Pummeled Anyone?

[nknjmes]

I received a critique for a modern rock listing I submitted to, and received the following recommended readings:Creating Melodies88 Songwriting Wrongs And How To Right ThemHot Tips For The Home Recording StudioWriting Better LyricsApparently, not a good day for me in the studio I guess I can take comfort in the fact that the instrumental version has had a forward!

[liamkelly]

Hey nknCan you post the lisiting and (part of) the critique? Might help us better.Helluva reading list you got there...

[nknjmes]

Thanks Liam, but I'm fine with it. It was a very good reminder of the need to stay consistent.

[liamkelly]

May 27, 2008, 11:37pm, nknjmes wrote:Thanks Liam, but I'm fine with it. It was a very good reminder of the need to stay consistent.nkI need reminders like that all the time

[jeffabbey]

Does TAXI take into consideration poetic licensee? I could name a number of hit pop and rock songs that take off into a line that is abstract and appears out of context with the song but allows the listener to interpret what it means. To take an extreme example of a popular progressive rock song by the group “Yes” would be “Roundabout”. This song has been popular for a good 38 years and Yes still plays it when they do live performances.Look at just a few lines if you’re not familiar with the song…I’ll be a RoundaboutThe words will make you out and outWe’ll spend the day your way……In and around the lakeMountains come out of the sky and they stand there.Now naturally, if you listen to the song Roundabout and know its words, you can interpret it in many different ways. Just as it is with an abstract picture, no two people interpret it the same way.Jeff

[stevebarden]

May 28, 2008, 1:03pm, jeffabbey wrote:Does TAXI take into consideration poetic licensee? I could name a number of hit pop and rock songs that take off into a line that is abstract and appears out of context with the song but allows the listener to interpret what it means. Jeff, the danger of comparing a "hit" song by a band like YES and the type of material typically submitted to Taxi is that once you have a huge fan base, a record deal, and a green room full of M&M's (no brown ones!), all bets are off. You are free to write whatever kind of song you like - as long as it doesn't alienate your fans too much.Remember, with Taxi you're pitching either to TV/Film or an artist who doesn't write his/her own material. That narrows the scope of the material and screams "be commercial", "be mainstream".Just my opinion.Steve

[jeffabbey]

May 28, 2008, 3:21pm, stevebarden wrote: That narrows the scope of the material and screams "be commercial", "be mainstream".Hi Steve,That’s exactly the type of answer that I need to hear, where TAXI is concerned, and it is also very understandable. I’m not a member of TAXI as of yet and so I’m trying to get all the input I can so that when I do become a member I’m not going to be spending the money while making expensive mistakes along the way.Thanks you,Jeff

[davewalton]

May 28, 2008, 4:31pm, jeffabbey wrote:May 28, 2008, 3:21pm, stevebarden wrote: That narrows the scope of the material and screams "be commercial", "be mainstream".Hi Steve,That’s exactly the type of answer that I need to hear, where TAXI is concerned, and it is also very understandable. I’m not a member of TAXI as of yet and so I’m trying to get all the input I can so that when I do become a member I’m not going to be spending the money while making expensive mistakes along the way.Thanks you,JeffWhen writing for any listing, you're automatically in a "following" position because someone in a leading position has asked for something specific. Sometimes it's "current, mainstream Country" sometimes it's unusual like "Armenian Electronica", sometimes it's stuff that's even more way outside the box. I haven't seen any "ala Yes" listings yet. Regarding artistic freedom, even a listing saying "do something really unique" is painting a box, which if you stray outside the borders (not unique enough in their opinion) will result in a return.

[jeffabbey]

Hi Dave,That brings up another question.When you receive a listing, what is the usual time frame that you’re looking at in order to complete and pitch it to TAXI. Would it be a week a month or does it vary between listings?Thanks,Jeff

[davewalton]

May 28, 2008, 4:55pm, jeffabbey wrote:Hi Dave,That brings up another question.When you receive a listing, what is the usual time frame that you’re looking at in order to complete and pitch it to TAXI. Would it be a week a month or does it vary between listings?Thanks,JeffGo here:http://www.taxi.com/industry.php?Listin ... oxListings come out for everyone on the 1st and 15th. Each listing has it's own deadline. The new listings are highlighted and quickly scanning a few of those new listings I see deadlines ranging from June 3 (a really quick deadline for a regular listing) to July 11th. I think probably 5 - 6 week deadlines would be an average but I haven't looked close enough to average it out.Outside of Taxi, working on projects, etc, deadlines can be anything. Yesterday I got an email for a project to do a track similar to a link they gave and tomorrow evening is the deadline. That's not the norm but for film/television composing, once you're doing it, pretty much anything goes.