Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

[stephen1977]

Sept 18, 2008, 11:07am, ggalen wrote:Right.And remember, the buyer determines the quality; not you.You do the best you can, but when the buyer doesn't like it, they may say it is low quality. Perhaps it is low quality. But perhaps the buyer just doesn't enjoy your style.Either way, it's what they perceive that matters here. Because if you want to make a living at this, they have to buy. Exactly.

[stansongman]

I agree with the Sonicbids thing. I've dones submissions through them in the past, and then got a message from the listing that "we've decided to take a different direction". That's after giving them $20 or something like that. I complained to Sonicbids, but they said it wasn't their problem. So, there you have it.Backing up a bit - my plugger has gotten major label holds for me and some of her other clients (who I write with regularly), and she has gotten major label cuts. I will say that where pluggers are concerned, the independent pluggers in Nashville who are getting cuts are pretty much exclusively representing in-town writers. I'd be VERY careful when enlisting independent pluggers in Nashville if you live out of town. If you go with someone as an out-of-towner, first find out if they've gotten major label cuts for out-of-town writers. Then, make sure they are making IN-PERSON pitches, not drop-offs. and, you should not be afraid to ask them to take you to pitch meetings when you are in town. Or, you should be able to call and spot-check their work. If they are just doing CD drop-offs, you're wasting your money. Because they could put 10 songs on a compilation. The first 1-2 songs could be the "real" pitch with a marquee writer's songs, and yours could be #8 on the list. If the CD gets taken, then your song could also show up on your report as a "take". If you get a hold, you should make sure you have the name of the person who put it on hold. Lots of folks on the take in Nashville, unfortunately. But, you'll rarely get anyone to tell you about this. The Nashville community is very cautious and PC. My relationship with my plugger is more of a partnership. She gets me cowrites, we work together on pitch strategies, everything is total open kimono.That said, I did ask Taxi once about how they get their listings for Nashville pitches, and who they are dealing with. When they say the are dealing directly with producers/etc., they are. So, the forwards probably get to a lot of the same places my plugger gets them to. That said, there's a lot to be said for all the in-person networking that goes on in-town. It's no different for Nashville than it is for L.A., NYC., or anywhere else. But, as I said before, I truly believe the song does the heavy lifting ( and, I love that Rivers Rutherford song . TAXI critiques I have gotten have generally echoed the feedback I have gotten in town for some of my songs. Not always, but this is a business of opinions. For example, I have a song that's been on hold for a major artist which TAXI has never forwarded. But, the hold never turned into a cut, and now we're actually revisiting the song. It's all about the song.

[mojobone]

"open kimono", Now there's phrase I've never heard before, but it sounds intrigueing...

[billg]

Sept 15, 2008, 12:09am, weslong wrote:I almost joined SonicBids before coming over to TAXI. I gave their free trial about a 15 whirl and then immediately canceled my account. NOW THAT, boys and girls, is a SCAM!! Yeah, let's all pay a fee so that some schmuck can fund his gig and only one member actually gets to play it..Pllleeeasse! Ponzi scheme, anyone?I even did a Google search and came back with some really alarming stuff about them. Nope, I'd have to say TAXI is definitely on the up-and-up. Not mention the fees are better.Well, there are opps listed there (SB) that are also listed with Taxi (from the same source). In fact, there are Taxi screeners that place listings with SB also. Betcha didn't know that! I've been trying to decide for some time how I feel about that . . . still dounno . . .

[vicky]

Quote:Well, there are opps listed there (SB) that are also listed with Taxi (from the same source). In fact, there are Taxi screeners that place listings with SB also. Betcha didn't know that! I've been trying to decide for some time how I feel about that I noticed that, too....The way I see it......the goal to focus on is....building relationships with the companies that actually pay you....SB and Taxi...although Taxi is much, much, much better are like many companies...that are needed....but as a composer....keep your eye on the prize...vtbp

[weslong]

Sept 18, 2008, 11:07am, ggalen wrote:Right.And remember, the buyer determines the quality; not you.You do the best you can, but when the buyer doesn't like it, they don't buy. And they may say it is low quality. Perhaps it is low quality. But perhaps the buyer just doesn't enjoy your style.Either way, it's what they perceive that matters here. Because if you want to make a living at this, they have to buy your stuff. Yeah, it's the old 'reality is nothing, perception is everything' bit. I tried to explain to this to the person but they thought that it was unfair that they weren't being 'properly heard'. I told them it wasn't about what they wanted but about what the industry wanted.

