The General Dilemma?

[Casey H]

I'm pretty sure if you go to your submission history on your Taxi code, there is a link to the listing itself. Were there reference tracks? The screeners go a lot by those.

To me, one of the main criteria would be if you didn't sing it in German (e.g. English), would it sound otherwise like a TRADITIONAL German song? I re-read your post and caught the word "traditional".

The songs are very good and songs in foreign languages are often in demand. Good luck!

Casey

[Picardster]

Oooops, Sorry Casey for my wrong info - and thanks for the hint. Here is a screenshot. There were no reference tracks

I'm somehow not capable of inserting a screenshot here, so here's the link to my Dropbox where I have put it for your reference

Cheerio/Stefan

[Casey H]

Please submit well crafted songs that capture the spirit and essence of the Country/Region/Continent/Culture you chose. Your submissions should have top-notch, authentic sounding melodies, instrumentation, and arrangements.

(And don't forget that word "Traditional")

I'll leave it up to you and others here to comment as to whether these songs meet this criteria. German is a tougher nut to crack than other easily recognizable ones. To my ears, most sound like various genres and styles that happen to be sung in German. Ich ruf sounds singer-songwriter. Der andere Mann has Latin and Mediterranean overtones. Hey Du is jazzy, a bit Squirrel Nut Zippers like. Maybe the screener felt it was closest to German traditional though I'm not so sure. Die Sonne scheint ab Mai more pop/singer songwriter. Jahreszeitenlied is drop dead beautiful but I don't know that it's German traditional. Again, I admit to having no expertise in German music. I just try to hear the tracks, ignoring that you are singing in German.

All these songs will have good homes. And maybe the one forward will result in something for you.

Best,
Casey

[Picardster]

Hi Casey,
the word "traditional" is misleading and nondescript at the same time. If that term had a meaning then the listing would have been about "traditional" music which, in this case, would have been like the link I gave you in my last post.....very far away also from my forward.

Even for me as German it is very difficult to define what this listing wanted. It was definitely no "traditional" music. If so, Hey Du wouldn't have met the criteria as well.

How did Gordon Lightfoot sing "If I could read your mind, love...."

The listing is very vague - and I insinuated already that this one was a tough job for the screener. Still, under all circumstances, I cannot understand the decision I this case. Can you?

Never mind. Things are as they are. The originally posed question is still in my head. But that may be just me

Have a great day
Cheerio/Stefan

[Paulie]

Interesting thread. For starters, whether we like it or not, this industry is highly subjective. We might as well be debating figure skating or painting.

I don't think increasing membership numbers has any impact on forwards, other than increasing the workload of Taxi's screeners. Some people leave, other people join, we have no idea what the ratios are. And membership does not equate to talent. There are members here that are new to the industry, new to composing, experienced industry veterans, and some that lack the skill to create quality music. Being able to fire up a DAW does not make someone a musician, nor does it make their music worthy of a forward.

There are some very experienced composers here, folks that make their living at it, and they still get returns. A return doesn't necessarily mean your music is bad, it just means that the screener did not feel that it met the customer's expectations. And sometimes they get it wrong, because again... this is a subjective business. Hence the mantra: WRITE, SUBMIT, FORGET, REPEAT.

Personally I do wish there was a way to engage in some dialogue with a screener, or to at least have the ability to provide rebuttal to feedback, just for psychological closure reasons. But it just doesn't make sense logistically or from a workload perspective. Screeners are busy already, and they deserve kudos for the perseverance needed to plow through sometimes hundreds of tracks for a single listing.

With regard to your tracks, Casey said it: your tracks will find a new home. Every single return I have had in the past has ended up in a library, and many of them have been placed. Forwards are great, this means you've met the well-respected bar that Taxi has established. Push those other tracks into another folder and shop them around. Then get back to your next listing!

Paulie

[Picardster]

Interesting thread. For starters, whether we like it or not, this industry is highly subjective. We might as well be debating figure skating or painting.

Word!

I don't think increasing membership numbers has any impact on forwards, other than increasing the workload of Taxi's screeners.

I don't doubt the increasing workload, but I doubt the not decreasing chances- but nobody knows

There are some very experienced composers here, folks that make their living at it, and they still get returns.

I'm one of them, Paulie

.....Hence the mantra: WRITE, SUBMIT, FORGET, REPEAT.

