences in the songs.So it's really difficult to implement something like that.The guy at the publishers probably hasn't got enough time to sit down and define his requirements to perfection. Why should he have to. He's the one offering us an opportunity. He doesn't have to come to Taxi. He'll probably give a rough outline, and be confident that a particular screener knows what he likes.That's how I see it. I've chatted with a few guys at various publishers and the general attitude is that they want the best they can get for the least amount of effort. There's so many writers out there throwing their work at publishers, that the publishers can afford to do it.Well. That's my take on it.

[woundedego]

I hear your responses... but need to raise you....The question is NOT what the Francs want - that is ONLY what is written in their original request and is neither expandable nor modifiable. What IS expandable and modifiable is what the TAXI reviewers will consider. It is the TAXI staff that is probably the only set of ears that the submitter will deal with. Hence, it is THEIR criteria that must be effectively communicated. This is my whole point.The French Dispatch is my example because we all got a hard on with that one we saw all the zeroes... Let's face it...They said "Nature." What that means is IRRELEVANT, at least until it is forwarded. What it means to whoever reviews the song at TAXI means everything. That is what I am suggesting we focus on. Whoever wrote the original requirement works for the Soap people. Whoever wrote the Dispatch works for:* the Soap People [capitalized because they write checks with lots of zeroes]* TAXI* submittersNow the Soap People are going to get lots of great stuff, because TAXI (and Broadjam) are CRAWLING with talent (as well as semi-talented people, like myself, that have credit cards) so hot and bothered by the fact that their GAS MONEY could possibly be paid by this one Dispatch that they are willing to HOCK THEIR GUITAR in order to submit to it...., so that is not even an issue...TAXI is served because the hocked guitars amount to huge revenue. Lots of $5 is lots of money. Lots of pennies is lots of money. To me, $5 is a lot of money!What about the submitters? Are they well served? Well, to a point... But it could be WORLD'S better. That is what I'm driving at. And here it is, with some emphasis:To better serve the submitters, the Reviewers [capitalized because it looks better, and they stand in the doorway] need to Dispatch with a crystal clear description of what they are going to evaluate on. "Nature" ain't it. Is it really all just "I'll know it when I hear it?" Gee, I hope not. Surely there is some standard - some unit of measurement - that a submitter can be privy to before submitting. What is it? I'm a problem solver. I'm looking at the failure of communication here and trying to find a way that next time, I'll be on target. I am the kind of person who takes words seriouisly. "Nature" - what did I miss?I'm not bitter. I learn from rejection. I just want to make the most of this, and make the whole thing work better, so that TAXI won't get tired of my submissions, and I won't go broke.Bottom line: More detail, not in what the client wants (which is merely the reviewer's take on the matter) but on what the Reviewer has in mind. This would mean TWO paragraphs instead of one. The first would be the client's description while the second would be the TAXI take. Ie: "To fulfil the above, we would expect..."Like many others, my submission fit "nature." What was the more specific criteria that we did not understand? Was it "Must be singable?" Or "Must be minor key?" Or "No air conditioner sounds in the background?" Aaah, I LOVE the sound of my own voice!Bill Ross aka WoundedEgo.com"What I lack in youth, I make up for in immaturity!"

[hummingbird]

Here's my info on the French laundry commercial:The Music Supervisor for a French "laundry detergent" TV commercial is in need of a -- 0:30 SECOND INSTRUMENTAL that meets the following criteria: -- strong, memorable, melodic theme, -- that can be arranged in different styles and still be recognizable; -- it should be aesthetically pleasing for the French market; (i.e.) not loud or abrasive. -- No vocals/lyrics, if there is a voice it should be used as an instrument. -- The music should evoke (have the feel of) nature, natural, fresh, soft, wide, warm.-- Any style and instrumentation is fine. I think the criteria are pretty much there.

[davewalton]

Quote:Bottom line: More detail, not in what the client wants (which is merely the reviewer's take on the matter) but on what the Reviewer has in mind. The only thing the reviewer has in mind is getting as much useful music as possible in the hands of the listing client. There's not two separate thought processes going on there (that's just a guess, actually ). I'm thinking that if the screeners start sending what THEY would take if they were the listing client then that's when the trouble starts. If I'm the listing client and I'm relying on the screener to give me exactly what I want and he/she gives me what THEY think would work, I'd be looking for another source for my music.This I do know. The reality outside of Taxi is that music listings, requests, instructions, etc, are extremely vague and I've found the Taxi listings to be the most informative and most descriptive by far. I agree that better descriptions everywhere would really improve things. I also know that somebody gets these vague listings... someone will have written the PERFECT track for that French thing and if we ever hear it we'll probably go "Ohhh... yeah... NOW I get it!" I'm not arguing against clearer listings from Taxi (or rather from the listing client through Taxi) that's for sure. Just saying that the "interpretation" thing is an acquired art, something I think we'll all get better at, maybe to the point where it won't be an issue. Matto is the best that I've met. My energy is probably better spent figuring out how his mind works with these things rather than trying to change something that I probably really don't have much influence over.After I get the listings interpretation thing down, my next goal is to be "one with the Universe", followed by being the omnipotent master of time, space and dimension. Dave

