To bitcrush, or not to bitcrush -- that is the question!

[TLovato]

HI all, I'm submitting to this listing below:

Lots of HIP-HOP INSTRUMENTALS (in a wide range of styles) are needed by a Music Licensing Company with a super strong list of placements in Films, TV Commercials, and A-List TV Shows. This Company has signed lots of TAXI members over many years and nailed down tons of placements for them!

NOTE: We previously ran this request as TAXI Listing #D241130WR, but the Library wants to hear even MORE material. If you submitted to listing #D241130WR, please send different material this time around.

This Company is searching for a wide range of Instrumentals in the general stylistic wheelhouse of the references below:

"Dr. Math" by Tune Seeker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxtp0Rlm3sU

"ANTHEM II" by Lukrative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG2SCu1HXpE

"Memories" by Rama Low https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SANPkk1vCzw

Please submit Hip-Hop Instrumentals in a wide range of commercially-viable sub genres with killer production and infectious motifs! Some potential styles and sub-genres that could work here are: Trap, Drill, West Coast, East Coast, Lofi, Epic, UK Drill/Grime, etc. Engaging beats, confident energy, and dynamic arrangements with lots of forward development and building interest are all needed here. Since this listing is open to a wide range of Hip-Hop Instrumentals, instrumentation can vary depending on which direction you choose to go, as long as it's competitive with other Instrumentals in your chosen style or sub-genre. Please make sure any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality and not dated-sounding.

Submissions should be about 2 minutes long, give or take, and should have non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings. Do NOT copy the references in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

NOTE: Do NOT submit any Instrumentals with spoken producer tags/watermarks as they're not usable for Film and TV placements.

AI ALERT: This company does not accept or sign music that has been melodically composed using generative AI, nor does it accept backing tracks or full instrumental tracks created with AI.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal. You’ll split all upfront sync fees 50/50. They’ll get 100% of the Publisher’s share, and you’ll keep 100% of the Writer’s share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright. Since this is an EXCLUSIVE deal, please be sure the material you submit for this pitch is NOT already signed with other Libraries or Catalogs. Please submit as many Instrumentals as you’d like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. All Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025. TAXI # S250205HH

So I was originally planning to submit this track:

https://www.taxi.com/members/PNQZVfSXS0 ... akin-waves

HOWEVER I already got some feedback for it from a previous P2P post. I incorporated most of that (it is included in the version above) and found my song to be greatly improved! But one person from that thread said I should try to add a bitcrusher to the guitar to try and make it mend to the lo-fi style better So I did! Just a light bitcrush, in my DAW the preset was called "AM Radio"

https://www.taxi.com/members/PNQZVfSXS0 ... ed-guitar-

But I can't decide which one I should submit. Do you guys think the bitcrushed version or the non-bitcrushed version sounds better?

Feel free to let me know any other suggestions for what to fix as well. Maybe I'm overthinking it but if I'm gonna pay $5 for submitting I wanna be 100% sure it's ready for the screener!

[telefunkin]

My choice:
- bitcrushed (its subtle but it has something I prefer about it).
Other thoughts:
- I'd add a final kick on the '1' at the end.
- If I flick between certain points in the track I can hear exactly (to my ears) the same thing (eg 20s and 1:23). Rather than do that you could provide a sense of progression through the track so an editor can choose what works best for them and can develop scenes. Therefore, if you can find a way to make the 2nd half of the track feel like its moved on it might help the chances of a 'Forward'. Things to consider include adding subtle percussion, a slightly busier drum loop or busier bass line (or use slimmer versions earlier if that works).

[VanderBoegh]

This is great, Tom! A piece you should be proud of, for sure! I also prefer the bit crushed guitar version - not sure WHAT it adds, but it does give a little bit of extra character that fits well and just seems to gel better as a whole.

But like Telefunkin said, you've got the same section seemingly copy & pasted at the beginning & end of the track. You really want to avoid doing this, as the goal of a good cue is to give the editors many different sections to choose from. There's no point to repeating sections, because if an editor really likes one particular 16 bar phrase, they could just chop & repeat it for as long as they need to. Let THEM do that. For you, your job is to create different options within the piece so they have more to choose from. Think of your cue like a Chinese Buffet - LOTS of options. And if you decide you want more of one entree, you just go back and get more. But nobody wants to go to the "buffet" that's only got 2 items available. And yeah, this analogy is a bit of a stretch, but just go with it, lol.

Anyway, great piece - just add something to that end section. A nice light tambourine or auxiliary percussion of some sort would do the trick. Or play a slightly different guitar part.

~~Matt

[TLovato]

Thank you Graham and Matt for all the feedback! That Chinese buffet analogy makes a lot of sense, honestly.

Regarding the "Ace" section of the piece, I tried to put some low-key shaker and percussion taps in there that don't happen in the "King" section. But I can see now I need to work on it some more. I have another week to finish this before it's due