Testing Screeners this month, #406, #416

[PaulFrank]

Hi All,

I am more prone to submitting to label and A&R listings vs libraries, but I identified with singer1’s post. In my experience with Taxi, screeners consistently reject material that 1) has merit and 2) is no less viable than most of the other music that gets forwarded. This is not only a disservice to members who have submitted a competitive song, but also a disservice to those behind the listing. Taxi sometimes keeps good and potential material from them.

Just my 2 cents.

Paul F.

[cosmicdolphin]

In my experience with Taxi, screeners consistently reject material that 1) has merit and 2) is no less viable than most of the other music that gets forwarded. This is not only a disservice to members who have submitted a competitive song, but also a disservice to those behind the listing. Taxi sometimes keeps good and potential material from them.

It's subjective and the screeners are human beings so they aren't going to get it right 100% of the time but I've rarely heard a Return on the forum where I thought the screener was nuts to not forward it.

You say they constantly reject material that has merit ...Are you just stating your opinion as the writer..or is this material that has gone on to be successful elswhere ?

Have you posted up any of the returned tracks in the Peer to peer section ?

[PaulFrank]

Yes, this is only my opinion as the writer, based on my time with Taxi and other experiences as a published composer and producer. I have had success with other songs (not through Taxi) that was fruit of collaboration with producers, after I was able to get my music to them. Granted, many times the pitch went nowhere. But other times my demo inspired the producer, we would foster a relationship and exchange ideas, and often work together to develop the song in a new direction. And in a couple cases the producer used my arrangements as they were and just incorporated their sound. That was the “process” as I knew it.

I have not used the “peer to peer” section.

Taxi states that forwards are based on a “gut” feeling. As a Taxi member, I accept that. But, as I stated in my initial post, singer1’s post struck a nerve.

[singer1]

To Mark's point, I have had a couple of returns that flew in the face of reality. They were re-reviewed by the head screeners of the day and ultimately forwarded.
This is rare as, I've said before, music is very subjective. Obviously Taxi does not want to many screeners looking over their shoulders and to be trusted as the music professionals that they are.

I do find it amusing when one screener will say that a piece is too one thing or another, and another says it needs more of what the first did not like. That just goes to show the diversity of screeners and the subjectiveness of this art we call music.

Now... back to the bat cave to come up with more goodies. D.

www.taxi.com/davidbradleymau
www.davidbradleymau.com

[cosmicdolphin]

other times my demo inspired the producer, we would foster a relationship and exchange ideas, and often work together to develop the song in a new direction.

Appreicate that but it's not what music librararies are looking for , they want stuff that is 100% ready to go, fully produced - there is the odd listing that says an acoustic guitar/vocal can work for a pitch but you still gotta have a great song, performed well.

I've had stuff turned down by Libraries only for it to get accepted by another Library and placed in a TV show multiple times...it all depends on why they returning it. There's ' not right for the opportunity ' and there's ' not good enough period ' ..they are 2 different things.

Without seeing the listing , hearing the music and maybe listening to some of the forwards can you give an honest opinion