Help me understand Screener #325

[AlexanderFox]

So, here's the thing. I've gotten plenty of returns. I've never complained about a single one (though I may have disagreed with a few) and have often used the screener's comments to improve the track, several times resulting in a forward the next time around.

What has me absolutely flummoxed on this one is the short and, frankly, bizarre comments accompanying the return. This was for the GTA-style video game listing, specifically in the Latin category. The listing was really long, so here's some relevant excerpts:

U150222LA

EDGY, CONTEMPORARY LATIN SONGS and/or INSTRUMENTAL TRACKS are needed by a Hollywood Music Supervisor for NON-Exclusive placement in a new Driving-based AAA Console Video Game from one of the world’s most successful Video Game Companies. He’s hunting for original, Mid-to-Up-Tempo Songs with Male or Female Vocals, in English and/or Spanish, as well as Instrumental Tracks that could be found on the same playlist as acts like Nach, El Chojin, Xhelazz, Duo Kie, Ozomatli, Mala Rodriguez, Daddy Yankee, Alexis & Fido, Ondatropica, Dalmata, etc., etc., etc...(there were a bunch of ala's, link here if you're interested: http://www.taximusic.com/listings_popup ... =U150222LA).“This is a dark, intense, mysterious, driver/wheelman style game that should be a huge hit once released. Think of ‘Grand Theft Auto’ but more focused on driving. The game features a user selectable radio to enhance the action of the game play, so I’ll need a good amount of material to help round out the playlist for these radio stations. I need Latin songs and instrumental tracks in genres like Reggaeton, Cumbia, Narcocorridos, Gangsta Rap, Rhumba, Baile, etc., etc., etc. Songs need to have a current sound and production. Lyrics can be in English, Spanish, or both, but if it’s in Spanish be sure you have the English translation available, I’m not going to give them material unless I know what the song is saying. So obviously profanity or risqué subject matter won’t work. Lyric themes can vary, but should be something that’s universally appealing and PG-rated.

The first track I submitted was an instrumental, the sum total of comments was "This piece is not edgy enough to be effective for this game."
https://soundcloud.com/alexanderfox/cana-brava

So let's assume that we just have wildly different definitions of what "edgy" means, here's the real headscratcher for me. The second one was a Latin gangsta-rap style piece. The comments on this one were "This one as well. Its too lighthearted and lacks sufficient drama..."
https://soundcloud.com/alexanderfox/ya- ... in-hip-hop

I'm left wondering exactly what s/he considers "lighthearted" about this track. The minor key? The aggressive Latin percussion? The syncopated, rapid-fire vocal? I'm pretty sure it can't be the lyric content (assuming the screener speaks Spanish and understood the lyrics) since the intention is similar to several of the ref tracks and contains no profanity or R-rated themes as specifically requested. I'm not exactly a noob to the Latin or hip hop genres, and judging from the vague comments I can see at least half of the reference tracks being returned as well.

I understand that reasonable minds can differ as to what should get forwarded and we all have to take our lumps sometimes - as I said, I've taken plenty of them, but this particular return and its baffling comments really tied me in knots last night and pretty much ruined my evening, not to be overly "dramatic" about it, haha. Am I totally off base? Can anyone shed any light on these comments for me?

[andygabrys]

this is not gospel Alex, and I feel your dismay sometimes, but here's an opinion:

the first piece Cana Brava - well, the first thing I feel when I hear pizzicato strings these days - Dramedy. Not edgy, rather sneaky and silly. That might be wrong as the piece is a little more dark than a typical dramedy piece. but that's how it strikes me. Also the first occurrence of really hard hitting drums is about 2:08 - sound wise. I think most hip-hop influenced stuff has got really powerful and gritty drums. whether they be 808's or whatever. crank up the parallel distortion and make 'em dirty.

second piece - awesome. again, IMO its the drums. the percussion is top notch right in the genre right? but the hip-hop aspect, the drums are way in the back - yes later in the track they come up a bit, they should likely be slamming from the start, maybe a little mid-range dip and parallel grit as well. Listen to the Palabras ref and check where the drums are mix wise. what are the elements that make this ref work and be perhaps "edgy" - loud proud hip-hop drums and spanish vocal. bam.

again. opinions - I am certainly not a latin specialist, but these are the things I think about if something has got to be "edgy".

[jonnybutter]

Hola Alex

Basically agree with Andy, but would just add...

Your stuff is really good - outstanding in fact! But I do understand why the screener returned them.

I do some Afro-cuban and cumbia music when I get the chance, and I remember eagerly listening to the 'a la' tracks for this listing. What I heard made me decide not to write and submit for it. It has been a while, but as I recall, there really was nothing or next to nothing musically 'latin' about those tracks - my impression was that they were mostly just rap in Spanish - no montunos, no clave, etc. just rap in Spanish. Your tracks sound like the real thing - excellent, but not like the a las.



good luck man. your stuff sounds great

[AlexanderFox]

Thanks gents, I know I can always count on my fellow Taxi members to talk me off the ledge. I very much appreciate your ears and your taking the time to listen and share your insights.

