Summary of my first year back

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Paulie
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Summary of my first year back

Post by Paulie » Sat May 14, 2022 8:18 am

I was a Taxi member for three years before leaving, having achieved all of the goals I set out for myself the first time. I've got over a thousand tracks in libraries and get placements regularly in multiple genres. Last year I decided to dive back in with Taxi, hoping to meet some new people and perhaps connect with a new library or two. Here's my summary of the past 12 months:

Forward rate: 29% (first time around it was 28%)

34 submissions
10 forwards (several are on my Taxi bio page)
Genres: Blues, Dramedy, Drone, Sad Piano Strings, Tropical House

24 returns
I disagreed with about 1/3 of them, some strongly. Several I totally agreed with and laughed at myself for not recognizing what the screeners identified in my return (usually happens when I rush to meet a deadline instead of giving the project proper time). Several of my returns are in libraries now. Ironically, while trap/hip-hop make up a large portion of my tv placements, none of my submissions in that genre were forwarded.

Things I've learned since coming back:
  • Focus on what you are good at. Just because you *can* write a genre doesn't mean you *should.*
  • Screeners are human, this business is subjective. You won't always agree with them. They are right more often than not.
  • The Forwards Blog can be very educational and frustrating at the same time. Mostly educational.
  • The Taxi web site has improved tremendously the past couple of years (although I did get hit by the accidental return error that I believe has been addressed internally). Kudos to the web team for that!
Advice to new/aspiring members:
  • Some people are not meant for this business. The ability to receive and tolerate quality feedback is vital. Being stubborn is not a good quality for a composer. TV placements are not about "art." We are trying to create products that libraries and tv music editors will consume. Your music is not the star, it exists to support others. We are sidemen, role players, supporting cast.
  • Read the listings completely, then read them again. The information you need is there, don't assume anything.
  • Keep it simple. Less is more. Listen to the references provided in the listings, trying to figure out what the three of them have in common.
  • Don't get stuck in the trap of buying every new software library that comes out. But, be sure you have quality libraries to start with. No one wants to hear the greatest music in the world if it is performed on bad sounding patches.
  • Think like a musician when recording your parts. Horn players have to breathe. String players have to change bow directions. Music breathes, it is not monotone. Do everything you can to make your music sound human. The notes you don't play are just as important as the notes you play.
Given my life circumstances, musical goals, and a couple of my returns, I was actually not going to renew. I’ve got more library demand than I can respond to, my goal the past year was to make some new library contacts, which did not happen.

But this community is great, and while it is true that anyone can participate in the forums and on YouTube for free, I feel in my heart that it makes sense to continue giving back and paying it forward to Taxi for all of the help and education I have received over the years. In calendar 2021 I had music placed on nearly 50 different tv series, on 30 networks across nearly 30 countries. My quarterly BMI statements are regularly in the four figures range (my goal is to reach five figures per quarter). All while having a full time job in the tech sector.

So, for better or worse, I'm sticking around... membership renewed. :)
Paul "yo paulie!" Croteau
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Beethoven
http://www.yopauliemusic.com | https://www.taxi.com/members/paulcroteau | https://youtube.com/@yopauliemusic

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melodea
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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by melodea » Sat May 14, 2022 1:11 pm

Thanks so much for sharing Pauli! Continues good luck with your music🍀🍀
[glow][/glow]Melodea a.k.a. Chris Moser

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by cosmicdolphin » Sat May 14, 2022 4:18 pm

Great report and highly interesting reading Paulie.

With 1,000 tracks you must be in a fair few libraries I imagine ? Were you worried you might just be getting contacted by Publishers you already had a relationship with ? I think that's one of the weaknesses of the system, I undestand the need to keep Library names out of the listings but there oughta be a way of making sure you can't submit to companies you already deal with.

How do you find the difference between your worst & best Libraries ? I've some that have been a complete waste of music and some that have been great. Seems to be a bit of a crap shoot IMHO.
Paulie wrote:
Sat May 14, 2022 8:18 am
[*]Some people are not meant for this business. The ability to receive and tolerate quality feedback is vital. Being stubborn is not a good quality for a composer. TV placements are not about "art." We are trying to create products that libraries and tv music editors will consume. Your music is not the star, it exists to support others. We are sidemen, role players, supporting cast.
Yeah 100% this

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by CTWF » Sat May 14, 2022 4:22 pm

Thanks for your summary, Paulie. What you wrote makes all sense to me, and kudos for having a 1000 tracks signed and a steady income stream. I hope it will continue to grow and you'll get into more libraries!

Tom
https://soundcloud.com/ctwf --> 0|°_°|0 <-- I am a producer/composer with TV & radio placements around the globe. -- Music is the mathematical transmitter of human emotions.

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by Telefunkin » Sat May 14, 2022 5:22 pm

Whatever the route, it takes hard work and commitment to achieve results like yours, so congratulations on that achievement Paulie! Good luck for the 5-figures soon :)
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by funsongs » Sat May 14, 2022 6:54 pm

Great report, Mr. Croteau.
You were one of the very first to 'pay it forward' (helped my with your horn chops)...
and, yeah: my discovery was that this, as a BUSINESS, is not my first cup of tea;
but, collaborating with TAXI folks/friends I keep close to has at least my little toe still in the door.
Having fun creating & co-creating still makes for keeping TAXI in my windshield view.
Here's to your continued success and reaching the goals you set for yourself.

