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Hi guys,

Bit late for feedback as I've got to submit before time runs out (I live in the UK, so timezones and all that).

Just wanted to share this as I'm quite proud of it, hopefully it's forward material, it's not a genre I've done before so even if not it's still a vital bit of learning.

It was for this listing:

INTRIGUING, CURIOUS, COMEDIC INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a successful Music Library that gets tons of placements in TV Shows, Films, and Movie Trailers.

This Library is on the hunt for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumentals that could fit in the general stylistic wheelhouse of the following references:

"Sneaky Business" by Franck Sarkissian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxoJ7zZnzTA

"Courtly Curiosity" by Tom Howe & Stephen Tait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXDILIHW1FA

"Curious Cat" by Foxhole Records https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OndQGb6N9vQ

Please submit light, comedic Instrumentals with memorable motifs, engaging rhythms, and instrumentation that's generally similar to the references — think pizzicato strings, whistling, glockenspiel, etc. Please be sure that your productions and any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality and modern. It'd probably be a good idea to layer instrumentation in and out of your Instrumentals as they progress to make sure they have a sense of forward momentum, interest, and dynamics!

All submissions should be at least 2 minutes in length, give or take. Keeping it under 4 minutes is also a good idea. Solid edit points and buttoned/stinger endings are encouraged. 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.

Anywho, here's my track. I hope you're all well.



Dave

I think it generally starts out in the right ballpark..a few thoughts

Are the trem strings really on target for the genre as it pushes ore towards score IMHO. A quick skim through the refs didn't find any, same with that long legato type whilstle sound....longer sustained notes don't seem to be a thing in Dramedy. I've got a handful of signed Dramedy tracks ( some have been placed ) and it's not something I recall hearing but I don't major in it so not 100% sure. I think the main melody could be sneakier, it plods a little and I think the refs have faster phrasing.

The other thing was it sounds like several cues worth of ideas in one track , I don't get a sense of the cue developing rather it moves from one thing to another and seems a bit of a dirge by the time it gets to the end

Not a bad first effort but I'm not sure it would be a forward for me as it strays outside what I know of the genre for the reason mentioned.

Mark

Well, that's a tad depressing, but thank you all irrespective.

Re: the whistling that's actually on one of the reference tracks, which is why I used it. I never would usually. The strings seemed to fit tonally which is why they were added.

As per the variety of different pieces, that's purely because I had a couple of returns with the "not varied enough" stamp on them. In those tracks I'd generally had 3 separate sections which were different but that wasn't apparently different enough. As such I may have gone a tad overboard, but it was the only thing u thunk I could do to pass screening.

Thank you for the feedback, I'm not complaining in anyway and it's important to hear it like it is, I just wanted to lend some context.

davidagates wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:52 am

Re: the whistling that's actually on one of the reference tracks, which is why I used it. I never would usually. The strings seemed to fit tonally which is why they were added.

It's the way you use them not the sounds themselves. Long drawn out legato notes instead of short sharp runs & melodies.

cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 4:41 am

davidagates wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:52 am

Re: the whistling that's actually on one of the reference tracks, which is why I used it. I never would usually. The strings seemed to fit tonally which is why they were added.

It's the way you use them not the sounds themselves. Long drawn out legato notes instead of short sharp runs & melodies.

It's a funny one really, that's what I had originally. But then it says in the feedback you can get that things shouldn't sound artificial, to me a long note held whistling always sounds fake. Just seems unlikely that you'd be able to sustain something for that long a period time. Genuine thanks for the feedback though, I've amended the track, so hopefully it will be the new one with the tweaks you both recommended. Removed the trills and the whistling, and bassoon from the reprise which was muddying it up quite a bit. Also reduced the amount of wood hits. Wasn't able to make any structural changes, there just isn't time, so it's the same sections as before.

Hopefully that will meet standards now, although I'm not terribly hopeful at this point, haha. I was thinking it was a dead cert when I finished, but then it's all a learning process.

Thank you all again.

Telefunkin wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:22 am

Hi, As Mark mentions, there's a small album's worth of good ideas in this track , so if in the worst case it doesn't get forwarded you could make a handful of new tracks using each of those ideas as the core theme or motif. As short sounds (pizzi, staccato, mallets) are the backbone of dramedy that makes any issues with timing tightness stick out, and I hear quite a lot in this track. For me, the repetitive woodblock is a bit of a distraction, so I'd have stripped that back to just one or two occasional hits, and there's a dodgy glock note at 2:11, but the general sounds are very good. I agree with Mark that the start is strong but I'm also less fond of the end.

They're just my comments though. Others may see it differently, and its the screener's opinions that count, so I wish you well with the submission.

No, it's all valuable and helpful information. I know that music is subjective etc. but it's important to have more experienced hands guide you.

As I said in a previous comment, the varied approach was purely as I've been told in some of my feedback that my work can be "repetitive", in hindsight I may have chucked the kitchen sink at this one. Being at least 2 - 4 minutes long I wanted plenty of variety (in some ways) to test the screener to see if they still thought it was too repetitive.

Anywho, a lesson learned in humility and thinking too much of oneself.

Thanks again.