TAXI.com

Hey all

I started to post this on another thread and then realised it probably wasn't the best place for it.

I'm struggling a bit with the lack of specificity in feedback from Taxi. My most regular reason for return is that I'm not on target, stylistically. What I'm struggling with is that I inevitably get pointed back to the referenced artists. Obviously, I looked at them in the first place and figured I was in the ballpark, so this gets a bit frustrating.

And it's a shame really, because I started out getting awesome reasons for return that I could target and learn from.

Has this been a general trend? Can anything be done about it?

Matt

Hi Matt
It's hard to really answer that without an example. If you post a specific listing, link to song, lyrics, and exactly what the screener said we could probably be more helpful.

Best,
Casey

Hi Casey!

Well, this evening I received the feedback "I'm just not connecting with the tune."

Which I guess epitomises what I'm frustrated about

Matt

hey Matt,

did you get feedback from a full critique listing before and now are just getting one line from the Y/N listings? different flavors of critiques in the two.

I haven't found the feedback to be getting worse and less specific. I think in general is getting better for me.

but I also realize when I have done a great pitch to begin with. Sometimes I know its marginal and I am not so worried about a one line of feedback that doesn't seem to have any meat.

beyond that - Casey's got it and I agree, feedback and returns only make sense in light of the original listing.

Hi Andy

That's a good point about marginal versus spot-on pitches.

I'm talking only about Y/N feedback. The first couple I had dealt with specific issues; subsequent ones haven't. In fairness, the earlier ones were about identifiable mix issues that i hope I've since overcome. And i totally get that style points can be harder to nail down.

I'm not in a position to post the specifics right now but, tomorrow, I'll dig out some of the concrete examples. I've also raised it with the guys at Taxi - no point just bitching about it - and they've been awesomely responsive so far. Keep you all posted.

Matt

I have to agree with Andy, the one-liners from the Y/N listings have been extremely helpful to me. Remember that just a few years ago we got nothing but a "forward" or "return" on those listings, there was no reason given. So having even the one line reason is a big change and, as I said, they have been very helpful. I'm sure sometimes it might be hard to put into one sentence why a song wasn't forwarded, especially if the screener was on the fence and just goes with his/her gut feeling. I did get one return recently where the screener just pointed back to the referenced artists but it was a piece I submitted as a shot in the dark, just to see if maybe they were looking for something weirder than the listing implied so, to me, being pointed back to the referenced artists was a very polite way for the screener so say "nope, not even close..." I'm not saying that is the case for you but I'm thinking there might be a reason for the screener to only point to the referenced artists as the reason for not forwarding. Just my experience with that, YMMV.

Antonio

MattCurious wrote:
I'm struggling a bit with the lack of specificity in feedback from Taxi. My most regular reason for return is that I'm not on target, stylistically. What I'm struggling with is that I inevitably get pointed back to the referenced artists. Obviously, I looked at them in the first place and figured I was in the ballpark, so this gets a bit frustrating.

I feel the same way, to me it's hard to be original and match the ref. artist. To say stylistically could mean many different things.
I am looking at a listing that refs. 3 different Artists and to me they have very little if anything in common. Usually I will look for similarities in sound, voice some common thread.
This must be a part of the learning process. Figuring out how to navigate and decipher Listings vs Feedback.

I vote that we keep at it. Sooner or later we will find the Magic Key.

Merry New Year

Totally agree that there's a learning process here - and the fact that there's even one-line feedback is indeed better than nothing. I'm the first to say that some of the feedback I got on returns has been really helpful - moreso than the forwards.

The issue is one of signal versus noise. Here are some examples:

"HI Matthew, I think the song develops well but I find that the melody leans more mature than requested. quoting the listing "He’s on the hunt for... songs that are stylistically and age appropriate for a talented young artist."

Cool. But the space taken up with the cut/paste could have been used more constructively: "Consider doing 'xyz'", for example. One of my very first returns went:

"The instrumental tones could have more clarity and presence for a listing looking for Broadcast Quality performances like this one. Try playing with the EQ of the guitar to make sure it isn't distorting or too heavy on any one frequency"

This is awesome, because it contains a practical tip. However, the vast majority go:

"You would need to strengthen the arrangement and overall style of your song to be forwarded. The melody and lyric need to be current and relevant and you would need a more competitive track structure."

This contains a number of buzzwords that we all use, but it doesn't actually give me anything substantive to work with. What would a "strengthened" arrangement look like? (Not to mention the phrase "overall style" which means just about anything and everything."

What is a "current and relevant" melody? What would be a "competitive" track structure? (Incidentally, this one went V, C, V, C, M8, C, C - which is still the standard, right?)

My plea is for a short bit of actionable feedback. Instead of "competitive track structure", I could have been told "Everyone's actually using V, C, V, C, m8, C now."

In the absence of constructive substance, one-line feedback is no more helpful than no feedback at all.

AntonioV wrote:I have to agree with Andy, the one-liners from the Y/N listings have been extremely helpful to me. Remember that just a few years ago we got nothing but a "forward" or "return" on those listings, there was no reason given. So having even the one line reason is a big change and, as I said, they have been very helpful.

+1

It looks to me like you are actually getting A LOT of important feedback, especially given these are Y/N listings. The general gist I'm seeing from the comments is your submissions aren't contemporary sounding enough and/or match the style of the "a la" references.

You still haven't posted any full examples-- listing, song, and lyrics. Without that it's hard for folks here to give more detailed explanations.

Have you checked out the books by Robin Frederick? Also, consider collaborating with other members. That has been HUGE for me. I am someone whose original song ideas in my raw form often sound dated. But when I collaborate with someone who has a flair for contemporary style and production, the whole thing changes dramatically. Attending the road rally is great for both learning how to make more marketable music and networking with other members.

Best wishes for 2014!
Casey

Hi Casey

Absolutely! Very pleased to be working with someone from the forums already, hopefully with more to come! With a bit of luck I'll get to the Rally next year - I'm in the UK.

Hehe - these are just a sample of returns for various reasons And yes, there absolutely is a learning curve here. My thinking is more about how Taxi can help us get up it faster - it's as much in their interests as in ours.

My point about the feedback is that "more contemporary" doesn't really tell me anything. What precisely wasn't contemporary about it? Where's the gap between me and the reference track? What could I do to make it more contemporary?

I hope it's obvious by now how much I value the excellent insights I've been getting in the forums already (and thanks again, everyone, for that). But I'd really like to know what was in the mind of the individual returning screener. Of course, if people are happy to help me decypher returns then I'll absolutely take you up on that in future. I'm still finding my feet genre-wise so would be a waste of people's time at the moment. But even the great advice from everyone here leaves me with a big question-mark over the screener's thinking.

It's more about how the Taxi feedback mechanism could be improved. Does that make sense?

And happy new year to all, too!