Feedback for PIANO-Based UNDERSCORE INSTRUMENTAL CUES

[DennisPMusic]

HI Taxi Members

I have made a song for this listing. Any comments will be much appreciated:-)

My Song:
https://www.taxi.com/members/a9Q_Ye0vSv ... ving-stars

Reference Tracks:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/giwu620ya5cw ... oF7la?dl=0

The Listing:


PIANO-Based UNDERSCORE INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a very successful boutique Music Library that's distributed by Universal and has tons of credits in Big Films, Countless TV Shows, and Commercials!

NOTE: We previously ran this request as TAXI Dispatch Listing #D210714UN , but the Library didn't find what they were looking for. If you submitted to listing #D210714UN, please send different material this time around.

NEW TIPS FROM THE LIBRARY TO HELP YOU NAIL THIS PITCH: "Many composers throw in way too many ideas and are not focused on ONE CENTRAL MOTIF: they try to keep things interesting by adding new harmonic lines and elements (melodies, even improvisations, etc) instead of focusing on the production and textures. What I'm looking for is basically: obvious production music (in form and structure), that sounds like commercial music (production style)." Put simply, keep it SIMPLE! We know that other Libraries like to receive music with complementary A and B sections, but this Library is NOT one of them – stick with ONE CENTRAL MOTIF per submission, please!

This is a catalog you want to be in! Please listen to the following examples the Library gave us to get yourself in the ballpark of what they need:


Quoting the Library: "We'd like to hear sophisticated, modern, pattern-based piano cues that are intimate, soft, and underscore-friendly. Structure-wise, make sure to both have a consistent composition and give the editors options to use ie: a dynamic section, build-up section, and more intense section. The key is to have different sections in terms of intensity, but NOT different in terms of harmony or 'new ideas.' Pianos often have quite a few resonances – so Dynamic EQs, Multiband compressors, different reverbs, etc. are very handy techniques to keep them from sounding muddy."

Please send well-composed piano-based Instrumentals that would work well as underscore for various scenes and scenarios. Craft your Cues around a singular motif/pattern, and create a sense of dynamics and forward momentum by layering instrumentation in and out as they progress. Your pieces can feature other instrumentation like strings, light percussion, acoustic guitar, etc., but piano should be the focus. Your production and any and all virtual instruments or samples you use should be super high-quality and modern.

TAXI Tip: Although this Company wants pattern-based instrumentals, please keep those patterns on the simple side. Remember, you're not trying to show off what an amazing piano player you are, so much as creating a vibe, feeling, and emotion, while leaving plenty of room for dialogue to be the focus.

All submissions should be about 2 minutes long, give or take. Good edit points and non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings are required. Do NOT copy the references in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, texture, and overall vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed.

[DouglasKnight]

Very nice job on this, Dennis, sounds right on target as usual!
Doug

[rob3rto]

Sounds great to me. I'm also preparing a submission (my first) for this one which I'll post in a bit. I had to smile at how similarly we picked up on the themes in the reference tracks, such as the tined auxiliary instruments and the middle lull section. Very nice.

[karafinman]

Hi. It's nice but it doesn't "compete" with the reference tracks because you don't have enough variety in your melody. The reference tracks use a lot of notes in their eighth note runs and all you use is GCD and then occassionaly ACD. I got tired of it.

[DennisPMusic]

Hi. It's nice but it doesn't "compete" with the reference tracks because you don't have enough variety in your melody. The reference tracks use a lot of notes in their eighth note runs and all you use is GCD and then occassionaly ACD. I got tired of it.

Hi. Thanks for your feedback, it's appreciated .
They specifically ask for a simple approch in this listing and because this is an underscore piece, it most not take too much focus.
I use three different piano patterns, but the same chord progression and build my dynamic layers around that.
I could make more variations in the melody and will listen to the reference tracks again.
BTW: I'm also using F and E in the melodi .

[glogleemusic]

Dennis -- I think this is a great effort. You stayed with one common theme throughout.

However I think you could add more textures. You stayed in the same range with your piano. Your strings pad (I think that's what it was) sounded boring. It didn't keep my interest.

There's plenty to do when staying in a common theme. Raise up an octave. Try a pizzicato on the strings with an ostinato pattern. Double your theme with a similar piano patch that compliments the original, etc and so on...

Harmonically, you could stay on the one or do a vamp between the one and the four. ... play with dynamics and such.

I hope this helps because you have a wonderful piece IMHO. I don't know if it will work for this listing. Let us know.

[DennisPMusic]

Dennis -- I think this is a great effort. You stayed with one common theme throughout.

However I think you could add more textures. You stayed in the same range with your piano. Your strings pad (I think that's what it was) sounded boring. It didn't keep my interest.

There's plenty to do when staying in a common theme. Raise up an octave. Try a pizzicato on the strings with an ostinato pattern. Double your theme with a similar piano patch that compliments the original, etc and so on...

Harmonically, you could stay on the one or do a vamp between the one and the four. ... play with dynamics and such.

I hope this helps because you have a wonderful piece IMHO. I don't know if it will work for this listing. Let us know.

Hi Dan

Thank you for your feedback, a lot of great advice.
In the listing, they ask for a sophisticated and modern piano pattern-based underscore and I think my piece is more like a traditional Acoustic/Organic type of music. Before I read your post, I was experimenting with an extra layer of ostinato pattern in different octaves and will add some interesting delay fx to this, to give it a more modern approach.
I will also take your other considerations into account, thanks....

All the best

Dennis

[DennisPMusic]

The song has been updated, just use the same link at the top.
I have added some extra ostinato patterns and texture:-).
Thanks for your feedback...