Before posting your forward, please read this!

[devin]

Some very good lessons have been learned while sharing the news of our forwards...so let's create a short list of how to go about it.I'm far from the expert in this subject, but I do have a minute, so I'llstart a list from what I've learned so far. I'm sure some very knowledgeable folks here can add their $0.02 to this thread...then we can get Taxi to create a summary and sticky it to the top of the forum. I'll start, please chime in!#1. Please do not put the name of the company/group your song was forwarded to in your posting. There have been issues in the past where other folks have started sending unsolicited material directly to a music library after finding out who the library is. This is obviously a pain for the library, as they rely on Taxi to screen stuff for them...so avoid telling us who is going to listen to your forwarded tune (as exciting as that may be!).#2. Please include a link to your song that was forwarded. Not only does this help us celebrate with you by enjoying your track, it also helps calibrate our community by sharing an example of what was forwarded. Please include the text of the song listing as well...that way, we can say "so THAT'S what they were looking for!"#3. Once you have a forward, you now have an important choice:Option A: Sit back and wait for the phone to ring. The time between a Taxi forward and a call from the requesting company ranges from 1 week up to, and often including, never. Getting "the call" a year later is certainly common. It's just how it is. Option B: Go write another track, submit to another listing, and repeat this process. It takes many forwards to build a catalog of songs working for you, and it takes many years to see some placements, let alone compensation, for your hard work. #4. Feel free to stay active in the forum discussions, and answer any questions you can from other members. Many Taxi members that use the forum (if not all), have benefitted from either information or other people's opinion there (which means we need your contribution too). Many of us asked alot of questions early on, and now that this information has started to payback for you (in the form of forwards), then give back a little. In one sense, we are in a bit of competition with each other, trying to get a forward...but we're also as supportive as we can be. Sometimes the listing takes 5-10 forwards (it could be for a compilation CD, for example). The better quality and choice we funnel through Taxi, the more pleased the end customer is, and the more opportunity Taxi will be able to bring us next time.#5. Stop by and say "thanks" to the screener that forwarded your song. Their "listener number" will be somewhere on your critique or forward notice. Sometimes the screeners get a bad rap, as they need to send only the best stuff to the client (see point #4 above)...that means returning songs that didn't match the listing. Show the screener your good side in the "shoutouts" section. #6. Prepare for "The Call": that moment when you answer the phone, and the listing company says "Hey, we received your track last night/month/year...good stuff! Let's talk business..."Troll the other forum threads to start getting a sense of how the legal side of the music industry works.#7. Don't forget to post in the "Deals" section when that call comes! Getting a deal is a really big thing...share your tune there, it's more inspirational than you may realize!

[devin]

Bump for the cause. Mod can keep or sweep this post, but point #1 keeps getting trampled on in the meantime...

[davekershaw]

Quote: In one sense, we are in a bit of competition with each other, trying to get a forward...but we're also as supportive as we can be. Great thread Devin!That's what's always impressed me about this place; the fact that others share their experience, even though they know those tracks may be submitted to the same listing as we plan to.

[crystallions]

Thanks for making the list. These are all good things to consider.~ Lydia

[suzdoyle]

Great post, Devin!Thanks for keeping things organized round these parts . . . ,Suz

[orest]

This post should be top of the line all the time! Just a thought..

[jay10music]

WELL SAID....jAY

[bigbluebarry]

bump

[jonathanm]

bump.Can we get the admin to make this sticky? How do we do that?

[fearofself]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand...*bump*