Recent returns make me question moving forward

[artturner]

This track https://soundcloud.com/artturnermusic/the-return-home

was returned for the listing below with the following comment:

"Track is more melancholy sounding than emotionally ambiguous as described in listing."

Add this to recent return comments like "not upbeat enough" or "not sonically focused," and I don't really feel like these returns are providing the valuable education that is often mentioned.

I spent a lot of time soaking in the a la's below. Any ideas on how to create "emotionally compelling" "emotional ambiguity" as described in the listing? What makes this track more melancholy than ambiguous?

</rant>



REFLECTIVE-Sounding INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a fast growing, Exclusive Production Music Library with a really impressive list of placements in TV, Film, and Commercials. They're looking for Orchestral-based, Down-to-Mid-Tempo Instrumental Cues in the general stylistic wheelhouse of music you'd hear in movies like The Road To Perdition and Shawshank Redemption. Please take a listen to the music from Thomas Newman to get yourself in the ballpark of what they need: The Road To Perdition (Soundtrack Highlights): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdRtEl9UlT0 Shawshank Redemption Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYGald0tFro Quoting the library: "We already have 'Love' and 'Sad' albums, so we're looking for instrumentals that occupy the space between these moods, with a sense of almost emotional ambiguity." Please submit emotionally compelling Instrumentals that use a simple, yet engaging melodic motif, with authentic-sounding Orchestral instrumentation. Add and subtract instrumental layers as your cues progress to keep them dynamic, interesting, and forward moving. Your submissions should be at least 2 minutes long with non-faded, buttoned endings.

[daveydad]

Wow, superb piece! I do think it's got a melancholy feel to it... but more reflective to me. I, too, am a little bummed by some of the ambiguous comments by certain screeners. Doesn't help us with future compositions.

[cassmcentee]

Nice tune Art!
Well Composed!
I listened to both Ref Tracks and they are of the Highest Bar, lush in tonality (mix) and very creative accents.
The Library might only be taking tracks that can stand up to that test.
A/B your mix vs "Road To Perdition" and notice how "Road..." has a greater overall warmth/tone of the strings (the whole mix really)
To my ears I hear a brighter high end in yours that robs it of the warmth...
Anyways...
It is an Exclusive library, so I'm guessing they were going "High Bar"
Don't Stop!

[jamesnorth]

Cool tune Art - agree with the other comments ...

Overall getting a bit of a melancholy feel from it myself (although reminded of 'rainbows on roses and whiskers on kittens' in a minor key in that early motif!) and agree that the combination of perhaps the library you are using and the mix and composition overall probably doesn't feel quite as complete (or warm as cass put it) as the references.

It probably would've been forwarded for many other opportunities, but in this case it was exclusive - so the bar is just that much higher.

Keep it up.

[artturner]

Thank you very much David, Cass and James.

I appreciate your kind compliments and the insights you offered.

You're right, I didn't A/B the mix after I was done, so the mix could be a reason. I also have learned that I what I think is ambiguous sounds sad to everyone else. I've pretty much stopped trying to hit "upbeat."

I probably wouldn't have ranted (so much) if the listener comments had been "thin mix" or "need a warmer sound."

Thanks again.

[hummingbird]

"Recent returns make me question moving forward"

Don't give up Art. It's tough, but remember why you love music and why you write. Post up your submissions before submitting for some help in making sure you're on target. Trust you have something to offer.

I found this to be very helpful last time I felt demoralized by returns - I was asking myself 'why bother' and after listening to 40 minutes of Michael Laskow talking about how to Fail Faster I got up a wrote a new piece:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/50070225

[taximike]

if it makes you feel better I just looked up what ambiguous means.
whenever I get discouraged I just listen to the foo fighters
"done done on to the next one, done I'm done on to the next one."

[Len911]

Art, about 1:30 it does capture the mood imo.

With the sounds you are using, the mid to down tempo, like they say, they have ended up with plenty of sad and melancholy. Imo, the single best thing you can do is to speed up the notes. Use more 8th and 16th notes and less whole, half and quarter notes. You can still employ a simple engaging motif or melody. That's after the obvious use of less dissonant chords.

You may have to change articulations with the quicker notes, legato sounds might sound a little strange?

Add this to recent return comments like "not upbeat enough" or "not sonically focused," and I don't really feel like these returns are providing the valuable education that is often mentioned.

The raison d'etre of any composition is the melody.

It doesn't matter if you start there or not.

Melody is the prosody of language.

Solo the melody. Does it sound like a happy young kid or an angry old crank. A preacher, a schizophrenic, someone crying at a funeral, dancing in a club, or whatever mood or situation.

If the melody is the focus, everything else should be at least clearer.

That's my 2 cents

[jonnybutter]

Hey Art,

Not much to add to what others have said. I think most of us have been where you are - I know I have! I'd just say that often screeners' comments aren't exhaustive - there may be multiple reasons for the return and they mentioned only one or some. What has helped me is to not worry too much about a particular comment; if the shoe fits, I wear it - I do take the comment seriously, even if I disagree or question it - but I don't obsess about it or assume that it's the only, or even necessarily a dispositive, reason for the return. I know that most of the time the track was returned for valid reasons, and it's our job to figure out what they are, which we do by learning to listen better and better, and learning to produce and mix better and better. Strictly speaking, we are writing for clients, not for ourselves, so it doesn't matter how good we think our track is. What matters is what the client thinks, and the Taxi screener is a proxy for the client. Just getting the R or F is itself quite educational over time.

Also, as has been mentioned already, the 'bar' varies a lot. The same track might be a home run for one listing, and a Return for a seemingly similar one. Different bars.

good luck man.

[Onaginoffegin]

Hey Art, beautiful piece. Really well-done orchestration as well.
But even on your SC page you have "#melancholy" and "#sad."
Not sure if you added that after the return, or if it was there to begin with.
I think what makes the piece sad is it's in a minor mode.
Don't question moving forward. Your music is top-notch.


Henry