Feedback for Jazz listing

[davidagates]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a bit of feedback for the below listing:

Lots of CONTEMPORARY JAZZ INSTRUMENTALS and/or INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a top-notch Music Licensing Company with lots of Film and TV placements:

This Library is searching for several Instrumentals (and/or Cues) that could be heard on a playlist with the following references:

"Right Back Round Again" by Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, & Brian Blade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1iav-4nAy0

"Kalifornia" by Jazzbois https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfC-TIw_pEU

"Balm" by Bill Laurance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm3pumUI5Vo

"Glimmerings" by GoGo Penguin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AanzcD8qw6c

Please send original, Contemporary Jazz Instrumentals and/or Cues with memorable motifs, captivating grooves, and polished productions. Modern Jazz instrumentation with impeccable musicianship in the general ballpark of the references will suit your submissions well. If you plan on using any virtual instruments or samples, they should be high-quality and modern—nothing dated will work here.

TAXI Tip: We know that Contemporary Jazz is a pretty wide genre, and we think you can have some fun with the instrumentation you use on this pitch. That being said, your pieces need to be firmly rooted in the Jazz genre and not stray into the avant-garde or experimental zone. Remember, these Instrumentals and Cues will be used in TV placements, so they have to have some commercial appeal!

Your submissions should be roughly 90 Seconds long for Cues, and about 2 to 4 minutes long for Instrumentals, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Please do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a guide for tempo, texture, and tone. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so please be sure the Instrumentals and/or Cues you pitch for this opportunity are NOT already signed with any other Companies or Catalogs. Any sync fees will be split 50/50 with the Company. You'll get 100% of the Writer's share, and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control your Masters and Copyright to submit. Please submit as many Instrumentals and/or Cues as you'd like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Wednesday, July 26th, 2023. TAXI # S230726ZZ

I know it's contemporary jazz, it's sounding a bit old school to me, I dunno. I was leaning more into the first example but I think I'm going to swap some bits out.

This is no way done, view it as a bare bones, there's going to be more horns and I'm going to redo the bass and properly mix it, I'm just at the ear fatigue stage and want some views from you guys.

Really it's about blocking out structure, I'm going to add more meat tomorrow and tweak it until it's polished, but I'm at that half-way stage of not being sure what I've done is going to eventually cut the mustard.

Might swap out the piano for an electric one, not entirely sure yet.

Here's the link to the track:

https://soundcloud.com/dave-gates-62481 ... al_sharing

Thank you in advance for this.

(sorry this is a bit of a ramble, 10 hours shift and I don't know how many hours tinkering away at this).

[mteezykeys]

I think you're a bit off target so far. Your track is sounding more like it's on the path for a cocktail/lounge jazz vibe.

None of the reference tracks have a swing pattern. Also none of the reference tracks have a straight up walking bass line like you have going on with your track. They are all more groove based. I'd also swap the piano panning so that it's more Pianist Perspective. The bass playing half time groove while the piano walks basslines in the L.H. is kind of weird. Actual bass players don't like when pianist are that busy with their L.H. playing that low.

I play a lot of jazz gigs, but I'm personally staying away from this listing because it seems a bit difficult to get that kind of groove with virtual instruments.

[davidagates]

I think you're a bit off target so far. Your track is sounding more like it's on the path for a cocktail/lounge jazz vibe.

None of the reference tracks have a swing pattern. Also none of the reference tracks have a straight up walking bass line like you have going on with your track. They are all more groove based. I'd also swap the piano panning so that it's more Pianist Perspective. The bass playing half time groove while the piano walks basslines in the L.H. is kind of weird. Actual bass players don't like when pianist are that busy with their L.H. playing that low.

I play a lot of jazz gigs, but I'm personally staying away from this listing because it seems a bit difficult to get that kind of groove with virtual instruments.

Thank you, I was going to redo the bass entirely. I'm going to have another look and listen later and possibly abandon it. I think you're right about the tone.

[davidagates]

I think you're a bit off target so far. Your track is sounding more like it's on the path for a cocktail/lounge jazz vibe.

None of the reference tracks have a swing pattern. Also none of the reference tracks have a straight up walking bass line like you have going on with your track. They are all more groove based. I'd also swap the piano panning so that it's more Pianist Perspective. The bass playing half time groove while the piano walks basslines in the L.H. is kind of weird. Actual bass players don't like when pianist are that busy with their L.H. playing that low.

I play a lot of jazz gigs, but I'm personally staying away from this listing because it seems a bit difficult to get that kind of groove with virtual instruments.

Following your feedback I've done a bit of listening research generally in relation to jazz (particularly avoiding the low end of the keyboard when a bass is present) and you're absolutely right! Never even noticed that before, just wanted to say thanks for broadening my understanding of a genre.

[davidagates]

As the listing says, and the refs support, this genre is pretty wide open so maybe what you're going for could be in scope. I know its not finished but my main concern (as mentioned above) would be that bass and piano left hand are fighting each other and covering a lot of the same ground. With the melody in the left hand that could be an awkward one to sort out, but at present the low end is somewhat confused and indistinct, leaving the piano right hand a bit out of balance and not contributing much. IMHO there's also the occasional timing issue, the drums are dominating the mix at present, and the tempo change at the end is not needed. Its a bit of a puzzle to sort out but I hope you can. Good luck.

As ever man, thanks for the feedback. I knew there was something wrong but it's definitely that left hand bass situation. It's never occurred to me before but it makes complete sense. I've actually managed to do another more in vein with the other references, which I can also submit, but I'm going to try and do some salvage work on it. Luckily, as I'm a shit piano player I record left and right hand parts separately so I can always switch the lower melody to one higher, with me it's all about getting the thing down, I can fix it (he says in hope).

I'll remove the tempo change at the end, you're absolutely right, just getting paranoid again about the "repetitive" feedback I've had in past, a bit like when I made the Dramedy thing a few days ago that was fundamentally a rock opera!

[Paulie]

Several issues to my ear, I would hold off on this one. The mix is muddy, lots going on, it doesn't sound real or human/organic. The music isn't really right, Jazz is a complex genre with a ton of nuances and tradition.

[davidagates]

Several issues to my ear, I would hold off on this one. The mix is muddy, lots going on, it doesn't sound real or human/organic. The music isn't really right, Jazz is a complex genre with a ton of nuances and tradition.

Yeah, no it's dreadful, haha. I actually overhauled the whole thing and it's ok now. Did another as well, and thanks to the feedback I've got a good grasp of the left hand principle now.

Not quite sure what I was thinking with this one, ear fatigue I think. 8 hours work at then 5 hours making music screws with you!

[Paulie]

8 hours work at then 5 hours making music screws with you!

That's been my life the past 8 years or so... it's an interesting journey for sure! Just keep working at it, keep plugging away!

Paul

[davidagates]

8 hours work at then 5 hours making music screws with you!

That's been my life the past 8 years or so... it's an interesting journey for sure! Just keep working at it, keep plugging away!

Paul

That's reassuring to know, I've just had 4 submissions returned, an although I've had a few forwards it's always disheartening.

[Paulie]

I just got three returns today... it's part of the game. Despite my talent and experience, I still average about a 35% forward rate. So I'm getting returns twice as often as forwards. It's a process.