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This was submitted as a requested Custom Critique and was well received generally, especially with regard to the writing. I have made the recommended changes and would be open to any further improvements anyone can think of, as well as all comments. I've imagined this as a mid-size to larger string group and I particularly want to make sure the articulations are clear. Thanks for your help/impressions in advance. Best! John Dale

https://soundcloud.com/john-dale-music/ ... al_sharing

EXCITING, NEO-CLASSICAL TRAILER-Style INSTRUMENTALS 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 Instrumentals that are in the general stylistic ballpark of these references:

The Mysterious Benedict Society

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIzHT86dZ0

Knives Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL-9Khv7wa4

The Courier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbR1A95Ll8Q

The Little Things (from 0:58)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZAnkxdYuA&t=58s

Please submit blockbuster-worthy Neo-Classical Trailer-Style Instrumentals with exciting Orchestral instrumentation, excellent musicianship, and three "acts" that build to a climactic ending. Please be sure that any virtual Orchestral instruments you use are high-quality and modern – authenticity is key for nailing this request. Your production should be top-notch and current-sounding, as well.

TAXI Tip: Incorporating well-articulated, arpeggiated string parts like the references could be a great way to capture that exciting sound that the references all have!

All submissions should be about 2 minutes and 30 seconds to 3 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.

IMPORTANT: This Library really wants to find top-notch Composers – not just people who combine different samples or loops without altering them at all. Cleared sample libraries are okay to use, but any samples or loops you include in your pieces should be altered enough that they're indistinguishable from the originals. Basically, if you Shazamed one of your tracks and another artist's song comes up, your music would definitely be disqualified by this Company.

ALSO IMPORTANT: Your Submissions can NOT be commercially released on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. OR be encumbered by ANY other publishing, licensing, administration, and/or exploitation deals (whether non-exclusive or exclusive) including publishing/licensing agreements with CD Baby, TuneCore, etc.

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 Instrumentals 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 (PST) on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021. TAXI # S211215NC

Listening to the reference tracks it sounds like you are aiming for a style like the third one.

The track starts well with the violin section. But this string patch is somewhat limited from an articulation perspective, so the 16th notes don’t sound authentic. The Synth boomer at the end of the first phrase sounds weak. The second section adds more energy, but the noise swell at 1:00 sounds distorted to me, I don’t think it is needed. When the basses come in in the second section they sound a little muddy, and the percussion at the end sounds distorted yet weak.

The mix needs to be worked on. For example, in the third section everything sounds to be at the same level, and the percussion in the background sounds muddy and distorted. In general there should be one main point of focus at any given time… which instrument is the lead? Which instruments are taking the main theme over? Push the others down a bit to give the lead the spotlight. Around 1:16 the 16ht notes from the violin get in the way of the bass melody.

In general, string libraries today as so, so good that the quality bar is set very high as far as tone, articulation, dynamics, etc. Which string libraries are you using?

Paulie wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 11, 2021 8:16 am

Listening to the reference tracks it sounds like you are aiming for a style like the third one.

The track starts well with the violin section. But this string patch is somewhat limited from an articulation perspective, so the 16th notes don’t sound authentic. The Synth boomer at the end of the first phrase sounds weak. The second section adds more energy, but the noise swell at 1:00 sounds distorted to me, I don’t think it is needed. When the basses come in in the second section they sound a little muddy, and the percussion at the end sounds distorted yet weak.

The mix needs to be worked on. For example, in the third section everything sounds to be at the same level, and the percussion in the background sounds muddy and distorted. In general there should be one main point of focus at any given time… which instrument is the lead? Which instruments are taking the main theme over? Push the others down a bit to give the lead the spotlight. Around 1:16 the 16ht notes from the violin get in the way of the bass melody.

In general, string libraries today as so, so good that the quality bar is set very high as far as tone, articulation, dynamics, etc. Which string libraries are you using?

Hi Paulie,

Thanks for your input and help. It was recommended to me by Taxi's head screener to get Cinematic Studio Strings. That's what I use. In this submission I layered CSS with Spitfire Audio "Epic Strings" ("live" selected). Then I used Modulation and expression, which hopefully is obvious. Do you know how I might more easily vary the articulation WITHOUT having to use dual tracking? Key switching was recommended, but I'm not sure how to do that with Logic Pro X daw, since the patches are obviously not a part of Logic itself. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated, and I thank you for your input so far. Best! John Dale. BTW, in your opinion, what Strings package would you recommend?