Taking Stock

[feloniuspunk]

Hello everybody. I decided to take stock of where I'm at and how far I've come since I joined Taxi 5 years ago back in May of 2003. I've made 389 total submissions since then and have had 115 forwards. That gives me about a 30% success rate (115/389 = 29.6) which I figure is about average. At $5 a pop for each submission, that's $5 x 389 = $1,945.00 I've spent so far on submissions alone. Throw in five years (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) worth of membership dues for both Taxi and Broadjam and it turns into quite a hefty sum. For all that money I could certainly have bought myself a nice boutique guitar amp I'm sure. But since I do get to claim all of those musical expenditures each year on my taxes, as legitimate business expenses, it's not a total bust.What has it gotten me? Well, for one thing I have gotten my music placed in several music libraries. Note: I used to think that getting your tunes placed in a music library was no big deal. But as it turns out, those music libraries have been the best promoters of my material. I'm in at least 8 libraries, some national and some international. Plus I've discovered that those exclusive licensing deals where you sign over your publishing rights, that I used to be so afraid of, are really nothing to worry about at all. It's pretty much just how things are done in that end of the music business. I've also gotten my music placed in some TV shows and films.http://nickkepics.com/resume.html At the end of the day I'm still an unknown. I still have to mow the lawn, take out the trash, clean the cat's litter box and walk the dog. But I'm a happy nobody. I may not be a household name like Justin Timberlake or Britney Spears, but I am nonetheless in the music business. And I manage myself. The songs I write and the CD's I produce are all little labors of love that "I" am happy with. And apparently my music also has appeal for some other folks in the business as well.I think some of the real feelings of satisfaction come by just knowing that other folks in the music business, those nasty old A&R folks we keep hearing about, have selected my music on its own merit. To me that's as good as getting a Grammy. When music professionals tell me that they want to use my music in this film or on this TV show for this or that, well, it's a feeling that's hard to describe. Getting that little contract to sign in the mail or speaking to a producer in person is kind of neat. Most of those folks are just hard working people trying to make a living doing what they love just like you and me. So, thanks Taxi. You have made it possible for me to put my music on their doorstep so to speak (you've really helped to get my music inside their CD players!) It's not free (nothing worthwhile is) and it doesn't happen overnight, but all that hard work does eventually pay off. The yardstick I use to measure my success is probably a lot smaller than the ones that some other folks might use to measure theirs. I think that’s important (to have realistic expectations) to keep from being frustrated and giving up. You have to be a glass-half-full rather than a glass-half-empty kind of person to keep looking on the bright side. Mmmm, maybe there’s a song in there somewhere. See ya, got an idea for a tune I have to capture while the iron is hot . . .

[davewalton]

Hey Nick,Congratulations on the cool placements. The resume is looking really good. I agree about how much difference a good music library can make. Theoretically, I'm sitting on the couch watching TV when they're out working their butts off trying to get their music (my music) placed. In reality it's not that easy but I sure don't have those connections. Your story is a reminder that I definitely need to do more libarary stuff than I'm doing currently, that's for sure. Dave

[grandmatarkin]

That's a great post... congrats on everything. About your forward rate, I think 30% is comfortably above average. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I'm guessing it's not even half that. Oh nice website too Dave

[gitarrero]

as far as I know about 6% of all submissions get forwarded.

[billg]

Hey Nick! It's Bill. I would like to hope 30% is a higher than average forward ratio. I'm struggling to stay at around 20%. Some "young" guys were quizing me about stories they'd heard about the downtown bar scene back in the day. If they only knew. Hey, i'm gonna shoot you a pm so we can hook up -Long live Quagmire! - billg

[jay10music]

Actually, when I worked at TAXI, I remember the avg. # of things being forwarded for any listing was at about 11%. I'm sure that number was smaller for VERY high bar listings, and I remember that it was considerably higher for music library listings (for instance). I think the 6% number you are referring to is the percentage of members who get a deal in any year. Didn't ML write something about that percentage going up by 10% in 2006 to 6.6% of members getting deals? Also, I think that of that 6.6%, many of those people got multiple deals. Our own "peoples" like Matto and Dave are good examples of that. The people who make the best music and work most consistantly at it score the most deals. Just like the real world.

[feloniuspunk]

Just as a side note, one of those music library folks I mentioned actually calls me on my cell phone every now and then to ask if I have this or that kind of tune directly - no TAXI - no having to pass GO first (like in Monopoly) - just a direct hook up through the library to a film or TV producer. That's the kind of front row seat I've been looking for. I asked him (his name is Bill) why I was getting all this special treatment? He said: "You're on our "A" list. Your stuff is great. That's how we treat all our "A" list people. Gee, I've been on all kinds of lists (some of them began with "S") but I've never been on a music industry "A" list before. Now hopefully my dream will be fulfilled one day soon of stepping into a random elevator somewhere and hearing me on the Muzak, the final sweet irony. Imagine how someone like Lionel Richie or Billy Joel feels every time that happens to them. Coolio! Another one of my goals is to be on the Weather Channel (as background for when the stats roll by). Or maybe a worthwhile goal should be to get listed on Wikipedia as someone of note.The ultimate accomplishment in this lifetime though would have to be getting one of your tunes in The Real Book, maybe next to a Miles tune. Fingers crossed!

[frankmv]

Nick, You have my well-earned respect. A NASA engineer by day, musician by night...too cool. Our paths are similar...I'm a software engineer (working for a large NY financial firm at the moment) by profession, but a musician by choice. I play mostly latin jazz and salsa in the tri-state area (NY/NJ/CT). I read your post and I couldn't agree more with its sentiment. I'm 51 and I realize I'm not going to be the next Eddie Palmieri (or Justin Timberlake, or whomever you consider to be famous), but, I can get my music published with music libraries. I've recently embarked on that journey, and its turning out to be well worth my time and effort (one of my songs was recently included in the Sony BMG Hot Salsa! compilation CD - hey, one of your tunes is on there! ). BTW, I saw your resume...very slick. You've given me some very good ideas. Anyway, congratulations and I'll keep an eye on your site (and your music)... Take care, Frank V.

[annee123]

Nick,Because of Michael's suggestion on July 15th, I decided to check out this forum. I have to ask you, have you, in the 4 years that you have been a Taxi member, recouped the money that you have invested. I think you've shown commitment to your craft and frankly I would hope that you have made your money back. Yes, songwriting is something you love to do, but if you have had so many songs forwarded and some placed, then I would think that you would have expectations of being fairly compensated. In addition, I'm wondering about you signing your publishing writes away. Are you saying that you have forfeited your royalties?Just some questions for you. You obviously love to write and feel Taxi has been a great choice for you.Thanks Nick,Anne E.

[matto]

Quote:In addition, I'm wondering about you signing your publishing writes away. Are you saying that you have forfeited your royalties?Anne, just to answer this part: Royalties of all kinds are usually divided into 2 equal shares (50% each). "Writer's share" and "Publisher's share". When you write a song, you are both its writer, and its publisher (when you "release it to the public" in either recorded, printed or even performed form).When you sign a publishing deal with a "real" publisher, you usally assign all or part of that "publisher's share" over to that company. You always keep your "writer's share", i.e. 50% of the total royalties generated by the song.