TAXI.com

Oct. 1, added a cue using Omnisphere.

(All posts before Oct. 1 are commenting on the previous one - "Sci-News" instrumental - which is still there, too.)

Taxi listing with refs and our clips:

https://thrillsyncer.com/sci-news.html

Thanks for any suggestions, critiques, etc.!

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Michael & Sharon

Doesn't really do it for me .

I've done a ton of these with plenty of placements, I think firstly the arpeggio sound you have chosen is too dated a clunky sounding. There's loads of good libraries with the right sort of sounds in them like Omnisphere etc. I tihnk you need to search through with a more critical ear for something a more pleasing to the ear.

I also thing you're off on the choices of chords. " captivating motifs full of intrigue and momentum that create a sense of discovery and innovation!" is not what I am getting and you take some strange melodic turns which takes it out of the genre.

I am not someone who has been formally educated in music theory but the simplistic way is to use chords made of just 2 notes for the arpeggio ...leave out the 3rd of the chord and just play the root and the 5th ...this makes it neither major nor minor so it sounds more neutral which is what you want. If you keep the Root note playing you can move around the scale with the other note and it generally will sound pretty good.

Once you have that, you can add subtle textures and FX...I don't think thhe orchestral stuff you have used sounds appropriate in this context.

Mark

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. Cosmic! Really appreciate your detailed analysis and suggestions!

I've not the experience that Mr. Dolphin has, but I'll chime in anyway
I didn't have a problem with the first couple of measures, but wanted to hear layering right away, some things dropping out (starting with the ear-grabbing first patch), and others taking its place. Manipulating the structure of the composition by controlling layers is basically all I hear when I hear 'good' cues - those that have been forwarded and those that are in broadcast TV commercials. This has been my personal struggle since joining Taxi; music lessons from years ago did not prepare me for the modern world's compositional techniques.

I second the comments about the harmonic 'drift'; sounds more like a 50s Sci-Fi movie soundtrack than a science/educational background. Useful? Could be, but not for this listing. Here the cues are getting their propulsive energy from Trap/World/Ethnic drum loops rather than dissonant and tense chords.
[aside] The ref tracks to me sound more like chill EDM (with or without the beats) and so I'm going with elements from that genre. Hopefully I'll have something of my own to share in the next few days, feel free to rip it up! [/aside]

Good Luck! See you in the forwards blog

Thank you, Alan. Looking forward to hearing yours, too!

+1 to CD's comments. Interesting for a while, but not quite hanging together musically.
Also, do you consider this to be an instrumental or a cue? IMHO its a cue, and in that case the listing asks for it to be shorter, and that will help it to maintain interest to the end.

Hey Michael & Sharon
I think it's all been said. The opening motif, composition-wise, is a good start for this type of cue. But after a very short while, it's a kitchen sink of instruments that aren't playing together well. A less piercing lead instrument for the motif, like in the first reference would be better. You only need 1.5 minutes for this listing so you could work on something much shorter.

Best,
Casey

Thanks, Casey!!! Always appreciate your input! (And the good news is we have until Oct. 5 to work on it.)

Michael and Sharon,
Just to share - I've been playing with several of the soft-synths that I have, and in their presets I have found some preset "sequences" (from a built-in 16 step sequencer module in those synths) that are .. erm .. right out of the box .. downright close to the kinds of sounds I hear in these cues. If you have anything like that, don't pass up the opportunity for some free inspiration! Anything that you have that can spit out some 'beeps and boops' might work to get the creative juices flowing. Again, Good luck!

AlanHall wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 22, 2024 4:13 pm

Anything that you have that can spit out some 'beeps and boops' might work to get the creative juices flowing. Again, Good luck!

Beeping and booping with Omnisphere! Any other specific synths you'd suggest? Thanks again, Alan.

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Michael & Sharon