Software to keep track of songs and listings

[harom]

Hello,
I recently joined Taxi. Didn't know exactly what to expect, but I was curious to find out if my 'urge' to be creative with music could benefit from this concept.
All my submissions have been returned up till now and when I hear some of the music that did get forwarded, I totally understand why .
The critiques I got have been very educational (and sometimes frustrating also) and have incouraged me to invest time in learning mixing and mastering techniques, using effects in a better way, being bit more demanding for myself, and so on.

I notice the need for an application so I can easily do following things:

• Enter my songs/music in a database with characteristics (style/tempo/instrumental-vocal/lyrics/…) with a search-engine to quickly find music that meets certain criteria (fragment out of the lyrics, certain style, certain tempo(s),…).
• Help me to find (unsigned) music fast in this ‘library’ that meets the requests of a listing based on tempo / instrumental versus vocal / style/…. Being able to listen to the potential songs from within this user interface and add them to the listing.
• Quickly find the open listings (based on the deadline) that I added as interesting and I did not yet submit to.
• Being able to mark a song as signed (exclusive or non-exclusive) and to which company so that it is not submitted twice.
• Adding the revenues from a signed song.
• …

At this moment I’m creating something in MS-access that has been very helpful to me.
My questions:

• Are there others among you who could benefit from such an application?
• What other functions must be included to make it useful for you?
• Does such software already exist?

Looking forward to your input.

Hans

[Sunset]

There is software app( that I have )- and its creator (KBLMedia) has been at the Rally -called Composer's Catalog.It does order songs already written, but does not do calendar functions.

It's pretty good for keeping track of music you've written and its status..

John

[Terry]

Hans,
I am a newer Taxi member. (This is my first post.) I made some related tables and a query, something like you described, in Access. It is not finished yet – I don’t really know how to use Access, but I am going to keep working on it. But I would be happy to send you (or anyone else) the database that I have so far. You might find some of it useful. You are welcome to any or all of it and to modify it in any fashion. Let me know.
Terry

[harom]

Hi John,
Thanks for the information! I visited their site and watched the instruction-videos.
For a big part it is indeed covering the needs I described.
What I'm creating in MS-access is simular and it also has a 'focus' on the Taxi-listings and helps me to organise and plan my music-creating and submitting towards deadlines.

[artturner]

Hans, I would be interested in what you develop and would even be a willing beta tester!

[harom]

Hi Art,
That's great.
Give me a bit time to improve the user interface and I'll send you a copy when I feel it's ready to test by others.
Are there particular features you are interested in? Maybe I can put some in already...

[artturner]

Are there particular features you are interested in? Maybe I can put some in already...

One of my main issues is keeping track of the DAW file(s) associated with each song. Would love to have a way that links each cue with it's proper DAW file(s).

Will this also keep track of forward/return data (including comments and screener #)?

[harom]

Hi Art,
To make sure I understand you correctly:
Keeping track of DAW-files:
Is following analysis correct and does it meet you needs?
It could be possible to register several directory-names associated with a song. I would think that the files associated with the same songs are bundled in directories?
This is not a dynamic thing in this sense that if you create new directories or rename them, the application will not capture this automatically.
It would be possible to open the registered directory from within the application.

Keeping track of feedback and status of a song:
Are following possibilities filling your needs?
[*] The possibility of register the critique-url for a submissioned song
[*] The possibility to fill in a free text-field (with layout possibilities) for a submissioned song
[*] Flag a submissioned song as forwarded/returned
[*] Once a song gets signed: the possibility to mark it as such (exclusive or non-exclusive and if applicable an end-date)
[*] When registering a new submission, the application will 'offer' the songs based on the main characteristics that the listing asks for (tempo, style(s), instrumental or not, language) AND that are not signed at the moment. You can, if you wish, by using a toggle-button, ask to also show the signed songs.

Just want to make sure that I understand the needs.

[harom]

Hi Terry,
Sorry for not yet answering to your kind offer.
While creating my own database and user-interface, it is indeed nice if I could see what kind of information you found useful to register.
So if the offer is still there, I would indeed be interested.

Hans

[Terry]

Hans,

I can't attach the Access database. The forum board is telling me that the "extension accdb is not allowed".

Send me your email address or mailing address and I'll get it right out to you. I'll update my profile with my email address.

Terry