Current Vocal Tone?

[regardner]

Hello Folks,

I recently received a return with the following reason:

"Vocal tone could be more current/commercial sounding for this request."

This is the vocal tone in question: https://soundcloud.com/user-584639199/t ... e-got-this

Does anybody have any insight as to what current/commercial vocal tone might mean?

[cassmcentee]

Great Vocal delivery!
That being said:
Sounds a bit too Dry to me
I can hear your reverb but it is pretty low in volume
Sometimes a little touch of delay helps also
The other thought is that the Nasal delivery is a bit aggro in the High Zs
Maybe a little more warmth will help cut the aggression on my ears
I would hit up the Examples given in the listing and take note of the effects on the vocals
Mimic those
Cheers
Cass

[regardner]

Thanks for taking the time to listen and give feedback, Cass.

This was one of those listing where no references were given because they might be more misleading than helpful, so, unfortunately, I can't compare my reverb to the references.

I took a listen to "Crayzee Crawfish," btw, what a cool genre-blending track!

[JohnDroese]

Nice Track!
depends on two things:
1. what genre music the listing was asking for
2.The reference tracks one thing I have learned is that the screeners stick to the reference tracks on things like vocal sound
Did any of the reference tracks have that distorted in your face sound?

I think your track as it is sounds is great for a commercial... The right commercial

but not so much for reality tv..... every song has a home in sync land

Hope that helps
Best of Luck

[lesmac]

Beats me! What a punching track!

My only thoughts on the screener's comments is maybe they are hearing a little Faith No More in your vocal and it's taking them back.

I wouldn't change it unless you wanted to experiment for the heck of it.

Maybe like this Black Keys hack:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFEoKp6 ... ex=36&t=0s

[andygabrys]

Sounds pretty good to me except the vocal is too loud. At least a dB or 2 loud - maybe more.

Usually stuff with wide panned rock guitars will have the guitars up competing with the voice in stereo - and if you flip your monitoring to mono then the vocal will be on top - due to the pan law in most DAW's. So I would remix so that the vocals are a bit down, and the wide panned guitars are a bit up - or just vocals way down if the rest of the track is balanced well by itself.

Usually if you get a comment like that - its an indication that what you have submitted isn't stylistically correct for what they wanted.

The clues are the ref tracks.

If there are no ref tracks, then you can only go on the text of the listing. If they mention "commercial" or that its going to be used for a commercial etc then you have to go for a mix that sounds like a current rock band that could easily be heard in a commercial.

I would ref the artists Royal Blood - tracks like "lights Out" or "I Only like when I love you" or "how did it get so dark".

Listen to the solo vocal that starts "I only lie". You can hear its a little distorted and a has a doubler effect or a sung double but they are panned both to center. You can also hear if its a sung double, that the phasing is so ON. So something like VocAlign can help you get the doubles really phrasing spot on to the lead.

these are all little touches that make something that is still agressive into a "commercially viable" agressive mix.

That's your sound to emulate and the bar to jump over to make this mix slamming.

Try to post the initial listing in this thread and you might get some better feedback compared to what the client was looking for.

[regardner]

Gentleman,

I very much appreciate all of your input.

Here is the original listing. It was, fortunately or unfortunately, one of those with no specific references given.

"A BUNCH OF SONGS with Lyric Themes about “TOGETHERNESS” (with Male or Female Vocals) are needed by a very successful Music Publisher with a long track record of AWESOME placements in Film, TV, and Commercials.

NOTE: We purposely avoided putting references in this Listing, as we felt they could potentially be more misleading or limiting, than helpful. However, this company tends to request the following commercially viable genres from TAXI, so you’d probably be wise to focus your efforts on Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B, and Electronic Songs.

Mid-to-Up-Tempo Songs are usually more easily placed, but if you have really strong Ballads or Down-Tempo Songs, feel free to take a shot!

Please submit well-crafted Songs with great melodies and compelling choruses that deliver positive messages about banding together! Whichever genres or sub-genres you’re pitching, the music should have genre-appropriate instrumentation and productions. Be sure to also have well-executed vocal performances!

TAXI Tip: We strongly suspect these Songs will be used in the inevitable TV shows and movies about the Coronavirus Pandemic that will go into production when we come out of "lockdown."

Lyric themes should focus on the concepts of (but not limited to) togetherness, friendship, banding together, taking care of others, sticking together through thick and thin, connections, being there for one another, and support. Avoiding references to specific names, places, dates, times, brands, and profanity will likely be the most appealing to this client. You'd also be smart to avoid lyrics that specifically say, "virus, COVID-19, Coronavirus," etc.

Broadcast Quality is needed.

The specific deal points will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If you’re inclined to do an Exclusive deal, please don’t submit material that’s already signed with other libraries or publishers. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to submit to this opportunity. Please submit as many Songs as you’d like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Monday, June 29th, 2020. TAXI # S200629TG

TAXI # S200629TG

[andygabrys]

Thanks for posting the listing.

This caught my eye:

"this company tends to request the following commercially viable genres from TAXI, so you’d probably be wise to focus your efforts on Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B, and Electronic Songs."

So your style was certainly popular but arguably a little less mainstream than some of the styles, and you could have focused on the production / mix a little more and made it a more commercial flavor.

You'll get it next time. Good Luck!

[Ted]

...googles "pan law". That's it I'm outta here.

I just wanted to play guitar to get girls. Not get sucked into THIS vortex.

I feel like the last 6 months of my life under quarantine, trying to learn audio production being home alone has been surreal. Watching endless Youtube videos full of this stuff. I feel like Robert Pattinson in the movie "The Lighthouse" and Chris Lord-Alge is my Willem Dafoe.

I'm ready to have my less-than-golden-ears pecked out by gulls now.

No, seriously though. Good info.

[regardner]

Andy, thanks so much for taking the time.

The Royal Blood reference is really helpful. I really dig "I Only Lie When I Love You," and I'm going to spend some time learning to emulate that vocal production.

Lesmac, the Black Keys vid was invaluable.

Ted, yeah, me, too, buddy. Three years into my audio engineering learning curve and I still ain't there.