[milfus]

yeah I am sure it has been mentioned, but if you look at any system that has both a bar to over come and decent compensation for doing so, there will be scores of people who failed bashing it and trying to discredit it. have to feel bad for em ya know, theyd rather wreck a company than own up that they need to improve, which sadly, thats all they need to have it work, but you know, human condition and what not. No one sees failure as another challenge anymore, for some reason its considered a resolution instead. The same people say labels are scams, playing clubs are scams, online merch sites are scams........unless they are signed, or play clubs, or have a merch site......you can almost tell what they failed at by what they bitch about, I kinda find it funny that musicians, the "deepest" of us, by stigma, not actuality, tend to be the most transparent, given of course the few true exceptions that actually fit the bill of hard working musicians. I will tell ya right now, I havent had time to make a single submission, my subscription ends in december, and I can't really fault taxi, I just didnt realize how little time I would have, so I ended up not being able to utilize them, thats not saying I didnt make anything musical or get money for it, I just didnt have the time to devote to a specific listing on taxi. Now I could go the route that says that they cut all the instrumentals and made my life harder and more time consuming having to do tracks with full vocals and hire performers when I joined cause they said there was tons of instrumental opportunities. Or I could own up that I just didn't have the time, and they didnt have the listings cause the market didnt ask for em, not there fault, not really mine, as my work load tripled AFTER i signed up, so I couldn't have known either. but ultimately, why bash taxi for no reason, its as much my bad as theres, and none of it was intentional. Hopefully I will scrape up enough to re-new and give it a fair go, My point being, it's real easy to call sour grapes when you got rotten teeth.

[hummingbird]

Sept 24, 2008, 11:46am, milfus wrote: if you look at any system that has both a bar to overcome and decent compensation for doing so, there will be scores of people who failed, bashing it and trying to discredit it. have to feel bad for em ya know, theyd rather wreck a company than own up that they need to improve, which sadly, thats all they need to do to have it work, but you know, human condition and what not. No one sees failure as another challenge anymoreVery wise words. Speaking personally (although I am aware that there are many others on this forum who have followed the same path)... I went from raging at returns/Taxi to thinking that perhaps I had something to learn and then set out to learn it - knowing it would take a whole lot of time to change my focus, learn skills, grow abilities, get the tools. Every forward I get now - in my fourth year of membership - is proof that this attitude = success.

[flood]

I haven't even joined Taxi.Yet, I feel as though I already have my money's worth, whatever comes of my submissions.The realization that there are others like me, at varying stages of this lifelong journey, and that little ole ME can speak with you in a spirit of camraderie at the touch of a button. . . That is worth the price of admission by itself. There is a brother (and sister)-hood going on here that I could never attain in my city.We have an active music scene, I think. I have a very busy life that prevents me from diving into it the way I would like. Not complaining or making excuses, far from it. I also prefer to spend my time creating rather than networking or schmoozing. Small chance those things would lead to much here anyway. I am not in a major music mecca like Los Angeles or Nashville or New York.I have followed this thread for the last couple weeks and it is good to see that Taxi not only allows this criticism in an honest fashion, but seems to encourage it in some respects.I have been alerted to the worst possible scenario (no forwards, no real contacts, etc), and the best possible, which are the ones that make the PR releases and ads Taxi has everywhere.I may fall at the lower end of the spectrum (and sort of expect to) at first. But over time, I will hone my chops and improve, maybe get some forwards and make some money with Taxi. It is not the only tool I have, but it will quickly become my favorite, I think.When calculating the cost, I considered this: I am a smoker (trying to quit), and I drink a couple sodas a day. Either one of those nasty habits pays for Taxi fees several times over the course of a year.By God, if I have a few cents a day to toss caffeine and nicotine into my body, I certainly have a few cents a day to chase this dream.If it never pays off financially, that is fine. It has already paid dividends in other ways, and I am not even a member yet.If I go my entire life without a forward, I would be astonished. But not angry. It is a pleasure and worth every cent to spend my time online with people who love making music as much as I do.Certainly better company than the old Columbia House music thing.

[milfus]

well music is like anything else man, you remember the first time you tried to ride a bike?just gotta work at it, if you put the time in, you can make it, I believe in ya.