Andy, I take your point about the drums, still doesn't satisfactorily explain where #325 came up with "lighthearted." Latin listings are far too infrequent for my taste as it is (obviously ), and as Jonny astutely pointed out all too often what they want is not really "Latin" at all, it's just something sung in Spanish. Maybe I got my hopes up a bit too high for these submissions because of the paucity of Latin listings in general and what sounded to me like a request for cross-genre tracks. I listened to every one of the ala's and thought I'd have a better shot than I apparently did because (1) my stuff was even more identifiably Latin than what they referenced (I'm not crazy, right? They asked for Latin songs & instros) and (2) they were supposedly looking for a wide range of Latin material (Reggaeton, Cumbia, Narcocorridos, Gangsta Rap, Rhumba, Baile, etc., etc., etc.). Why put all those etceteras if you ONLY want things that sound like one of the refs? Incidentally, I wonder if the lister or the screener even knows what "Rhumba" sounds like (btw nobody spells it like that anymore), because there's no way any of the ala's could be considered even REMOTELY related to rumba, or that given the comments a rumba track would have been forwarded. Why ask for Latin when you really just want rock or rap en español? Looked at in this context, what would a "Latin" instrumental even sound like? Just a hip-hop beat?

I swear, it's not the return itself that got my goat. Maybe I have more of a problem with the listing itself. I don't know. Anyway, the more I write about it the more exhausted I get. I'm going to do what we all have to sometimes: put this one behind me and embrace the next opportunity.

Thanks very much again to Andy and Jonny for talking me down, and thanks for your kind words about my music.

[jonnybutter]

Thinking about it some more, I think that 'light hearted' was a not the best choice of words, but it does give a clue. I think one thing that didn't work for the listing was how acoustic and organic the tracks sound, especially Cana Brava. Sounding organic and alive is a good thing, right? Maybe not in this case. They probably wanted more aggressive, loud, noisy, and Pro Tools slice and dice *desenfreno*. Also, the beats...

Honestly, sometimes I think hip hop and rap are The Borg - there's nothing inherently wrong with either style of music, but the beats are just so rigidly the same all the time, homogenizing all the music they merge with (despite the world overflowing other deep and beautiful rhythms!). I notice Mala Rodriguez blending what sounds kind of like Mexican polka and a rap type beat, and it works because they are at least compatible tempo-wise.

I think this listing party wanted rap or hip hop or *maybe* reggaeton. Remember, it's music for a dark, presumably violent, video game about driving.

I feel your pain, man. At least you know the quality you are producing. Good stuff, just not right for the listing I guess.

[niallyboy]

Hey Alex,

I totally dug the authenticity of your submissions: the montuno piano, the violins, the percussion, etc. My feeling is that your submissions were too classically Latin and not enough modern hip-hop for the screener. You've got a great grasp on the Latin genre, man.

Sorry, mate.

Niall

[AlexanderFox]

Thanks Niall! Can't win em all.

[andygabrys]

good point! what is a latin instrumental?

There are some that are (to my ear anyways) devoid of clave, and any recognizable "latin" percussion, no montuno, not horns that could be considered "latin". Like Maná - sure they have a couple of tunes that have more stereotypes of the genre right? like the one with Shakira - but other tunes.......and I remember a listing not too long ago where they were looking for latin instrumentals and Maná was one of the refs.

So with Maná as an a la....how do you make a latin instrumental? What are the hallmarks of a Latin style instrumental a la Maná?

another thing that is worthwhile remembering:

screeners aren't necessarily composers or players, or musicologists - they are human, and sometimes are likely at a loss for words when trying to describe something that maybe they hear or feel. So yeah, while light-hearted probably isn't the best descriptor, it was the words that came to mind. And take in the context of the next point - you could consider it the opposite of the next sentence. Maybe it works.

good point here too:

I think this listing party wanted rap or hip hop or *maybe* reggaeton. Remember, it's music for a dark, presumably violent, video game about driving.

good on you for writing for this man. These kinds of listings that are a little more open always get me scratching my head.

[jonnybutter]

screeners aren't necessarily composers or players, or musicologists - they are human, and sometimes are likely at a loss for words when trying to describe something that maybe they hear or feel. So yeah, while light-hearted probably isn't the best descriptor..,

This is so true, and I have found applies to clients as well as screeners - it's our job as writers to read between the lines and figure out what the client/screener *means*, which they may not even completely know themselves. It's easy to forget how different their perspective is compared to ours: they are listening to a lot of music (screener) and/or dealing with many many other issues (client) while you and I are intensely focused on just our own tracks.

I won't repeat the whole story, but you can fill in blanks: I once had to write a track for a client who requested a 'laid back' version of a PD song. I gave it to him slower, suaver, and more relaxed than the usual, and he sent it back saying, 'Why is this slow?! I asked for laid back - you know, snappy! Fun!' Most of the time we get better clues than that, and 'lighthearted', while not perfectly accurate, is at least clear. And keep in mind that s/he is not judging your piece as a piece of music, but as a fit for the listing.