Totally wrong

[tresero]

https://www.taxi.com/listings/D200223LT

A WIDE RANGE OF LATIN INSTRUMENTALS and/or INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a successful Music Library with a super long list of placements in Hit TV Shows!

NOTE: We’re not providing any references for this request, as they’re looking for A LOT of material to pitch to current projects. They’re open to hearing a range of Latin styles including (but NOT limited to) Salsa, Mariachi, Banda, Bolero, Rumba, Plena, Samba, Tango, Zouk, Bachata, etc., etc., etc.

Please submit authentic-sounding Latin Instrumentals (or Cues) with engaging rhythms, strong musicianship, and instrumentation that’s common for the genre you choose to submit. The more organic and natural your instrumentation sounds, the better! If you use Virtual Instruments, please make sure they sound like the real thing, and not electronic imitations. Overdubbing a real instrument or two on top of the Virtual ones can go a long way in helping your submissions sound more authentic!

TAXI Tip: Mid-to-Up Tempo Instrumentals are usually more desirable; but if you have a really strong Down-Tempo piece, you can go ahead and include it as well!

Your submissions should be at least 2 minutes in length – a little bit longer is fine. Non-Faded, Buttoned/Stinger endings will work best for this request. Broadcast Quality is needed.

I won't mention the reviewer, but when I get:

"You have captured the authenticity, although, due to the track being recorded with virtual instrumentation, it creates a specific "sound" that is undesirable for the listing." et al, there were 4 returned.

The funny thing is, not one, and I mean, not ONE instrument on this is virtual. Zero, and all played live. I just think Taxi should get reviewers who understand the style and instrumentation of the listing.

This used Cuban tres, which I'm sure they thought was some bad guitar sample, and 100% live percussion and bass. Not only that, it was recorded in Cuba. And if you look up Marcos Crego (who played piano, you will see he has some cred (Afro-Cuban All Stars), and the bass was Jiovanni Cofiño (Elito Reve, Afro-Cuban All Stars)

Anyway, I don't care that much other than to rant. These tracks will be signed by one of my other publishers. I was just hoping to expand my market.

It's one of the reasons I'm thinking of not renewing my membership. I've gotten tracks signed, but ...

They may not fit the listing, but to say it's virtual is comical.

Anyway, end rant.

https://www.taxi.com/members/AfZ6AWI8SN ... -nightclub

https://www.taxi.com/members/AfZ6AWI8SN ... guantanamo

https://www.taxi.com/members/AfZ6AWI8SN ... night-club

https://www.taxi.com/members/AfZ6AWI8SN ... ugh-havana

[SamGreene]

Performances sound great. Hard to believe they’d pass.

Started my education on Cuban music 10 minutes ago by checking out a few tracks on Spotify. The difference to me is your instruments sound very close to me - many sounds panned and dry. Most of the tracks I heard sounded like a group playing in front of me, maybe less ‘produced’ and modern. Maybe they were recorded 50 years ago with 2 mics as well . Just a thought.

Need to put (recorded live in Cuba) and tag your track with ‘live instruments’?

And some of those horn and guitar licks would be impossible to virtual up. Come on!

[tresero]

Performances sound great. Hard to believe they’d pass.

Started my education on Cuban music 10 minutes ago by checking out a few tracks on Spotify. The difference to me is your instruments sound very close to me - many sounds panned and dry. Most of the tracks I heard sounded like a group playing in front of me, maybe less ‘produced’ and modern. Maybe they were recorded 50 years ago with 2 mics as well . Just a thought.

Need to put (recorded live in Cuba) and tag your track with ‘live instruments’?

And some of those horn and guitar licks would be impossible to virtual up. Come on!

Thanks! Yes, reverb was huge there in the 90's and early 2000's, not as much now. The funny thing is I put one of my tunes that was recorded back then that reverted to me, and I got, too much reverb etc. Can't win sometimes.

[cassmcentee]

Nice recordings!
Don't hear anything virtual...
You will find a home for them.

