Help me understand this feedback please!!!

[viroxrod]

Hi Guys,

I submitted for listing S200430UB (Dramedy Cue) and my track was returned with this feedback,
"I think you could improve this song by
Consider the overall "Library" sound going on. The request is for "Commercial Sounding" recordings. This is more like the accompaniment of a rap song with current production values set up like a Dramedy cue."


I'm a newbie and I didn't understand terms like "library sound going on" or "commercial sounding", definitely I need more specifics to understand and learn.

My track:
https://soundcloud.com/viviana-rodrigue ... in-the-air

reference tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHE7sBA ... u.be&t=390 (From 6:30-7:00)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccSKNpI ... u.be&t=558 (From 9:18 – 9:48)



I'd really appreciate your comments to learn!

[cassmcentee]

Took a quick listen to yours and then the first reference track...
Notice that the reference music doesn't go anywhere, keeps playing on the same short theme with different voicings
Yours seems to be more like a song/instrumental with an extended theme.
I think that is what the Screener is refering to?!?

[TrevFury]

Hi there.
I had a listen to your track, then looked at the examples they provided for the listing. I do get what the screener was saying. I don't always understand the screener feedback but in this case it's pretty clear.
I could picture some rapping over top of yours, resulting in a quirky hip hop tune as the screener seemed to imagine.

the example videos show how the cue will be used. So if you kept the initial groove going for 20 seconds or so, THEN had one of your quirky pauses, then switched to another variation of the main groove for 20-30 seconds, then another whimsical pause, etc it would be more like the anatomy of one of these cues. Keeping in mind that there is dialogue over top of it most of the time would guide the choice of instrumentation, density of notes, etc. It seems that the vast majority of these cues that I hear in shows are very simple, with only a few variations of a main theme and a handful of creative stops spread throughout.

Your sound quality, playing, samples, etc are all good. I'm sure you've done other listings since May 8 and that you've also checked out the considerable amount of educational material Taxi provides us, so there's nothing new I'm likely adding that you don't already fully understand. I'm curious what you've done since this one.

[Steverino]

Hi, I just listened to your track and the references...while I really enjoyed listening to your tune, I think that it was' busier' than the references provided. By this I mean that you had more musical instruments playing at the same time. The reference pieces are much more sporadic. One instrument plays a few plucks, then there's a response from a different instrument playing a few plinks. I think you could probably remove different layers/tracks of your piece, at different points in the music and have something similar sounding to the reference pieces. Just my opinion though. Best, Steve