Confused

[Robertj64]

Hi All

I am trying to make sense of feedback for an A Capella version of "Silent Night that I did for the opportunity S200622XM. It was asking for Public Domain Christmas songs in ANY STYLE. I was confident in my track because I already had it forwarded in S200608PD.

The feedback I got from the second screener was that "The production could sound more current to appeal to this pitch.. Note the values found in songs like “Jingle Bells” By Michael Bublé ft. The Puppini Sisters for reference." Also "Production could sound more fresh for this request." I am not sure what "values" mean as the listing explicity says "Please make sure your submissions are staying true to the ORIGINAL Song(s) and NOT any of the references' renditions of the Song(s). In other words, they are NOT looking to hear soundalikes or clones of Michael Bublé’s version of Christmas Songs."

The listing did not ask for "current" or "fresh" so I am at a loss to figure out what this screener is trying to get at. I know my track isn't perfect and I would accept constructive criticism to improve but feedback like this is just downright confusing. I think it would be very difficult to improve production on a traditional A Capella track unless you upgrade the mic and the reverb ambiance. No boxes of improvement were ticked off in the critique. If the track doesn't sound current then they should mention that they only want modernized versions of Public Domain Christmas songs. It would be so simple to put that in the listing. Perhaps, I have missed something here? The link to the track is here: https://soundcloud.com/vocalsky/silent-night

Thanks and good luck out there!
Robert

[AlanHall]

Hi Robert,
I too have gotten reviews that seem to be somewhat at odds with what I thought the listing desired. The way I have come to understand it - not necessarily the correct way, but the way I understand the comments - is that under the "I think you could improve the song by" section the screener is offering a general criticism that will increase my chances in the future for other listings. Only under the "I returned ... this song because" section do the comments address this specific submission for this specific listing. I hope that helps you, because it's the only thing that helps me

[Robertj64]

Hi Robert,
I too have gotten reviews that seem to be somewhat at odds with what I thought the listing desired. The way I have come to understand it - not necessarily the correct way, but the way I understand the comments - is that under the "I think you could improve the song by" section the screener is offering a general criticism that will increase my chances in the future for other listings. Only under the "I returned ... this song because" section do the comments address this specific submission for this specific listing. I hope that helps you, because it's the only thing that helps me

Thanks Alan. I have received a lot of recommendations and I use that to improve and get better. It has been a growing experience for me. I just don't understand how production can have anything to do with an A Capella song. I would expect to hear that the arrangement is off or shakey. Or maybe the singing is weak or off-key. The listing asked for "Any style" so it cannot be that it is not "current". That is just a blatant contradiction. I do not have any sense of what this screener is getting at because if I had to produce the A Capella version again, his/her comments would not be of any help to me. Very frustrating since the song was already forwarded in a previous listing.

[cassmcentee]

Your link to the song in question doesn't work...

[hummingbird]

In this case, I feel a polite call to TAXI to ask for clarification might be helpful.

[cosmicdolphin]

I am not sure what "values" mean

I would take that to mean " Production Values " in the context of Screener feedback and the first half of that sentence.

The listing did not ask for "current" or "fresh"

But did they post reference tracks that sounded fresh and current or had current production values ?

I think it would be very difficult to improve production on a traditional A Capella track unless you upgrade the mic and the reverb ambiance.

That link doesn't work but without hearing it I would expect from the feedback it doesn't sound modern enough compared to the ref tracks. Although it's only an A Cappella there are still many variables that can make it sound fresh and modern or old dated, or somewhere in between.

Firstly there is the singer. Some people just sound more youthful and current and others have an older sounding voices. This can attributed to many things including their physical age but also phrasing , intonation , cadence etc.

Then there's the production aspect, how the voice is EQ'd , how the vocals are compressed , limited , tuned , panned, and as for reverb a lot of mixers say they hardly ever use it these days and use delays but there are types of reverb that come in and then go out of fashion.

There's more to it than you seem to think.

Mark

[Robertj64]

Your link to the song in question doesn't work...

https://soundcloud.com/vocalsky/silent-night


Thanks!
Robert

[Robertj64]

I am not sure what "values" mean

I would take that to mean " Production Values " in the context of Screener feedback and the first half of that sentence.

The listing did not ask for "current" or "fresh"

But did they post reference tracks that sounded fresh and current or had current production values ?

I think it would be very difficult to improve production on a traditional A Capella track unless you upgrade the mic and the reverb ambiance.

That link doesn't work but without hearing it I would expect from the feedback it doesn't sound modern enough compared to the ref tracks. Although it's only an A Cappella there are still many variables that can make it sound fresh and modern or old dated, or somewhere in between.

"Firstly there is the singer. Some people just sound more youthful and current and others have an older sounding voices. This can attributed to many things including their physical age but also phrasing , intonation , cadence etc.

Then there's the production aspect, how the voice is EQ'd , how the vocals are compressed , limited , tuned , panned, and as for reverb a lot of mixers say they hardly ever use it these days and use delays but there are types of reverb that come in and then go out of fashion.

There's more to it than you seem to think."

Mark

"But did they post reference tracks that sounded fresh and current or had current production values ?"

If they post in the listing and are asking for "Any Style" then wouldn't that mean that any style would be acceptable regardless of the examples they post? Why bother putting "Any style" in the listing?

Firstly there is the singer. Some people just sound more youthful and current and others have an older sounding voices. This can attributed to many things including their physical age but also phrasing , intonation , cadence etc.

"Then there's the production aspect, how the voice is EQ'd , how the vocals are compressed , limited , tuned , panned, and as for reverb a lot of mixers say they hardly ever use it these days and use delays but there are types of reverb that come in and then go out of fashion."

I think you have a point here. I am just surprised that out of two almost identical listings, I got forwarded on one and not the other. I really don't mean to be difficult but the listing words should not contradict the music samples.

[cosmicdolphin]

Your link to the song in question doesn't work...

https://soundcloud.com/vocalsky/silent-night

Okay, listened now....yours sounds kinda 60's Beach Boys rich type harmonies, ref track has a single vocal and then the female harmonies are somewhat lighter and brighter . His vocal delivery is also a lot more conversational which makes it feel a bit more contemporary.

Also tempo wise they've speeded their song up quite a bit compared to the original , so the Buble track is kinda light, bright and breezy so your silent night sounds a bit retro in comparison.

[Robertj64]

Your link to the song in question doesn't work...

https://soundcloud.com/vocalsky/silent-night

Okay, listened now....yours sounds kinda 60's Bach Boys rich type harmonies, ref track has a single vocal and then the female harmonies are somewhat lighter and brighter . His vocal delivery is also a lot more conversational which makes it feel a bit more contemporary.

Also tempo wise they've speeded their song up quite a bit compared to the original , so the Buble track is kinda light, bright and breezy so your silent night sounds a bit retro in comparison.

Thank you for this!