From The Peanut Gallery...
:? :P
Peter Rahill - aka "funsongs"
NOW, back on YouTube (2022)
https://www.youtube.com/@peterrahill9263/featured
https://soundcloud.com/funsongs-1
https://peterrahill.bandcamp.com/

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by boinkeee2000 » Sat May 14, 2022 7:00 pm

Thanks for sharing your journey and insight paulie, im on the same boat as you where i hopped on taxi again for a year to try and extend my horizons (luckily 1 lib did bear fruit in that short endeavor). You have been more prolific than me with 34 submissions as i had a bit of trouble balancing taxi briefs and feeding my current libs so kudos to your efficiency (not to mention the fallback one has knowing those taxi returns may find a home in your current lib roster)

congratz also on 1k tracks in 7yrs (that is no small feat), if may i ask what percentage of your statement is domestic (US) vs Intl? im at 70(US)/30...thanks

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by Paulie » Sun May 15, 2022 10:09 am

cosmicdolphin wrote:
Sat May 14, 2022 4:18 pm
With 1,000 tracks you must be in a fair few libraries I imagine ?...

How do you find the difference between your worst & best Libraries ? I've some that have been a complete waste of music and some that have been great. Seems to be a bit of a crap shoot IMHO.
Good question. I've got my music in 28 different libraries, 21 exclusive, 7 non-exclusive. Of those 28 I regularly write for 4-5, meaning that they generate briefs often enough to keep me busy, and/or they will take batches of my work in certain genres without the need for a brief. So if the briefs are not coming in, I focus on a batch of trap, or piano, or jazz, etc. to keep my catalog growing. What often happens is it will be quiet for a while, then in one week I might see three or four libraries sending briefs out, for different shows. So then it becomes a prioritization exercise.

Some of the libraries I'm signed with are dormant to me, I've not sent them music in 3-4 years. Others I send stuff regularly. And their needs ebb and flow. Sometimes I'll be cranking out a ton of music for one library, then that connection may go cold. By that, I mean we aren't working together actively, but the relationship is still strong and we may even be friends outside of the business. To me those are the best relationships. They can depend on me to deliver if they have a need, and I can depend on them to listen to my latest work. They don't always take it, but they listen and I truly appreciate their attention.

As far as the "waste of music" concept, this is true. Michael has mentioned this many times on Taxi TV, "there are libraries that will take your music no matter what." That usually means they have a low bar and a huge catalog, I'll call it a musical flea market. In those cases, it takes a lot of time/effort to search through all of the stuff before you find something you like. And time is not something music editors usually have lots of.

For me, my "best" libraries have an easy intake process. One might have a fantastic submission portal that works properly, another might just take my files as a WeTransfer upload. Meta tagging is never fun, each library has its own process.

The "worst" libraries are the ones that never respond to email, and have a low bar, taking anything they receive. Some libraries are a little unorganized and could improve how they communicate. I generally avoid them, it's not worth the effort to try and figure out what they are asking for. A pet peeve of mine in this industry is a failure to communicate. For some reason composers are conditioned to believe that libraries receive so much email that they cannot respond to their composers. As a corporate professional of 30+ years I call b.s. on that. Failure to respond to messages falls into the same category of being late to meetings. It's a matter of how one prioritizes their tasks. Of course, there are always exceptions, but personally I can't stand it when someone has an inbox with hundreds, or even thousands, of unread messages. I've seen that in my day job and it boggles my mind. :shock: Then again, my OCD kicks in often, I'm someone that can't stand having any red dot notifications on my iPhone. I need to clear them out constantly! :D

The biggest non-musical thing I focus on when working with libraries is being a professional at all times. I respond to emails as quickly as I can, I treat each relationship as a business, because this is a business. I've heard from a few library owners that not everyone acts like a professional when communicating. Some people are turned off by feedback or requests for changes. Far too many people ignore library procedures on how to submit and upload music. I'm always courteous and thankful in my emails, because this business is competitive, and there are plenty of composers out there that libraries can choose to work with if a composer makes too many waves or proves to be difficult to work with.

Sorry for the long answer, I hope this was helpful.
Paul "yo paulie!" Croteau
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Beethoven
http://www.yopauliemusic.com | https://www.taxi.com/members/paulcroteau | https://youtube.com/@yopauliemusic

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by gitanosoy » Sun May 15, 2022 10:54 am

Hi Paulie,
Congratulations on your success. Good read.

I am so happy you wrote this:
"I generally avoid them, it's not worth the effort to try and figure out what they are asking for. A pet peeve of mine in this industry is a failure to communicate. For some reason composers are conditioned to believe that libraries receive so much email that they cannot respond to their composers. As a corporate professional of 30+ years I call b.s. on that. Failure to respond to messages falls into the same category of being late to meetings. It's a matter of how one prioritizes their tasks. Of course, there are always exceptions, but personally I can't stand it when someone has an inbox with hundreds, or even thousands, of unread messages."

It goes both ways, I get it ,they are busy and I understand we need them but they also need music too, they are busy and so are we so yes I deal with libraries that respond to your questions, concerns promptly as I do in return.


Thanks.

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Re: Summary of my first year back

Post by TerrellBurt » Wed May 18, 2022 5:21 am

Wise words, Paul! Thanks for sharing your journey with us.

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