What have I learnt so far?

Liked your review? Rave about it! Hated it, let us know!

Moderators: admin, mdc, TAXIstaff

Post Reply
Arbee
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:19 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

What have I learnt so far?

Post by Arbee » Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:47 am

Coming up to the end of my first 12 months with Taxi and thought I'd share some reflections of my experience so far. I'm not a prolific composer (yet) and I do try to straddle being both an independent artist and, now, a media music composer as well. That duality does comes with several challenges and learnings as I try to stretch my comfort zone. I hope over time that one can support the other and provide accelerated improvement in my composition, arrangement and production.

So far I've learnt that:
  • I get forwarded more when I'm in, or close to, my natural background and comfort zone (der!). In fact both of my first two tracks were forwarded because it was a particular listing where I thought "that's me!" and it lured me into joining Taxi.
  • I do struggle a little with "bombast" and trailer formats, and forcing edit points into the music, but I'll get there.
  • The caliber of feedback has to date been objective, clear and focused, warm, and very professional. The only exception might be where some subjectivity has crept in perhaps, but we're all human. On almost every occasion I've read the "return" notes, nodded and said "yep that's it". I'm actually about to resubmit a track for a new submission that I've reworked based on feedback, will be interesting to see how it lands.
  • My workflow has developed to a) listen over and over to the reference tracks and let them sink in subconsciously, b) thrash out three or four raw ideas in an hour, c) give each idea a couple of hours to prove itself, then cull it back to the best two ideas, d) spend a day writing, arranging and recording each track, e) spend half a day reviewing each track, f) try to allow a couple of days on and off to mix and master, and keep coming back with fresh ears and compare with the reference tracks.
  • In regard to the above, while my ideas may be reasonable and broadly fit the brief on most occasions, I do get lost sometimes in the arrangement and production with such a tight time pressure approach. I can easily end up with a decent sounding but slightly messy submission with some rough edges in the arrangement and/or production. I suspect I may need to loosen my grip on the composition and arranging phases a little to improve in the short to medium term.
  • Every now and again I'll write something that I "steal" for my own artist repertoire because it seems to be such a good fit. Rare, but it does happen.
Anyway, just a ramble in case any of it resonates with anyone else, or if you have any experience to share that might indicate my workflow is flawed or overly ambitious.

Yes, I'll be renewing, the feedback alone is worth it to me. And, I believe in the concept that if you get good enough, you reach critical mass and "people will find you". Call me naive, but that's how I like to live my life and it's served me well so far.

Edit: this post crosses over a few topics. This was the best place I could think of to put it but please feel free to move it somewhere more appropriate if necessary. Thanks!

karafinman
Impressive
Impressive
Posts: 135
Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 9:22 am
Contact:

Re: What have I learnt so far?

Post by karafinman » Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:27 am

Since you use the term "learnt" are you from a country other than the US or Canada?

Arbee
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:19 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: What have I learnt so far?

Post by Arbee » Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:23 pm

karafinman wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:27 am
Since you use the term "learnt" are you from a country other than the US or Canada?
Australia :)

User avatar
funsongs
Total Pro
Total Pro
Posts: 7162
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 11:18 am
Gender: Male
Location: So Cal
Contact:

Re: What have I learnt so far?

Post by funsongs » Tue Feb 08, 2022 2:42 pm

Arbee wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:23 pm
karafinman wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:27 am
Since you use the term "learnt" are you from a country other than the US or Canada?
Australia :)
Yep - and it's posted right there beneath your avatar. the line "Location: Melbourne, Australia".
That qualifies as 'other than the US or Canada'... eh?
We can all learnt something new, every day. :P
Peter Rahill - aka "funsongs"
NOW, back on YouTube (2022)
https://www.youtube.com/@peterrahill9263/featured
https://soundcloud.com/funsongs-1
https://peterrahill.bandcamp.com/

“The future aint what it use to be.” - Yogi Berra

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests