Feedback on Production for Humor Instrumental TAXI # S221126UM

[bmoBauhaus]

I think its on the mark -- title needs some work.

Any thoughts on production value? I tried to make the tracks sound more cohesive.
My track:
https://www.taxi.com/members/N5SOUeh_Qe ... s-in-here-



The Taxi Listing:

QUIRKY, LIGHT HUMOR INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a very successful boutique Music Library that's distributed by Universal for placements in Promotions, Advertising, and other TV Programming.

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

Instrumental Examples

Please send well-composed Instrumental Cues with a quirky and lightly humorous sound and feel that could work well for a variety of sync placements. Your submissions should have engaging motifs, solid arrangements, and top-notch instrumentation in the general wheelhouse of the references – think piano, bass, strings, percussion, etc. Crafting your Cues around ONE CENTRAL MOTIF is required; and please be sure to layer your instrumentation in and out as your Cue progresses to create a sense of forward motion and dynamics. Your production should be polished and any virtual instruments or samples you use should be high-quality and not dated-sounding – nothing stiff or obviously MIDI-driven will work!

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.

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM THE LIBRARY: "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!

[nicotina]

Brian,

I've placed some tunes like this, and have a few ideas.

Maybe try less verb, especially on the pizz strings? I also found that with dramedy they seem to prefer piano, bass, percussion, pizz, mallets over horns and winds. I 've had some luck with low horns like tubas and bones and low winds like bassoons. I haven't had much luck with flutes/clarinets. I think they get in the way of dialog.

I also think your melodies are pretty busy. Try subtracting a few notes from each phrase, or add in some longer notes and rests. Use as few as possible in order to maintain some melody. That will give you a lighter melody, which is regarded as a virtue in this genre.

Best,

Vince

[bmoBauhaus]

Brian,

I've placed some tunes like this, and have a few ideas.

Maybe try less verb, especially on the pizz strings? I also found that with dramedy they seem to prefer piano, bass, percussion, pizz, mallets over horns and winds. I 've had some luck with low horns like tubas and bones and low winds like bassoons. I haven't had much luck with flutes/clarinets. I think they get in the way of dialog.

I also think your melodies are pretty busy. Try subtracting a few notes from each phrase, or add in some longer notes and rests. Use as few as possible in order to maintain some melody. That will give you a lighter melody, which is regarded as a virtue in this genre.

Best,

Vince

Thanks Vince! this is helpful. I get so confused when they send examples with solo clarinets in them; and then I try to emulate it; only to find out that I should not have used it in the first place. Oy.

[bmoBauhaus]

Hey again,

I tried a different track:
https://www.taxi.com/members/N5SOUeh_Qe ... ving-along

I still need to touch up on the mix but tried to keep it simple with the instrumentation you suggested. Any thoughts are always appreciated.

Thanks!