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Hello everyone.
I joined Taxi in October 2024.
I am planning on going to this years road rally. Woohoo!!!!
I am constantly listening to sync podcasts, Taxi TV, and whatever else i can find to better my songwriting skills.
I have submitted 18 songs and have 3 forwards. I feel like this is a pretty good ratio for someone new, like me. Yay
Although the rejections are hard to take, i am learning how to let go of "precious", and yes, my last song written is my new favorite, LOL.
I submitted two songs for a SciFi trailer brief, and while i felt it was my best writing so far, they were rejected. Ughhh.
I did agree with the screeners comments and felt they were spot on! As i read their comments, then i heard exactly what they heard too.
I know its a process of learning and growing and getting better with every composition.
I am somewhat at a loss for improving these two trailers using the screeners critiques and that's why I am asking for advice.
What's your go to process for building momentum? And creating a crescendo?
Any general tips will be appreciated. I am just trying to get better, one Cue at a time.

Here is the link to the two songs... hopefully i shared correctly and you can access the link.

https://www.taxi.com/members/0lVIHyQIT0 ... alaxy-wars
reviewer notes "I like the hybrid approach to this pitch.

I think you could improve this song by
The acts need to be increasing in intensity as they progress, especially the later acts. The crescendo into a massive climax discussed in the brief is a must for this style.

I returned or forwarded this song because
Building the 3 act form includes not just well defined breaks but also a huge increase in intensity as the cue progresses to its climactic moments.

I think you could improve this song by
But even a good idea can get overdone. Too much of the same makes the cue feel a bit repetitive.

I returned or forwarded this song because
We also need to see much larger growth over the acts. Dramatic crescendos to massive climaxes are what we need to see from trailers in this style."Building the 3 act form includes not just well defined breaks but also a huge increase in intensity as the cue progresses to its climactic moments."

https://www.taxi.com/members/0lVIHyQIT0 ... te-signals
Reviewer notes "I like the base idea of the answering sounds going back and forth.

I think you could improve this song by
But even a good idea can get overdone. Too much of the same makes the cue feel a bit repetitive.

I returned or forwarded this song because
We also need to see much larger growth over the acts. Dramatic crescendos to massive climaxes are what we need to see from trailers in this style.

Here is the listing for reference

https://www.taxi.com/listings/S250516UT

Hi again John,

This is better--except your links don't work in this post. They work in the other one so I listened, but you'll want to fix them in this post.

The best advice I'd give, if you haven't already, is to listen to the forwards for this listing. This one in particular I think does a good job of building intensity over the three acts: https://www.taxi.com/members/M3lXeU4HTu ... n-dystopia

Notice the cinematic drums, the layering, all the ways it starts quite small and gets really big by the end. There are lots of ways to do it, but adding layers and making your drums get more intense are the two quickest/easiest. You'll also want to play around with risers and big cinematic impacts.

Your tracks introduce some melodic ideas, and the third act doesn't really expand on the second act too much. Again the best thing I think you can do if you want to try trailers is just listen to loads of them and take careful note of how each one builds and adds drama over each act, and then start experimenting with that yourself.
Good luck, trailers are a tough beast!

Geoff,
Excellent advice.
I appreciate you taking the time, once again, to help me.
And hopefully the links are working correctly now for anyone else who might want to listen and offer up their wisdom too.

Thank you

One way of doing it is to simply start out with a lower energy level so you still have some firepower in reserve by the time you reach the final section

It might be easier to make this section first and work backwards otherwise you end up with mix escualtion and end up with nowhere to go.

Arrangement tips include doubling your instruments in different octaves so they sound bigger , subdividing the beat compared to previous sections with your percussion i.e. go from 8ths to 16ths and outling your chords with something powerful sounding like brass or synths that can drive the mid range.

Mark