TAXI.com

Anyone else tired of having their music returned for being "off-target"?

I submitted to the 30-second lottery as well. ALL returned for being off-target, no issue with music. They are the 4NotesAd files on my TAXI page.

The first was returned because they worried the "ohs" would interfere with the dialogue, but I hear plenty of commercials with dialogue and "ohs" mixed beautifully. The returner also mentioned that listing asked for four notes...can they not count?

My second track was too "dramatic" as oppose to "fun", and while I can take that critique, I was going for the anthemic feel they also mentioned. "Fun" is also a completely subjective term. I really wish TAXI would give more instructions on the style and feel for these listings rather than speculate that a 5-4-1 progression might work. We are all composers, we don't need theory lessons, we need examples and lots of descriptive terms to isolate the true desires of the listing.

The third was returned because he worried the drums were too rhythmic? I admit they might be mixed a little loud, but that's not what the reviewer said...maybe they were too "fun" for him.

These returns get very frustrating. TAXI: stop being fluffy and trying to compliment me while you return my music. I would almost rather your reviews say "I don't like this..." If I am not on-target it is solely because your listings are too vague.

U130528IN

Leading NY Ad Agency needs a Mid-Tempo INSTRUMENTAL TRACK for a thirty-second TV spot. Here’s where it gets interesting! At the end of the spot (probably around 27 seconds into it), the instrumental track will have a vocal tag sung that will become the brand’s new sonic or musical branding piece that could very well end up tagging all future spots. The tag needs to be just 4 notes, and the accent should be on the last note. Some examples of sonic branding tags can be seen on these videos: Intel: http://bit.ly/16RtN36 State Farm: http://bit.ly/198Ft0F Kay Jewlers: http://bit.ly/1VNnwX Microsoft Windows: http://bit.ly/Z3Qpsp None of those examples are from the brand or company that this listing is for, and whatever four notes you come up with for this spot WILL have a lyric sung with them. Think: “State Farm is there!” Again, do NOT think that State Farm is the company or client for this… we’re just using it as an example! Your instrumental track should start out being somewhat light to mid with mostly acoustic instrumentation (guitars, piano), backed by bass and drums that join in a couple bars later. Clean electric guitars are okay to use early in the track as well. Nothing edgy or synthy sounding. No bass drops At 14 seconds into the track, try adding some warmly distorted electric guitar or maybe some fuller piano chords to give it some beef, but don’t get too heavy! You’d be smart to make your track sound and feel positive and optimistic. Keep it building subtly, becoming almost anthemic (but not too big and bombastic) near the end, leading up to the part where the sonic branding kicks in with the 4-note signature (which needs to be a buttoned ending). Recommended BPM ballpark is 104-112. Here’s a quote from our source, “Musically, the track needs to be friendly, fun, medium energy… hip, but not Kanye, no soloing. The spot will have wall-to-wall dialogue, so whatever your people create, it needs to stay out of the way of the dialogue or voice over. And please, NO ukulele tracks! It needs to be fun Pop/Indie Rock… No R&B, Hip Hop, Jazz, or Electronica.” TAXI Tip: Do NOT try to prove what a music genius you are. Give them something REALLY simple. We’re NOT kidding when say that a whole note, 5-4-1 progression could work for this. It’s all about texture, mood, and feel, not about the music trying to be the star. It’s going to be mixed pretty far down under the dialog and voice over until the sonic branding notes kick in at the end. The music is only there to provide subtle support and forward movement. If your music is selected, the ad agency will ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and that point you’ll be given the “secret lyric” that goes over the 4-note sonic branding piece at the end. The ESTIMATED fee if your piece gets picked is likely to be in the $15,000 to $25,000 range. You MUST own or control 100% of the Master and Composition rights to submit for this listing. This is DIRECT to the agency, so you’ll KEEP 100% of the income/fee. No publishing splits. Broadcast Quality is needed (great home recordings are fine). If you are chosen, the Ad Agency will contact you directly. Please submit one to three tracks online or on CD. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis by a person hand-picked by the agency rep. No full critiques. Submissions must be received no later than TUESDAY, May 28th at NOON (PDT). TAXI # U130528IN

I see no point in getting mad about listings like this. After reading the listing, I came to the conclusion that only the last few notes of the song mattered. All of the other info about anthems and progressions did not matter. Anything could have worked for the majority of the song.

These ad agencies really do not know how to describe what they want because they do not know what they want until they hear it.

Time to move on to the next listing.

DesireInspires wrote: These ad agencies really do not know how to describe what they want because they do not know what they want until they hear it.

