Taxi forwards and followups......

[CHuckmott]

The situation is that that I did get the one forward fro Taxi which they then give you the company name. So you do what comes naturally and find their page, and they are advertising on their page also that they are looking for music. Now the question: Appropriate or no to contact them and say I am interested and submitting to you and by the way (if asked how I got their name) state that I had one song forwarded to them from Taxi and have similar material. The difference being it is going to be that one contact and perhaps a followup. Not like I'm going to look up the super's name and phone them at home on a Sunday morning, but is a courteous and professional follow up ever kosher? I'm going to abide by whatever the taxi rules/guidelines are, because of course I want to get other forwards in the future. And not shoot myself or Taxi in the foot with libraries. supervisors, etc.

[andygabrys]

the usual rule is you just let the taxi method work by itself. yes they give the company name, but just let them figure it out whether they want your piece. if so they will certainly let you know. No need to follow up, you are either in or you are out.

I don't think anyone here would argue with what I just wrote.

If however the company also has a conventional website that could be found via google, and they are advertising that they also want more music, then there is probably no reason why you couldn't submit more (read: different, not the same piece you already submitted to the listing) music directly to the site, and I don't think you should mention a thing about the piece that was already getting to them through TAXI.

this might be controversial, but it makes sense to me.

[mazz]

The usual difference between a Taxi forward and an open invitation on the website is that the Taxi request is a solicited request, often targeted towards a specific project the library is pitching to or supplying music for. They probably won't be putting that info on their website for the general public.

Also, the music coming from Taxi will be put near the top of the listening pile and the music that comes in from anyone that submits cold is probably gone through less often. And there's a lot more of it!! The reason these clients go with Taxi is for the pre-screening. Why go through several hundred songs and pay someone to screen them when you can get a more selective group of pieces that has been screened already according to your criteria?

As far as contacting them, it's not the best thing to do because they may have not yet gone through the Taxi material and at that point you are just asking them questions that they can't yet answer. Besides, they will probably cull the herd down a bit more and if they do like your music (and the opportunity is still active, things change fast in the production world) then they will contact you.

Patience is the best policy. It can't hurt to submit cold, but that should be but one point of attack in your overall strategy.

Mazz

[CHuckmott]

Good points, both. WHich is why given the specificness of the ala for this month (in this case the Offspring track I put in peer to peer) I'm leaving that alone. And likely wait to see if they keep asking Taxi for music. WHich I somehow suspect they will if they are really trying to build their catalog. Have not seen any mention of other forwards for this although I'm sure more exist. Looks like a neat opportunity if they pick it up.Thanks guys. Definitely helpful.

[DesireInspires]

Play it safe and let Taxi work its magic.

[CHuckmott]

I think so also.....thanks. Wait for them to hopefully contact me. Finish this track by Thursday then onto the next. Specifically the Blues rock instrumental (or song) listing, ala Black Keys/ Stone Foxes. Thanks.

[suite204music]

I think that everyone posting on this subject is right on the mark. That said I've had a number of forwards and only one call regarding a song that was supposed to be vintage and they passed when they found out that it was recorded after the year that they were looking for. The patience needed is really hard to find but I can see that from the library's point of view they hire TAXI because they want songs that have been screened and don't want to deal with the writer until they have made a decision to use the music. I'll just have to keep on writing and collaborating until that door opens then try to open more doors.

[crazyhooks]

Hey Chuck,
First off congrats on your forward.
Here's my experience with this situation
Like many here upon the thrill of your first forwards with "name of library",
I looked them up on line and like many new members was surprized they
accepted on line submissions?

So I submitted 3 different genres that i knew are in my blood
And they were my first returns that I didnt agree fully with the reviews.
( that can happen lol )
And 3 months later, I was contracted for all of them.

Now that they know my work , and Im in correspondence
i thought id ask for those particular listings I was forwarded to
The answer was , if that much time has passed and we haven't jumped on it
Then it probably fell off the interest pier
That's the biz, so the listing opp can fall off or
land a placement for you.
Take the gamble .


So Chuck ,
You got a forward from them
Do submit your "new trax" to them.
If they dig what they hear they"ll contact you in email soon enough.

J.

[CHuckmott]

Thanks, I appreciate that. May give that other track (Away) a go with them then as well (I misremembered the deadline as Thursday rather then Tuesday). And there is a slightly older (returned) track that needs tweaking that I may send their way.

[Russell Landwehr]

Play it safe and let Taxi work its magic.

Who are you and what did you do with the DI that we know and love???

( couldn't resist that! )