[woundedego]

Okay, so Hummingbird, who arguably has the kewlest of avatars - the magnificent, lovely hummingbird, says "TAXI HAS been PERFECTLY CLEAR and suggesting they be clearer is silly." Maybe. I'm thinking that is the perspective from the TAXI side of the fence. But others might disagree. Others might say "I think that what I submitted WAS 'nature unfurling itself in orgasmic bliss." In that case, maybe there IS a communication problem. Maybe nature must unfurl itself withOUT a synthesized "Horny Whale" effect. (This is NOT an example from "Real Life.")DAVE says: "Listing vagueness is intrinsic to nature." I understand that too. All of the stuff that we live with day by day has a certain inevitableness to it. I'm NOT saying "TAXI is bad." I'm not saying "TAXI isn't good." All I'm saying is that TAXI could be MORE EFFECTIVE if they put forward as much data as possible for the "pitiful, sniveling masses" who PAY to have their songs heard so that submissions are not put forward that are "nature" but not "TAXI". Of course, by speaking up in this regard I run the risk of being "a pain" and thus not a viable submitter... but all I want to do is to make the whole thing MORE REWARDING for all... Submitter, Reviewer or Client. We all win with BETTER communication. Tell us PRECISELY as possible what to submit."May the force be with you."Bill Ross aka WoundedEgo.com"What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity!"

[davewalton]

Quote:DAVE says: "Listing vagueness is intrinsic to nature." Details, details... here's my *real* quote...Quote:I'm not arguing against clearer listings from Taxi (or rather from the listing client through Taxi) that's for sure. Just saying that the "interpretation" thing is an acquired art, something I think we'll all get better at, maybe to the point where it won't be an issue. Matto is the best that I've met. My energy is probably better spent figuring out how his mind works with these things rather than trying to change something that I probably really don't have much influence over.Open dialog about ways to improve Taxi is one of the reasons this forum exists. But saying that I said something when in fact I said no such thing, where what I did say has a completely different viewpoint than what you said I said (I'm starting to get confused here too, if anyone else is )... oh fooey... you know where I going with this. Quote:Humans don't communicate very well.In hindsight, that seems like kind of a prophetic quote.

[woundedego]

Sorry, Dave. I caracatured you. I think the horse is dead. If I said something that enriches Dispatches - great! If not, it just ain't gonna happen.Bill Ross aka WoundedEgo.comPS: Tell Oprah that she can sing ANY of my songs and put it in the back of the magazine. Her thanks are not even an issue.Oh, and if she is tired of posing for the cover of 'O' then just tell her I'll take a turn. But it won't be pretty...

[hummingbird]

Quote:Okay, so Hummingbird, who arguably has the kewlest of avatars - the magnificent, lovely hummingbird, says "TAXI HAS been PERFECTLY CLEAR and suggesting they be clearer is silly." Maybe. I'm thinking that is the perspective from the TAXI side of the fence. But others might disagree. Others might say "I think that what I submitted WAS 'nature unfurling itself in orgasmic bliss." In that case, maybe there IS a communication problem. Maybe nature must unfurl itself withOUT a synthesized "Horny Whale" effect. (This is NOT an example from "Real Life.")Actually I changed my posts because I'm not sure if I really know what I'm talking about. I read "nature" in reference to the French laundry commercial as "natural" - it's clear they wanted something that implied natural, wide open spaces, country, sunshine, warmth, softness & they didn't want vocals to be prominent in the piece (which is at least one reason why I got a return).I think my point is that actually, IMO, Taxi tries to get as much information as possible from the person looking for music... and I imagine it can be very frustrating at times to get the industry rep to state clearly what they want. How much can Taxi demand from folks placing listings? OTOH if there's some way to make the criteria clearer, I'm in favour of that. OTOH, being a teacher, working with 28 students a week, I can say very firmly that makes sense to you very likely does not make sense to the next person in line. So how do you communicate effectively to a wide variety of people from all walks of life who live and think differently than each other. Your reading of "Nature" as a 'sound in nature' and my reading of "Nature" as 'natural & earthy feel' is a good example of this.OTOH it's time for my morning coffee