That sounds about right. Onward!

as much as I can see DI's point about people not knowing what they want until they hear it (which is why I think a lot of stuff is temped and composers are asked to give the vibe of the temp without infringing on copyright blah blah blah)

I disagree with this particular listing being vague (and I got 2 returned for this, for reasons that i can see and can handle not that it makes me any happier).

this listing unlike many gave:

length: 0:30 spot. no need for a 2 min + track that they will cut.
tempo range
style
two hit points (14 and 27 seconds)
information about the final mnemonic ( at 27 seconds, 4 notes only, last note is accented)
suggested instrumentation for beginning
suggest instrumentation for the build
notes on how big it should feel
notes on the initial music up to 27 being wallpaper and can't compete with the VO (which is why one of mine got returned, too much rhythmic activity that would have detracted from the VO message)

show me one other listing this year that has had this amount of detail - bet you can't. Maybe even go back a year or three to the ill fated Campbell's soup debacle which was the last time we actually got picture to look at. Still, not many listings like this one.

the only difference between this brief and one that a staff composer at a commercial music house would have gotten is that they MIGHT have had picture to look at with a VO to see how wall-to-wall the VO was, and they might have had feedback from the music house executive producer or even from the client and a chance to have another go around and trim or fine-tune either the sonic wallpaper in the front or the mnemonic at the end. And they would have been competing against all the other staffers at the same house as well as any freelancers or permalancers.

So again, its fine to be bummed, its fine to be down if it was so close, but in this case, I don't agree at all that this was vague.

I just hope we get more like this one.

Great insight, Andy!

Andy, while I see your point about the specifics on the hit points, those were not the reasons I was returned.

While I understand the concern about the VO competing with the drums, the post itself mentioned drums. AND a few tracks that were forwarded also had drums equally as "rhythmic" as my submissions.

Where I take issue is for the "style" notes. "fun" is an incredibly subjective term. Now it clearly rules out depressing and violent music, but still leaves a large space for interpretation. Is it B-52's "fun"? Or Carly Rae Jepsen "fun"? Or fun. "fun"? Is it party fun, or a joke fun, or kids in the summer fun...etc? And what does "hip" but "not Kanye" mean?

As for your comparison to other listings having less direction I agree and disagree. I feel that ALL the listings are too vague. But the ones that are the least vague have more specific examples. While they provided great examples of four note tags, that wasn't why I
was returned.

It's very frustrating when you are composing to a description, and trying to cover your bases with 3 unique and different tracks, only to learn that all 3 are "off-target". I will continue to post my frustration with TAXI's listing until they improve. If TAXI truly wishes to provide its customers with high quality listings for its opportunities, and also wishes to reduce the number of returns (which cost it's customers $5 a pop) then they should be seeking to improve this aspect of their service.

I am ok with criticism, I'm constantly learning and improving, and I find the peer feedback on these forums quite helpful. But I did not pay membership fees to have the opportunity to compose "off-target"music for $5 a track. I paid it for clear opportunities to sell my music.

Tagast-

the points you are bringing up are things that people have complained about or at least alluded to a bunch.
In the end, in order to have peace of mind, I try to follow some of the advice of the vets on here which roughly is:

Recognize its a flawed system and try to work with it best as possible so you can get the best results for yourself.

I've found the most helpful thing is the peer to peer stuff because you get to have some back and forth rather than trying to interpret a statement that's made which may or may not be clear.

BTW- Im not saying in any way that I don't get incredibly frustrated sometimes- I think most of us do.
The thing that I will give taxi good credit for is that they do actually seem to acknowledge complaints, and if enough people agree on something, I'm sure they will respond to it in some sorta way..

"All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis by a person hand-picked by the agency rep."

The listing party entrusted someone, either from the agency or a particular Taxi screener to screen for what they were looking for. If it was a Taxi screener, that screener would have been given direct insight into the requirements and received special training for the listing. And if it was someone from the agency, well they are the client. Nothing more to say.

Does that mean the returns will always make sense? No. It's impossible to always make perfect sense of something subjective. Keep in mind that these are extremely high bar listings.

Everyone gets returns, everyone gets frustrated. But our business is one in which you have to take rejection and move on or you'll go crazy. Even when submitting directly to higher end libraries, understanding which tracks they accept and which ones they reject is sometimes impossible.

One thing I always suggest to members is to pitch music to a variety of "bar" level type listings. Ad agency and major feature film opps can pay big $$ for a placement but that is tempered by the smaller odds of forward and placement. So it's a good idea to also be submitting to library listings, direct to sup with moderate license fees (e.g. $250 to $1000), etc. This may not apply to YOU but some have a tendency to focus more effort on the listings that COULD result in higher payouts and not "spread it around."

Wishing you the best,
Casey

If it were up to me I'd eliminate the mini critiques and just stick to yes or no, almost all the mini critiques I get are headscratchers and I don't hold the screeners responsible for that, it's the nature of the beast.

eo

eeoo wrote:If it were up to me I'd eliminate the mini critiques and just stick to yes or no, almost all the mini critiques I get are headscratchers and I don't hold the screeners responsible for that, it's the nature of the beast.

eo

yep.