Considering joining in the future....looking for pointers

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marczazzaro
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Considering joining in the future....looking for pointers

Post by marczazzaro » Sun Feb 15, 2015 2:22 pm

Hi guys and gals! I'm not a taxi member yet. However, I do hope to become one after I get a few more songs under my belt. Just bought a new computer with Logic installed and as exercise for teaching myself the program, I tried to create a submission for one of the listings I saw. Below is the listing and a link to the song in question. I'd love feedback on everything - mixing/instrumentation/production/structure/adherence to listing, etc. Please be as brutally harsh as you can. I know I have a long way to go before I create something forwardable so I'm looking to learn as much as I can.

Thanks!

My song: https://soundcloud.com/marc-zazzaro/pop-rock-1

The Listing:

CONTEMPORARY POP/ROCK INSTRUMENTAL CUES with an optimistic vibe are needed by a Non-Exclusive Publisher that's feeding music directly to the Executive Producer of a Broadcast Network TV Show. Give them Mid-Tempo Cues that have the same hopeful vibe as:

"Hand In Hand" by Walking on Cars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U4lp4EPjZ4

"Hold My Hand" by The Fray:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtxA-b67srw

"Everything I Want" by Matthew Puckett:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CLjLDX0M10

Please submit well-crafted Instrumental Cues that make viewers feel hopeful, inspired, and optimistic. Your Cues should sound like they're played by a real Pop/Rock act, as opposed to a MIDI-driven robot ;-) Your Cues should center on a focused melodic theme, while building to something that's lively, anthemic, and uplifting. Cues can be Guitar OR Piano-based, as long as they have that uplifting spirit. Your submissions should be at least 2 minutes in length. Buttoned or stinger endings and easy "hit" or edit points are strongly suggested. Broadcast quality is needed (great sounding home recordings are fine).

Estimated Sync Fees can range from $500-$3,000, depending on the ultimate placement. This company offers a NON-EXCLUSIVE, 50/50 split. You'll get 50% of any sync fees and 100% of the Writer's share. They'll get 50% of the sync fee and 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control 100% of the Master and Copyright. Please submit one to three Instrumental Cues online or per CD no later than 4pm (PST), on Sunday, February 15th, 2015. TAXI #U150215PR

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kclements
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Re: Considering joining in the future....looking for pointer

Post by kclements » Tue Feb 17, 2015 9:31 am

Hello Marc -

Welcome to the Forum.

First off, I think you have a nice start here. I feel the optimism, and think the overall vibe is nice. But, when I listened to the reference tracks, they are a lot brighter - tempo wise. And a bit heavier. So I don't know if these are a good fit, considering the a las.

That being said, here is what I am hearing in your tune:

1) It sounds like everything is panned dead center. I would try and spread things out a bit across the spectrum and give each instrument their space. This also goes for forwards and backwards - right now everything is right in front - in your face. IT makes everyone compete for space. Think of a real band setting. The keys might be off to the left 45 degrees, the rhythm guitar off to the right 45..... and so forth. So I might pan the opening keys a bit one way and the clunking gtr to the opposite side for example.

2) When the drums enter, they are a bit loud in my ear.

3) they keys sound a bit mechanical. Did you over quantize them? Also, they sound all the same velocity, so there are no dynamics - if fact I could say that about the whole track in general. There are very few peaks and valleys.

3b) The guitars sound pretty good to me. Again, maybe balanced a bit more, but overall, a good tone and distinction to them.

4) I think you could balance the mix better - especially bass and the drums a bit more. I struggle with this all the time. Try listening to the mix at a very low level. Almost to the point you can't hear it at all. Then see what sticks out and what goes missing. Doing this, I hear a lot of the snare and the guitar lead. Not much of anything else. The balance gets a bit better at around :34, but then it is pretty heavy on the grt side.

5) the break down at around 1:00 is a nice break in the flow. Then builds up again. nice work.

The big thing is to think like an editor and try to give them holes where they can edit. So maybe you could put a few more breaks in - where they make sense - so the editor has some options?

