Forwards Question

[JIMUSIC]

Hi everyone,

I'm still pretty new at Taxi and I have some questions for some of you more seasoned members

If your forwarded work is wanted by a library who receives it, is it typical that a library would sign a contract with the writer to publish 1 single cue?
For example, is it desirable for a library to pick 10 forwarded tracks, 1 each from 10 different members, and use them to create 1 new album around a certain genre?

I can't help but wonder if they would rather not do this much paper work. Or in reality is it all quick and easy to sign many cues from many different members?

Is Taxi more like a place to get noticed - and then make a full album of work to sign over when/if libraries get in contact with you?
Or is it more like a place where you can get lots of individual cues signed over with various libraries through many listings?

Has anyone had a single cue signed? is it common or rare?

I know there can't be one rule for all libraries, but what kind of patterns do you see? what are your experiences?

I have not been contacted by a library yet - I am just looking to keep my expectations in check and based in reality.

Thank you!

Joseph

[ttully]

Hi Joseph,
Yes...I have signed many many times just 1 track to a library or TV show.
Also, I have a few libraries that will not accept more than 1 track... they are swamped.


My 1 cents worth,
Tim

[JIMUSIC]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the response - that's really encouraging to hear.

Could I ask out of interest, if you know to hand, what kind of forwards to signings ratio might be realistic, or what has that been in your experience?

Just to get a very rough idea of how many forwards, statistically, *might* lead to a signing?

[ttully]

Hey Joseph,

Well...the ratio of forwards to signings can vary wildly from member to member.
And one persons experience can be completely different from another person.
Also the type of listing your submit to can have a big influence.
Submitting to listings for $50,000 TV spots .... you may get a ton of forwards.... but very few if any signings.
Submitting to hip hop or tension type listings will usually get you more signings to forwards ratio..IMO

But, I believe I stated this in a different topic... but my first 160 forwards got me deals with 23 libraries.
Then I had a very dry spell...of about 190 forwards without a single signing.
Then recently i had 2 new signings.

But other members have had completely different results.....

Again...just my 2 cents worth,
Tim

[VanderBoegh]

Hey Joseph, welcome to the Forums.

In answer to your original question, all of the scenarios you laid out are possibilities. Some libraries will only want to sign the forwarded track they got from Taxi, others will want you to do more, and others will allow you to submit a bunch of tracks in various styles to fill their current needs as the years go on. It all depends on what the library wants at the time. But it all starts with a relationship built off of a single track.

I've got a few libraries with over 500 tracks of mine, some in the 200 range, and many with 50-100 - all of which started with a single forward. And, I've got two libraries with one little old track. So, there's no way to tell what a forward & signing will lead to.

In reference to your second question about forward-to-signing ratio..... my advice is not to worry about it. There's just too many variables to get a good idea of what to expect, as Tim pointed out. Just focus on making great music, and keep getting forwards. The deals will come.

~~Matt

[jaywilliams]

Just focus on making great music, and keep getting forwards. The deals will come.

~~Matt

+1

This should be a scrolling message across the bottom of all Taxi web pages.

Thank you Matt for continuing to provide guidance and inspiration for those of us just starting the journey!

Jay

[chrismugs]

Matt and Tim are completely right... don't worry about it. The only thing that you can control is the quality of music that you create. Stay positive and focused and try to keep outdoing yourself.

Kind of similar to Tim, i went on a 100 plus forward drought before a library contacted me about a cue. it happens. if you look, i'm sure there is some post on this forum from people who got their first forward signed. as they say in advertising, results may vary. just keep doing your best and things will work out.

[cosmicdolphin]

Library A signed a single cue and then the door was open for more

Library B signed one song and then I had access to all their other briefs via an online portal to submit more

Library C asked if I wanted to make an Album of 10 cues so I did and it's up on their site and I also contributed to other albums along the way

Library D wanted at least 5 tracks so four more had to be made for the intial submission, and now I get their emails that they send out when they have new needs

Mark

[JIMUSIC]

Thank you everyone for the insight.

Matt, those are some really incredible numbers. That's really inspiring.

So, I guess the hardest part of this process is to get the attention of the libraries? but once you establish those relationships, each track you finish will go into a library where it has tangible value rather than into a pitching process where is only has the potential to create value. It feels a bit like rubbing sticks together to make fire, it's a lot of work but eventually, you can create the spark that will turn into something much bigger. I can see why a lot of people would give up rubbing sticks together because its so much hard work - and it seems like the spark will never come. but once you get the fire started I guess you just have to maintain it by adding wood, which is much easier.

There is really great advice and encouragement in this thread, I'll return here when I need to top up my motivation

I'm going to go and continue trying to make the spark

[andygabrys]

...So, I guess the hardest part of this process is to get the attention of the libraries? ....

Yes and its why TAXI exists to aid in getting those relationships.

.......once you establish those relationships, each track you finish will go into a library where it has tangible value rather than into a pitching process where is only has the potential to create value......

Sort of right.

You pitch stuff to a library / publisher / music supervisor / ad agency.

Those entities then pitch to their clients (TV production companies, companies buying advertising, movie production companies etc).

The clients have the end word whether any of that music will see the light of day. Lots of great music but its gotta be right for the clients (sometimes fickle) tastes.

As the bar gets higher, the number of successful placements decreases as the payouts rise.

Like Tim mentioned above - $50,000 ads usually have one winning track and thousands might be pitched from a multitude of sources.

Conversely there are likely thousands of daily placements for other genres that might pay $10-$300 per quarter (say EDM styles on KUWTK) but there are also thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands of tracks out there in the marketplace that might get pitched, or are available for editors to use via library websites or hard drives.