That is part of the business-model

Personally I do wish there was a way to engage in some dialogue with a screener, or to at least have the ability to provide rebuttal to feedback, just for psychological closure reasons. But it just doesn't make sense logistically or from a workload perspective. Screeners are busy already, and they deserve kudos for the perseverance needed to plow through sometimes hundreds of tracks for a single listing.

Agreed in full, as well, Paulie

With regard to your tracks, Casey said it: your tracks will find a new home. Every single return I have had in the past has ended up in a library, and many of them have been placed. Forwards are great, this means you've met the well-respected bar that Taxi has established. Push those other tracks into another folder and shop them around. Then get back to your next listing!

Paulie

First of all, cheers for your comment, Paulie.
And cheers for your positive assessment of my tracks. I'm not trying to create any harming vibes. Nor is my intention to troll in here. Sometimes its really hard to understand what's happening in here.

Today I went through three listings, checked them if there would be anything in it for me. I decided against it. The examples in that listing were so different - the only thing they had in common was that they were current sounding. One was Ed Sheeran with a 6/8 song (Perfect), another one Selina Gomez and a third one. Interesting to listen to. But frankly, when I create anything in that range based on, lets say, the Ed Sheeran tune, chances are high that with a return the reason will be found in a reference to one of the other two tunes....had that a few times
So I abstain and invest my time in other areas - except I feel really safe. Which doesn't mean it won't result in a return.

Luckily my catalogue creates a quite good basic revenue-stream. And I keep my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

Cheerio/Stefan

[cosmicdolphin]

Personally I do wish there was a way to engage in some dialogue with a screener, or to at least have the ability to provide rebuttal to feedback, just for psychological closure reasons.

Haha

That would be hilarious. You may have already seen wounded egos on display in the forum from talentless hacks berating Taxi for not recognizing their individual genius and us for agreeing with the screener.

They could make it into a reality TV show.

Mark

[Picardster]

They could make it into a reality TV show.

Mark

[Casey H]

I don't think increasing membership numbers has any impact on forwards, other than increasing the workload of Taxi's screeners.

I don't doubt the increasing workload, but I doubt the not decreasing chances- but nobody knows

What makes you think the membership is so much bigger than it was 1, 2, 4, 5 years ago? Taxi has had a consistent large membership for a VERY long time. Keep in mind that there is turnover as well. The notion that more members, more submissions, etc. decrease your chances has been addressed and debunked by Michael Laskow many times. The factors that affect your chances are the listing, the "bar" for the listing, and how well your track matches what was asked for. People should stop focusing on all the other "noise". Is it a perfect system? Of course not. I'm no different than anyone else and have had some head scratchers. If, after you calm down a while after a return, and get some opinions from peers, you still feel strongly that you disagree, drop an email to headscreener AT taxi dot com about it. I suggest you don't abuse this however, you don't want to bug them about every return you are upset about-- just when you really feel something was way off. In most cases, your return will not be changed to a forward but you will at least get a more careful, detailed explanation.

Casey

[Picardster]

What makes you think the membership is so much bigger than it was 1, 2, 4, 5 years ago?

Frankly, its just an assumption since I guess that Taxi, like most companies, is striving for more members. I'm in my third year now and the number of listings has been constant all the time. So, under my assumption the forward-chances decrease naturally. But Casey, I am far away from begrudging any hard working people their success - and that applies as well and even more to the Taxi people. Taxi is a good concept to link musicians to the industry - however the chances may have changed

If, after you calm down a while after a return, and get some opinions from peers, you still feel strongly that you disagree, drop an email to headscreener AT taxi dot com about it. I suggest you don't abuse this however, you don't want to bug them about every return you are upset about-- just when you really feel something was way off. In most cases, your return will not be changed to a forward but you will at least get a more careful, detailed explanation.

Casey

I'm far away from being aroused by returns, Casey. But there are cases which make me think, and this one was one of them.

BTW I once was really upset - and still feel the return was not right - and so I contacted Taxi. To no avail. Which was predictable. I've run a couple of businesses through my lifetime with quite a few employees and freelancers. If you break the competence of your valued staff, you break their motivation. Just imho.

Anyway, I am really grateful fur all the input here in that thread so far. It is very valuable

Cheerio/Stefan