How to emulate the references?
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- myk247365
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How to emulate the references?
I submitted a piece to this listing: https://www.taxi.com/listings/S220429LR
The reference I focused on is here: https://youtu.be/hq-ZMq5Er6E?t=15 (from 0:15 - 0:46)
My submission is here: https://www.taxi.com/members/uwEIk6EPRS ... rden-party
The feedback was:
What I like most about this song
I like the use of the instrumentation on this instrumental.
I think you could improve this song by
The motivic structure works well, yet the master is very low. To have a competitive track, make sure your master is at -14 LUFS -1 db True Peak. Utilizing a loudness meter will help.
I returned or forwarded this song because
The track has a good "hunt & stalk" attitude, although, it could benefit from a revision in the mastering to get closer to the listing's request for "Broadcast Quality"
The feedback says my track is too quiet. Yet the reference has the music at a very low volume. I simply tried to emulate the volume level of the reference. I thought if I tried to make the track loud, the timbre of the instruments would be off.
Here's a version with a louder sound library and some tweaking: https://www.taxi.com/members/uwEIk6EPRS ... en-party-2
So which one fits better with the reference? I kinda feel like I did my best to emulate the reference, but got returned because I did what we're told to do over and over again.
Thoughts?
The reference I focused on is here: https://youtu.be/hq-ZMq5Er6E?t=15 (from 0:15 - 0:46)
My submission is here: https://www.taxi.com/members/uwEIk6EPRS ... rden-party
The feedback was:
What I like most about this song
I like the use of the instrumentation on this instrumental.
I think you could improve this song by
The motivic structure works well, yet the master is very low. To have a competitive track, make sure your master is at -14 LUFS -1 db True Peak. Utilizing a loudness meter will help.
I returned or forwarded this song because
The track has a good "hunt & stalk" attitude, although, it could benefit from a revision in the mastering to get closer to the listing's request for "Broadcast Quality"
The feedback says my track is too quiet. Yet the reference has the music at a very low volume. I simply tried to emulate the volume level of the reference. I thought if I tried to make the track loud, the timbre of the instruments would be off.
Here's a version with a louder sound library and some tweaking: https://www.taxi.com/members/uwEIk6EPRS ... en-party-2
So which one fits better with the reference? I kinda feel like I did my best to emulate the reference, but got returned because I did what we're told to do over and over again.
Thoughts?
TAXI Homepage: https://www.taxi.com/members/michaelbrucemiller
Sound Design Reel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... c-7EfIrBE7
Sound Design Reel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... c-7EfIrBE7
- BrentI
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Hey there Michael! I have a couple thoughts on this.
First off, I like your cue. It sounds like good dramedy music to me! In my opinion, I don't know that it fit this listing. I know that's not what you were necessarily asking about. The only reason I bring that up is because sometimes I think a submission can get returned for multiple reasons. In my experience, I've had critiques that seem to focus on a specific issue with my cue, but then a whole bunch of checkboxes citing other problems the screener had.
Secondly, the particular reference you gave contained music that had been mixed under the dialogue of the scene. If you compare it to the Bleeding Fingers reference (https://youtu.be/f1fbCvwoog8), you can hear that this one is louder. I think the idea is to mix at a competitive volume, then leave it up to the editors to turn it down. I watched an episode of TAXI TV where they commented on how a louder track automatically sounds better...even if the music itself might not be.
Anyways, I hope this is helpful. I'm still learning, so take this for what it's worth.
Your louder version sounds great! I would certainly re-submit this one in the future! Best wishes!
First off, I like your cue. It sounds like good dramedy music to me! In my opinion, I don't know that it fit this listing. I know that's not what you were necessarily asking about. The only reason I bring that up is because sometimes I think a submission can get returned for multiple reasons. In my experience, I've had critiques that seem to focus on a specific issue with my cue, but then a whole bunch of checkboxes citing other problems the screener had.
Secondly, the particular reference you gave contained music that had been mixed under the dialogue of the scene. If you compare it to the Bleeding Fingers reference (https://youtu.be/f1fbCvwoog8), you can hear that this one is louder. I think the idea is to mix at a competitive volume, then leave it up to the editors to turn it down. I watched an episode of TAXI TV where they commented on how a louder track automatically sounds better...even if the music itself might not be.
Anyways, I hope this is helpful. I'm still learning, so take this for what it's worth.
Your louder version sounds great! I would certainly re-submit this one in the future! Best wishes!
- myk247365
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Thanks Brent!
TAXI Homepage: https://www.taxi.com/members/michaelbrucemiller
Sound Design Reel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... c-7EfIrBE7
Sound Design Reel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... c-7EfIrBE7
- Paulie
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Afreed... your mix is almost a flat line of quietness. Our job is to provide broadcast quality tracks, this includes being recorded at the proper levels (which were kindly provided in the screener feedback).
Paul "yo paulie!" Croteau
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Beethoven
http://www.yopauliemusic.com | https://www.taxi.com/members/paulcroteau | https://youtube.com/@yopauliemusic
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Beethoven
http://www.yopauliemusic.com | https://www.taxi.com/members/paulcroteau | https://youtube.com/@yopauliemusic
- cosmicdolphin
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Even the loudness guideline given by the screener is too quiet for some Taxi freindly libraries I know.
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- irthlingz
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Let's say you submit something at -14 LUFS and the library likes your piece, but needs -12 or -10 LUFS or whatever. Do you think they'd come back and ask you to remaster at a louder level? Or just pass because it's not loud enough?cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑Sat May 14, 2022 9:12 amEven the loudness guideline given by the screener is too quiet for some Taxi freindly libraries I know.
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Michael
- cosmicdolphin
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Some of them have a composer dashboard on their website and it will do a loudness check on the file as you upload it, so it will just show an error if it's too low and not let you continue.irthlingz wrote: ↑Sat May 14, 2022 11:36 pmLet's say you submit something at -14 LUFS and the library likes your piece, but needs -12 or -10 LUFS or whatever. Do you think they'd come back and ask you to remaster at a louder level? Or just pass because it's not loud enough?cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑Sat May 14, 2022 9:12 amEven the loudness guideline given by the screener is too quiet for some Taxi freindly libraries I know.
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Michael
Others will just ask for it to be turned up in the master. I've never had anyone ask me to turn anything down, but I highly doubt they would reject anything for that reason alone as it's an easy fix.
Last edited by cosmicdolphin on Sun May 15, 2022 4:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Telefunkin
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Re: How to emulate the references?
Some libraries prefer personal interaction with composers and will ask for revisions (perhaps several times) until a submission meets their expectations. Others have more of a yes/no type procedure, so a track is either accepted or rejected without explanation regardless of the reasons why, and that can include volume/level.
When submitting blind via Taxi, neither you nor the screeners know what the library's expectations are. However, the screeners will listen to loads of submissions and have a good idea what is the 'norm', so don't give them any reason to single out your track as being unusual. IMHO -12 to -10 LUFS is a reasonable target*.
*Such levels might be easier to apply in rock/pop/electronic music, but can be more difficult in highly dynamic styles and some orchestral music. Also, some libraries prefer to master tracks themselves to their own standards so your initial mix level can be somewhat less important, but you might as well submit a demo that sounds like its mastered to a competitive level.
Last edited by Telefunkin on Sun May 15, 2022 11:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- irthlingz
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