Overall, I think it is a nice effort for your first try. Especially working in Logic for the first time. Logic is a great program, but has a pretty big learning curve. I've been using Logic since Vs. 6 and still find new things and techniques everyday. Not to mention mixing and balance tricks.

Also, my advice re: membership. Don't fall into the trap of waiting to get more tracks in your catalog before joining, I did that for 10 years or so - not joining until I had x number of tracks. What I found is that once I ponied up the $300 to join, I had a lot more motivation to write and submit. And getting the Taxi critiques are the best part of membership. It really helped my up my game. Five years later, I am getting placements and doing this full time.

This forum is a great place as well, so make use of it, and read through old posts and old P2P section and compare what you are hearing to what others are hearing. It is a great way to learn.

Keep it up.
Cheers
kc
kayle clements

When opportunity knocks, you better be dressed and ready to go!

clementunes.com | taxi | soundcloud

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marczazzaro
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Re: Considering joining in the future....looking for pointer

Post by marczazzaro » Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:55 am

Kayle -
Thank you thank you! This is exactly the sort of feedback I'm looking for!

As far as the number of tracks go, I definitely agree that I don't want to be waiting around for ever, but I do want to wait until I've created something I feel reasonably proud of before joining. I think your tips will help me get there!
Thanks,
Marc

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Re: Considering joining in the future....looking for pointer

Post by Joseph » Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:47 pm

It definitely is not the same until you join. I wrote about thirty tracks before joining. The tracks I've written after joining are so much better in comparison thanks to peer to peer and taxi critiques.

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Re: Considering joining in the future....looking for pointer

Post by Russell Landwehr » Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:03 pm

Heya Marc.

Just wanted to say welcome to the forums.

A number of years ago I joined the forums and participated here by posting in Peer-to-Peer for a short period of time before joining TAXI.... Just like you are doing right now. :o

It's really cool to be a part of this community and test the waters like you are doing. Kudo's and WELCOME :D

There will come a time for you (soon) where you realize that actually submitting to listing deadlines at TAXI (as a member) will move you much quicker toward your goal of self development musically.

So anyway, about this track:
I think the tempo could be a bit faster... and there are a few things you need to work on as far as mixing to bring this up a notch (balance and some fx work and fixing the compression), but all that being said, you've got a good compositional feel for this. I'm expecting you to really make waves with your chops.

Looking forward to seeing you around.

Regards
Russell Landwehr
Multi-Genre Composer and Producer of TV and Film music Providing Easy to Use Cues for Every Scene

http://www.sensawehr.com
https://www.taximusic.com/hosting/home. ... l_Landwehr
http://soundcloud.com/russell-landwehr

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Re: Considering joining in the future....looking for pointer

Post by tedvanko » Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:43 pm

I actually joined TAXI in 2013. I hung around, sent in a few old songs that I thought were great. That didn't work out. Hung around some more and started watching the TAXI show on Monday nights. That led to books, videos and some general direction. Over the next year and a half I sent in 3 more tunes. The critiques were well defined and accurate. I filed them away and sent in some of my "other old great songs". Then life happened for another 6 months.

Finally with life in a comfortable place for now, I have jumped into the forums, listened to other peoples work and figured out the right people to follow to get the best results. If I had not joined, not watched the TV show and not gotten forum advice and TAXI critiques, I would have had a really large library of unusable crap by now. Instead, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction and probably will throw a big party when I get my first forward (of course realizing that's just another small step).

The engineering is a learning curve and I discovered that you have to spend the time twisting knobs and buttons while listening to every sound and effect in your arsenal. The comments regarding your mix were solid. I'm just beginning to get more comfortable with Cubase 8 and aren't that far ahead of you in that respect. I recommend checking out Dave Pensado on youtube for the engineering stuff.

I almost forgot, I enjoyed your song!

So join and get in the game for real!
Ted Vanko

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Re: Considering joining in the future....looking for pointer

Post by BardofEly » Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:12 am

Welcome to the forums from a real newbie too! Like you I am considering joining in future. Right now I am browsing the forums and thought I would say hello! :)
Find out more about The Bard of Ely - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Andrews

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