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Here's my first entry in this genre. To my ears it's 'mostly' mixed. Probably still a bit too repetitive. Comments?


A Bunch of SWAMP ROCK INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by an extremely busy Music Library with a tremendously long list of killer placements in Hit TV Shows!
This Library is on the hunt for a bunch of Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumental Cues that could be found on a playlist with the following references:

Swamp People (from 0:10 to 0:30)
"Moonshine & Gasoline" by Blues Saraceno
Duck Dynasty (from 13:49 to 14:14)

Although one of the references has vocals, please submit Instrumental Cues only for this pitch.
Please submit top-notch Swamp Rock Instrumental Cues with twangy guitar riffs, great rhythms, and a healthy dose of Southern charm. Craft your Cues around a singular motif and mood, and create a sense of forward momentum and dynamics by layering instrumentation in and out as they progress. Please be sure that your production and any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality and not dated. The more your pieces sound like they're being performed by real musicians playing real instruments, the better!
All submissions should be about 90 seconds to 2 minutes long, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings are strongly recommended. Do NOT copy the referenced tracks in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed.
This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal. You’ll split all upfront sync fees 50/50. You’ll keep 100% of the Writer’s share and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher’s share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright. Since this is an EXCLUSIVE deal, please be sure the material you submit for this pitch is not already signed with other Libraries or Catalogs. Please submit as many Instrumental Cues as you’d like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Thursday, May 6th, 2021. TAXI # S210506WR

I think its more 'prog' rock than 'swamp' rock, especially when the drums pick up mid-track.

I agree, it sounds too "decent", it lacks the smell of mud.

OK, point taken. I do wash my hands a lot.

But to be real, how does the track get less decent/more muddy?
*different instruments?
*different idiomatic use of the instruments (the kinds of 'licks' they play)?
*the level of distortion/saturation/crud on the master, or specific stems?

One thing I was conscious of when listening to the two TV cues (ref tracks) was that there was a single instrument (distorted guitar) for a phrase - about 10 sec or so - then a repeat with a second instrument as counterpoint, and then a stinger tacked on after a pause. Am I wrong to thing that editors may well be looking for 20 sec sections of a cue that can be quickly excised from the cue and dropped into a video (and potentially tagged with the stinger ending)? Seems mighty efficient if that's all the editor had to do to make a cue work. Do you think about constructing your cues that way?

The guitar melody should not be played by picking more than 1 note per bar, maybe not even that much. It should be sliding in/out and hammer/pulloff into almost all the notes. Also slide into and out of the start and end of all phrases from up the neck or down the neck.

Cool track but I agree it does not sound too swampy too my ears especially during the change from around 00:46. For some reason the chords you used there are too "nice sounding",almost reflective at times (that section could be perfect for another listing as I think it sounds beautiful), and maybe the clean guitar is too clean? Maybe using just a little overdrive or gain from the amp (or sim) could do the trick for that dirty southern sound.

Just my 2 newbie cents

all the best
owen

AlanHall wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 5:46 pm

OK, point taken. I do wash my hands a lot.

But to be real, how does the track get less decent/more muddy?
*different instruments?
*different idiomatic use of the instruments (the kinds of 'licks' they play)?
*the level of distortion/saturation/crud on the master, or specific stems?

One thing I was conscious of when listening to the two TV cues (ref tracks) was that there was a single instrument (distorted guitar) for a phrase - about 10 sec or so - then a repeat with a second instrument as counterpoint, and then a stinger tacked on after a pause. Am I wrong to thing that editors may well be looking for 20 sec sections of a cue that can be quickly excised from the cue and dropped into a video (and potentially tagged with the stinger ending)? Seems mighty efficient if that's all the editor had to do to make a cue work. Do you think about constructing your cues that way?

From the wording of your question, I get the impression that you might be focusing on the technical aspects of the music instead of the emotional aspects. If I'm right, then my suggestion would be to spend an hour or so doing nothing else than listening to the ref tracks and similar swampy music that you can find on Youtube or Spotify. You might even watch some episodes of Duck Dynasty, Swamp People etc. to help immerse yourself in the imagery and the style/sounds/emotions of the setting and music. If what you create conveys those things you're on the right path.

That opening riff is a bit too clean, and sounds maybe more "country" to me. I would try rephrasing it slightly and put a bit of distortion on it. Some of the clean guitar chord changes further in sound somewhat jazzy, but the power chords are good. This is one for simple and dirty ideas.

Telefunkin wrote: ↑

Mon May 03, 2021 12:56 am

I get the impression that you might be focusing on the technical aspects of the music instead of the emotional aspects. If I'm right, then my suggestion would be to spend an hour or so doing nothing else than listening to the ref tracks and similar swampy music that you can find on Youtube or Spotify. You might even watch some episodes of Duck Dynasty, Swamp People etc. to help immerse yourself in the imagery and the style/sounds/emotions of the setting and music. If what you create conveys those things you're on the right path.

I appreciate your time and comments!
Yes, I tend to overthink things. A lot. And the cues I write tend to get more complicated the more I time I spend on them.That's a problem I'm aware of and will have to work through.
I confess the duck dynasty ref is super simple; I'd really like to be able to make a simple lick be that effective. But that's what I'm here for: to learn

KennyWayneBuffalo wrote: ↑

Mon May 03, 2021 8:01 am

That opening riff is a bit too clean, and sounds maybe more "country" to me. I would try rephrasing it slightly and put a bit of distortion on it. Some of the clean guitar chord changes further in sound somewhat jazzy, but the power chords are good. This is one for simple and dirty ideas.

Hey Ken! Thanks for your comments. I let myself imagine some young swamp country folks having a hoedown in the boondocks, so I admit not really gator-wrestling music. I'll finish another cue that might be more on point, and submit that one.