What stands out to me, they all feel like one long "A" (Jamb) section so they didn't take me anywhere.
I'm guessing the screener felt the same way. You will find out by listening to the ones that were forwarded.
Also I felt like I only heard 2 Edit points out of the lot, crucial for Film & TV placements
Sure editors can use anything, but they will drift towards easy edit points.
Cheers,
Cass

[cassmcentee]

P.S. I just listened to what was forwarded and was quite suprised...
Your tunes could have been easily forwaded!
The other tunes were mixed a little better but your tunes felt much more authentic...
Who Knows?!?

[tresero]

P.S. I just listened to what was forwarded and was quite suprised...
Your tunes could have been easily forwaded!
The other tunes were mixed a little better but your tunes felt much more authentic...
Who Knows?!?

I'll have to check the forwards, but I'm in Vegas with my kids for Spring Break. As I said, I'm not really sure who was the screener, but they didn't know about Cuban music for sure. I will send them to one of my publishers. They will be signed. As I said earlier, I was just trying to find some new contacts.

Thanks!

[cosmicdolphin]

Lol ..I just listened to New York Salsa, has the screener ever tried to make realistic brass with a VI ? Jeez

Just goes to show though in this game that production seems to trump all. I would grade the music as an A and the production a B- and I suspect if were the other way around then forwards would have resulted.

[tresero]

Lol ..I just listened to New York Salsa, has the screener ever tried to make realistic brass with a VI ? Jeez

Just goes to show though in this game that production seems to trump all. I would grade the music as an A and the production a B- and I suspect if were the other way around then forwards would have resulted.

Thanks! I agree.

[MBantle]

Lol ..I just listened to New York Salsa, has the screener ever tried to make realistic brass with a VI ? Jeez

Just goes to show though in this game that production seems to trump all. I would grade the music as an A and the production a B- and I suspect if were the other way around then forwards would have resulted.

Thanks! I agree.

I had the same some time ago where the screener told me a trumpet (Fiverr) sounded like an inferior VI... I guess these things will continue to happen as all that matters is the impression the screener gets listening to a track. Virtual Instruments are usually based on well recorded live instruments and a self-made live recording with e.g. the microphone in the wrong place may sound inferior (as in a 'cheap virtual instrument'). Think of someone recording a hand clap that already does not sound good and compresses it etc. - it will most probably sound much worse than any hand clap sample you can get from a sample library. I'm not saying that any of this holds true when it comes to your tracks but it is worthwhile remembering that samples are also recordings of real instruments if you think of it and what matters is the end result, so a bad live recording can actually sound like a bad virtual instrument and a bad virtual instrument (with some treatment) may sound like a great live instrument! In other words, it is the mix, the context and the feel that is being created that leads to a certain perception as to whether something is "convincingly real" or "midi/cheap sounding".
My five cents.
Cheers,
Matt

[tresero]

Lol ..I just listened to New York Salsa, has the screener ever tried to make realistic brass with a VI ? Jeez

Just goes to show though in this game that production seems to trump all. I would grade the music as an A and the production a B- and I suspect if were the other way around then forwards would have resulted.

Thanks! I agree.

I had the same some time ago where the screener told me a trumpet (Fiverr) sounded like an inferior VI... I guess these things will continue to happen as all that matters is the impression the screener gets listening to a track. Virtual Instruments are usually based on well recorded live instruments and a self-made live recording with e.g. the microphone in the wrong place may sound inferior (as in a 'cheap virtual instrument'). Think of someone recording a hand clap that already does not sound good and compresses it etc. - it will most probably sound much worse than any hand clap sample you can get from a sample library. I'm not saying that any of this holds true when it comes to your tracks but it is worthwhile remembering that samples are also recordings of real instruments if you think of it and what matters is the end result, so a bad live recording can actually sound like a bad virtual instrument and a bad virtual instrument (with some treatment) may sound like a great live instrument! In other words, it is the mix, the context and the feel that is being created that leads to a certain perception as to whether something is "convincingly real" or "midi/cheap sounding".
My five cents.
Cheers,
Matt

All that may be true, but, and I could be wrong, the recording isn't the problem here. 2 of the 4 have already been signed, I'm waiting on the other 2. What Taxi should do is not say "authentic" when they mean pop standards. As I said, these were recorded in Cuba. They are authentic