Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

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andreh
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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by andreh » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:01 pm

Quote:Quote:Update: I just got a wild hair and emailed Josh Groban directly (though through an email address I'm sure is screened with a fine-toothed comb) to see if he'd be willing to listen to and consider this song for an upcoming album. Guess I'd better get to work making it better! AndreHmm...wouldn't it have made more sense to first make it the most iron-clad kick ass hit song it could possibly be...and THEN email him? Sure there's only the tiniest chance anybody from his camp would respond, let alone in the affirmative...but wouldn't you wanna be prepared just in case?Hi Matto-I thought of that right after I pressed "send," but my don't-be-afraid-of-the-world mantra won out over rational thinking. Now I HAVE to make it better (or write a new song )...glad you guys are here to help me along!I know it's important to put your very best foot forward when you have a chance to do your dance, but I let my endless struggle for perfection keep me from participating in life for too long and I'm trying to be more confident in my approach these days. However, that shouldn't come at the expense of shooting yourself in the foot (especially when you've already blown the other one off long ago), so thanks for the reminder. Looking forward to meeting you at the Rally, Matt.Andre
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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by horacejesse » Fri Nov 03, 2006 3:13 am

Andre,I wrote a post last night but it got lost.Terrific song. Really lovely and you sing it well too. The line, "This love was everything to me," peaks beautifully. Your melody ranges an octave + a fourth, I think. Good for this type of listing.If it needs more, you will get there. I am satisfied by everything but the hook. As much as I love the song, I have to say (and I hate to) that I would throw out "hole in the heart" and have this character wondering how he will manage to do something real, even mundane. He has felt this matter long and deeply, as the other lyrics prove. Now he deserves more than this pat phrase, this abstract and easy out that sounds too made up and song-like.That said, you still have a song that is no worse than approaching greatness IMHO.

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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by Casey H » Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:06 am

Hi AndreIt probably doesn't matter but, I see having that e-mail address as like having a gun with only one silver bullet... So, I'd only fire it when I have my best shot... Also, most well-known artists will not listen to unsolicited material for legal reasons. Too many times, someone has sent in a song, which was rejected, and that person later sued the artist for supposed copyright infringement. BUT, let's think positive! I recently responded to a lead even though I was told it was closed and would be put to death if I submitted. I ended up in direct email and phone dialog with a prominent music supervisor (Andre, you know who) and, with the right track, would have landed the placement.Cheers, Casey

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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by matto » Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:46 am

Quote:I know it's important to put your very best foot forward when you have a chance to do your dance, but I let my endless struggle for perfection keep me from participating in life for too long and I'm trying to be more confident in my approach these days. However, that shouldn't come at the expense of shooting yourself in the foot (especially when you've already blown the other one off long ago), so thanks for the reminder. Yeah...my thinking is always: If you think you might get your foot in the door somewhere...make sure there's a steel-toed boot on it... Quote:Looking forward to meeting you at the Rally, Matt.Likewise

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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by andreh » Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:55 pm

Thank you all for the motivational sentiments. I, too, believe this song has the potential to be great, and I feel good that I'm not letting my ego get in the way of me learning from all this awesome feedback.Now to find a superb singer for the demo (when the song's ready for it)...any recommendations?Andre
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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by michael11 » Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:38 pm

Quote:Thank you all for the motivational sentiments. I, too, believe this song has the potential to be great, and I feel good that I'm not letting my ego get in the way of me learning from all this awesome feedback.Now to find a superb singer for the demo (when the song's ready for it)...any recommendations?AndreWhat about Vikki?
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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by horacejesse » Sat Nov 04, 2006 2:58 am

Andre,I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but you sing pretty damned good!

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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by Casey H » Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:25 am

Quote:Thank you all for the motivational sentiments. I, too, believe this song has the potential to be great, and I feel good that I'm not letting my ego get in the way of me learning from all this awesome feedback.Now to find a superb singer for the demo (when the song's ready for it)...any recommendations?AndreYes, Josh Groban.... LOL BTW, I hope you didn't think I meant you were a bad singer... not at all... I just said that on this track, if it was film/TV, the vocal wasn't quite there yet. Casey

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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by horacejesse » Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:08 pm

<But this kind of song needs a real "Indie 500" vocalist!>Why? I don't get it. For a demo? Are you saying Taxi screeners are not good enough to even hear that this is a hell of a song with only an excellent singer as opposed to an outright great one?I thought this service was about having a good song, not endless production attempts.If Andre's singing is not good enough on this demo, then where does that leave the rest of us poor jerks who do not sing as well as he does, but sing our own demos either because we took seriously the Taxi promotional literature or we are economically forced to?I believe if anyone cannot judge this as a tremendous song with Andre at the helm, they have no business listening to music for pay and should take up table tennis.I can only assume that the screener who rejected it also knew it was quite a song, but in possession of more information than us, realized the song just was not right for the particular artist and listing.In short, if we have to sing our demos better than Andre sang this one--screw it, about nine thousand eight hundred of us best pack our bags..Granted, this is a special song and a special genre, and if any genre needs an incredible singer for the final, released performance of a song, it is this genre.Would it sound even better with a top-notch professional demo-ing it? Yes, but it reflects ugily on Taxi IMHO if this performance can hold back this incredible song. I do not believe that is the case. This song is getting forwarded just the way it is, if Andre never does a thing more for it. I have that much faith in Taxi or I would already have asked for my money back.

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Re: Rejection Conjecture, Round 2

Post by matto » Sat Nov 04, 2006 5:03 pm

Hehee I think you might've gotten a tad carried away there horace... 1- First of all I don't think this is an "incredible" and "tremendous" song, and most everybody else seems to agree. I think it's a good song, with the potential to be great if worked on. Andre seems to realize that, and good for him. I wouldn't have expected anything less from a consummate professional. 2- This listing expressly states "demo quality okay", and I think Andre's vocal would've been good enough for a forward, had the song itself measured up to the high high bar set by the listing party. Having said that, a better singer could only help, which brings us to:3- Could you show me where in the Taxi literature it says that it's okay, or a good idea, to use a weak singer on a demo? Cause I've certainly never read that anywhere. What I've heard on this subject from Taxi, and any other professional source, is always: use the best singer you can afford, and don't sing your own demos unless you can REALLY do the song justice. Now it's okay to sing it yourself for early demos, to get feedback from peers or critiquing services, but to present it to the industry, once it's ready for that, you need sombody who can really SELL the song. The vocal is THE MOST IMPORTANT aspect of a demo. Saying you shouldn't have to have a great vocal on a demo is like saying you should be able to show up in ratty, stinky old clothes when going to a job interview. Not many companies are gonna hire you if you do that, even if you tell them you don't have anything better to wear or can't afford to rent a nice outfit.It may not be fair...but it's just business. This is too...the music business.matto

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