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New here. Heard the terms "looking for cues" / "stingers." What are they? Can you make them with guitar / bass drums? Do you need a keyboard? What if you have a synth (Juno 6)?

Can I work with a keyboard player (not a Taxi member) doing cues? Example: I record a sketch of a cue on keys / guitar and send it to my more polished piano collaborator (non Taxi member) - who then makes a great workup - and sends it back to me to edit / master and send to the listing.

If I did this, how are contracts with Taxi's clients handled? Do I submit music for the cues and make a side deal with the keyboard player outside Taxi? Or do we both need to sign the deal if accepted? Can I act as track administrator for us both (with my collaborator's permission of course)? And if so, how legal does it need to get? Alot of questions. Appreciate the insights.

In musical notation, a cue note is or cue notes are indications informing players, "of important passages being played by other instruments, [such as an] entrance after a long period of rest." It is up to the performer or the conductor on whether the section should play it.

A stinger or bumper is a short clip of music that can be used to introduce, end or link various sections of an audio or audiovisual production. Sometimes they are also called sounders and can often have voice-over and sound effects incorporated with them.

So when a Film / TV listing asks for a 2 min cue - what are they asking for?

When Taxi requests a cue, they mean a music cue that's spotted for a particular scene in a film, commercial or TV show; in other words it's a short piece of music intended for picture, as opposed to a song that's supposed to musically stand on its own. The differences can be subtle, so if you really need to know the difference, (and you do) I'd recommend Dean Kripphaene's Book, Demystifying The Cue

A stinger is an even shorter piece of music; often as little as two beats. Example is the ol "Shave And A Haircut, Two Bits" from ye olde barbershop quartet days-the "two bits" part is a stinger, the button on a buttoned ending. Sorta like the rimshot after the joke.

A "cue" is music used underneath tv/film scenes, commercials, etc. Watch any show and listen for the music. "Cue" is just a term for music, as in "cue the music." It could be the music you hear between two scenes, or to introduce a scene. It could be the music under a dramatic chase scene or fight. It could be the music playing during credits. Often the word can be used synonymously with song, but not always.

Great responses!!! Thanks. What about the other part - working with a nonTaxi member with making cues? What theoretically happens there?

liquidfusion wrote:Great responses!!! Thanks. What about the other part - working with a nonTaxi member with making cues? What theoretically happens there?

Only one of you needs to be a member to submit.

You should have either a signed work for hire ( you paid your friend and own the composition(s) ), or

a co-writing agreement for each cue/instrumental/song that you write together, with shares spelled out. In this case you should both be members of a PRO. This way you will each be paid your share of the writing royalties (the track is registered by the end user or yourself, is placed, is broadcast, cue sheets are filed, money collected by your PRO and passed along to you a few months later; and, less often, the end user provides the sync fee shares up front & pays according to the schedule in your agreement (twice yearly, quarterly, monthly etc). The written agreement with the library, publisher, supervisor etc will spell out your shares (I,e, writer1 25%, writer2 25%, publisher, 50% etc)

In film/tv, you either have to produce this paperwork or avow that you have it (and you are liable if you do not).

Good idea to understand all this stuff before you submit to listings and perhaps are F and get contacted.

caveat - I am not a lawyer. Above is general info only.

cheers
H'bird