Getting a bit fed up with 'needs more' returns

[PhilG]

I've had a number of returns recently where the reason for rejection is 'other', with comments along the lines of 'very nice, but needs more'.

For example, for the Y130426NA listing, where the brief was for 'MINIMALIST Instrumentals ... should be RELAXING, INTRIGUING, CALMING .. avoid submitting music that's overly busy'

I submitted the following:

https://soundcloud.com/phil-gooch/winter

https://soundcloud.com/phil-gooch/last-fall

Then for listing Y130313IN, requiring ' songs or instrumentals with a softer, more toned down sound. Acoustic guitars, softer electric guitars and pianos are all good' I submitted

https://soundcloud.com/phil-gooch/when- ... alls-apart

And again the feedback is 'this track needs more.'

So in what way does a minimalist composition 'need more', or a song with a softer, more toned down sound, need more?!

Sometimes I wish the screeners would just let the client decide.

[cardell]

Really nice tracks Phil! It may be worth going direct to a library or two (as well as thru Taxi.com).

Stuart

[crazyhooks]

Phil ,
Man thats just wrong , Thats some beautiful fingerpicking and harmonics on these peices
with minimal production just like the listing asked for.
Stu's right , submit directly

.
J.

[PhilG]

Thanks chaps for your encouragement. I'd not considered the direct submission route before, I'll look into that.

Best regards

Phil

[Kolstad]

I might not get the "needs more" feedback you got, but I could hear the first two as busy in terms of the listing. They sounded more like Pat Metheny type tracks to me. So no question they're very good, maybe just not "right" for the listing.

Regarding the song, I might think of the "needs more" in terms of the vocal track.. needs more work, in terms of pitch and to sit more even in the mix.

Just my thoughts, they are all nice tracks, so there's nothing wrong with them. But the competition in Taxi is very tough, and I don't think we always can imagine the quality others submit, just by listening to these forums. People are really stretching.

Often the hardest part when you are producing diy, is to be nitpicky about yourself, so when you have tracks this close, you should consider getting pro feedback, imo. To push the last 10%, where we must assume the competition are, as these got returned.

[PhilG]

Thanks for taking the time to listen to the tracks Magne. Your are right, ultimately only a handful of pieces will be forwarded for a listing, so the majority will be rejected, and unless a track really stands out, it's not going to make it. A track being nice is not good enough!

Well, onwards and upwards!

[jazzstan]

Uber tastey picking in Fall & WInter. Great stuff, loved it.

[Jim1960]

Having a gatekeeper between your songs and the end user does have it's drawbacks. Going direct is a really good option. I will be doing both when the set is finished.

[DesireInspires]

Although the tracks were great songs, I could see why they may have been passed over.

The melodies were a bit too busy. There was too much playing going on. Also, the melodies changed too often. It would have been better to stick to one main melody throughout the whole song.

That main melody could have been just simple notes for a few bars and could have gotten a bit more complicated. One way to help is to play to a drum pattern or metronome. Just use a loop and play simple melodies to the rhythm. For the final song, just remove the loop and you have exactly what you need.

You could probably make 8 different songs from those first two songs. Just take one melody and loop it. Do this with all of the different melodies and you have a bunch of basic songs to polish into finished products.

Good luck.

[PhilG]

Although the tracks were great songs, I could see why they may have been passed over.

The melodies were a bit too busy. There was too much playing going on.

Hi Desire Inspires, thanks for your feedback. I agree, if the screener feedback had been along these lines, it would have made more sense. But 'needs more' suggests the opposite - that they wanted more going on, not less! Although 'needs more' can mean many things I guess, more space perhaps

Cheers

Phil