calling all $5 heros - "dramatic instrumental"

[timmcallister]

---------------------------------------------DRAMATIC INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a huge Production Music Library/Publisher that has signed tons of TAXI writers over the years. This company is preparing to place music in at least three feature films and also needs material for a variety of film/TV/radio/commercial projects. There are no restrictions on the instrumentation or the arrangement, but tone and mood of the overall piece is essential. This company needs music filled with suspense and drama primarily and the performances must be excellent. (I added all bold emphasis)---------------------------------------------OK all you big hitters. What is this listing asking for?Dramatic post punk, trip-hop, or arena rock? I think not.I assume if an "alternative" (that is not current 2008 mainstream) is not mentioned, they are looking for pretty straight up stuff.what do you think?and just what is "ton's" of taxi writers? averaging 180lbs each, I guess tons (4k lbs) would be 22.2 taxi writers.

[timmcallister]

at the same time, it looks like this company is also looking for "dramatic scientific instrumentals" in the vein of CSI Las Vegas. That might be more alternative, hip stuff.

[mazz]

Not sure what you mean by "alternative" and "straight up stuff". If it's any of the styles you mentioned AND it's dramatic, it might work for the listing.I think if you watch films, TV and listen to radio commercials, you will hear more in the line of what they are looking for. It could be straight up or it could be alternative or anything in between, as long as it's suspenseful and dramatic in tone and mood.That's the way I interpret it.Good luck!!Mazz

[timmcallister]

thanks mazz for the response.by alternative and mainstream, I mean the market penetration and sales of a given genre of music. Brittany sells more records than Boards of Canada. Brittany is mainstream, boards of canada are alternative. There are a number of threads that discuss "reading between the lines" or better understanding the "customer" and thats what I am trying to discuss here. I assume that most libraries are focused on "something". Maybe "dramatic" is enough, but I kinda doubt it. IMHO it seems a library with a theme of "dramatic" that focused on specific genres of music would be more successful than a library using a shotgun approach with everything from dramatic polkas to dramatic heavy metal. So I am asking; without an "ala" what would YOU assume?thanks all

[squids]

You mean, without an ala for the listing you posted above? I would assume they're looking for suspense/dramatic tracks then, since that's what they say they're trying to find. How suspenseful and/or dramatic is anyone's guess, however. All we can do is submit and see. We could post them before we submit but I've found that muddies the water a bit in my case.

[mazz]

Tim,It feels to me like you're focussing on styles and artists for this listing, and that might be throwing you off. Since there's no "ala's" for this besides "film/TV/radio/commercials", it seems like it's pretty wide open, which can be a drag to try to pinpoint. Just watch some dramatic TV and listen for anything that sounds like something you could pull off in your style(s) and try that. At the very least you might learn more about dramatic music! The keywords here for me are "filled with" "suspense" and "drama" "primarily". I notice you didn't make them bold in your post and those are the ones that need to be bold, IMO.These wide open ones are tough to interpret but on the other hand it's a pretty big target they're putting out there.Good luck!!Mazz

[timmcallister]

thanks for all the comments.

[timmcallister]

Jul 19, 2008, 1:40am, mazz wrote:It feels to me like you're focussing on styles and artists for this listing, and that might be throwing you off. almost. I am trying to determine if my style is appropriate for the listing.I did this thing last night. it's in the ballpark of what I "naturally" do. http://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_ ... m=trueI've got a bunch like this. So I'm scratching my head about listings like these:HAUNTING MUSIC IN ANY GENRE/STYLEDRAMATIC INSTRUMENTALSDRAMATIC SCIENTIFIC/INVESTIGATIVE INSTRUMENTALSpeace.

[anne]

Listening to it and to stick a label on it, investigative was the first one to come to mind. Have you ever seen the list of genres that many libraries use? So long, and so vague!Anyway, it may be worthwhile to find a list (i.e. use broadjams submit form just for this very purpose - you'd be surprised how "hair-splitting" the descriptions. I'm digressing - I didn't find it haunting or highly suspensful but I definitely could see this on discovery channel for many shows, as well as some scenes in CSI (like when they are taking pictures of evidence). A little more sparing drums on the fill, and a little more dymanic on the piano and I'd send it in for the CSI stuff as well. HTH

[timmcallister]

Jul 21, 2008, 8:32am, anne wrote:I'm digressing - I didn't find it haunting or highly suspensful but I definitely could see this on discovery channel for many shows, as well as some scenes in CSI (like when they are taking pictures of evidence). thanks Anne for your comments!