Nine Year Update

[JimOfferman]

Hey Mark,

Thanks for sharing these insights. Very informative and a great reality check! I am basically at "year zero", so have a long, long way to go. Great to have an idea of what the road looks like!

I also sincerely hope you have enough years left to attain the six figure results that Casey hinted at!

Cheers,
Jim.

[cosmicdolphin]

Thanks for sharing these insights. Very informative and a great reality check! I am basically at "year zero", so have a long, long way to go. Great to have an idea of what the road looks like!

Thanks Jim

When I started out there wasn't really anyone sharing this much info but after I'd been at it a few years I thought it would be a good reality check to show my progress.

Just remember that everyone's path is as unique as their music. Since I started , many have quit for a multitude of reasons and it's clear to see this gig is not for everyone. Some I know from the Taxi forum who started out when I did had a way faster start than me in those early years, and although I'm not privy how their earnings look today they still seem to be involved in Sync at least even if not transitioning to it full time at this point.

I know people who've stuggled for years and not made much of a dent in it , and I know others who signed their first library album and got hundreds of placements from it really quickly. So there's no accounting for an element of right place / right time with all of this ( as long as the music is up to par ). I think part of the key to success is just keeping at it and grinding until you inevitably get some sort of lucky break. Whether that's a library connection or a co-writer or just a track that editors seem to like more than the rest, just keep working on your craft and planting those seeds.

Mark

[JimOfferman]

When I started out there wasn't really anyone sharing this much info but after I'd been at it a few years I thought it would be a good reality check to show my progress.

Yes, it's great to have concrete information. Understandably, not everyone wants to be (or can be) open about how big or small their successes are, which just means that the little bit of data that is out in the open is that much more valuable.

Just remember that everyone's path is as unique as their music.

I hear you loud and clear. Time will tell what my path looks like and whether or not I can make a dent in this world. I have a good feeling about it and at the same time am very aware that there is still so much left to learn... not least of which, reliably output enough quality music so I can keep up with the deluge of listings that are in my wheel house!

I'm just going to take things step by step and then, hopefully, in due time will be able to post a "Nine Year Update" of my own.

[CTWF]

I hear you loud and clear. Time will tell what my path looks like and whether or not I can make a dent in this world.

Hey Jim, what Mark wrote earlier on this thread: It is absolutely essential to get into libraries that deliver. You don‘t want to write whole albums for libraries that will never get you a single placement.

[gitanosoy]

I hear you loud and clear. Time will tell what my path looks like and whether or not I can make a dent in this world.

Hey Jim, what Mark wrote earlier on this thread: It is absolutely essential to get into libraries that deliver. You don‘t want to write whole albums for libraries that will never get you a single placement.

Hi Jim, yes albums are more work and no guarantees but I think when you are starting out and trying to get into libraries and build up your portfolio you should say yes to an album if a library asks you to do one then when you get to a certain stage of your sync journey you can pick and choose, besides how would you know a library doesn't get you any placements if you don't have any tracks signed with them.

[telefunkin]

Hey Jim, what Mark wrote earlier on this thread: It is absolutely essential to get into libraries that deliver. You don‘t want to write whole albums for libraries that will never get you a single placement.

...but the trouble is, you don't know who will deliver for you. So do you become highly selective and take no risks, or take a few chances by signing some tracks away which might just work out for you)? There are so many factors to consider... how good and how licensable is your music? Is it a popular style? Is it current? Does it have a long shelf-life? Does the library work with movies, ads, corporate, streaming, TV shows (reality, documentary, etc)? Are those permanent clients or this year's catch? Does your music align with those clients? Can you supply loads of it when its in demand? Can you supply another style if/when that well dries up? etc, etc, etc...... And in the end, what do you really want from this?

BTW an album is attractive to libraries for a number of reasons, so can help get you in. It can also be attractive to clients if its all relevant to them. Therefore, there is an advantage to writing batches of music in a particular style. It shouldn't be dismissed just because its hard work.

My suggestion is to get some tracks out there to any Taxi-friendly library initially (a reasonable indication that they're established and legit) before starting to get too selective UNLESS you're extremely attached to your tracks for some reason. Each to his/her own though. Do what you feel is right FOR YOU. However, there's a lot of water to navigate in sync and having a bit of experience beyond the world of Taxi is a good thing to have, even if it doesn't lead to much else. You can always make more music. If you can't, then perhaps this is not the best pursuit.

Although nobody would knowingly sign whole albums to a libraries that will never get a single placement, unless you have a fully working and up-to-date crystal ball you can't reliably predict what will happen. All you can be 100% certain of is that if you don't sign any tracks away you'll get absolutely nothing. IMHO its good to keep writing, keep getting better, keep submitting (within and beyond Taxi), check out libraries before signing anything, but be willing to take a risk on the promising ones because you can always write more music, If you can find several libraries that work for you and keep you busy then you're in a great place. A bit of luck helps too .

[JimOfferman]

Hey Jim, what Mark wrote earlier on this thread: It is absolutely essential to get into libraries that deliver. You don‘t want to write whole albums for libraries that will never get you a single placement.

I got the message already, but thanks for the reinforcement. I’ll let it sink in deeply!

Definitely wouldn’t want to end with tons of tracks locked up in libraries that don’t deliver.

Thanks!

[JimOfferman]

...but the trouble is, you don't know who will deliver for you.

It’s as Michael said in the new member video I watched: “Don’t fall in love with the first girl that kisses you back.”

Obviously, the first step is to get tracks into libraries through Taxi or otherwise and find out what it is like to work with them.

[LamarPecorino]

Congratulations, Mark! A very inspirational post!

[MBantle]

Congratulations Mark!