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My cue "Misch Kabobs" was returned for listing #U160804QD

It can be heard on my page: http://taxi.com/tracksurgeons

The listing was screened on a Yes/No basis and the screener simply noted that the cue was "not moody enough."

This doesn't really give me a clear idea of what I could do better. After re-listening to the example material in the listing I feel like this cue was extremely close to the vibe, tempo, and overall feel of the example cues. Is it perhaps too busy?

Just looking for some feedback on what I could do better as I thought this was a solid submission that was made specifically for this listing.

Any thoughts?

Here is the description of what they were looking for:

MISCHIEVOUS, QUIRKY DRAMEDY-Style INSTRUMENTAL CUES are quickly needed for several, Non-Exclusive placements by the Music Supervisor of a brand new cooking show. They’re looking for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Cues that you could hear on shows like (but not limited to): Long Island Medium, Our Little Family, Worst Cooks In America, etc., etc., etc. Please listen to the following references to get an idea of what they need for this pitch: Long Island Medium (:03 to :15): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JBdrFhK7qs Our Little Family (1:03 to 1:42): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OMq8QDlqDY Worst Cooks In America (4:43 to 5:09): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ePa-XwdiRI Give them fun, lighthearted, bouncy Instrumental Cues that could work for silly, funny, or sneaky scenes. Instrumentation that could work well for this pitch include (but not limited to); Pizzicato Strings, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Xylophone, Tympani, Oboe, Clarinet, etc. Your Cue should have a compelling melodic theme throughout, with Instrumentation layered in and out to create dynamics and interest. You’d be smart to avoid submitting anything that’s frenetic or overly busy for this pitch, as that could distract from a scene’s dialog. All submissions should be at least 1:30 to 2:00 minutes in length, with easy edit points and button/stinger endings. Do NOT copy or rip off the referenced clips or music in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a guide for tempo, texture, and vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed (great sounding home recordings are fine).

Your cue seems to be a bit more uptempo than most of the ones in the a'las. additionally, most of the a'las are sparse and subdued.

HTH
Russell Landwehr

Russell Landwehr wrote:Your cue seems to be a bit more uptempo than most of the ones in the a'las. additionally, most of the a'las are sparse and subdued.

HTH
Russell Landwehr

Thanks for the feedback! Yea, I guess I can see that. Although the tempo is about the same as the one in the "Worst Cooks in America" example I can see how mine might be too full and aggressive.

Also, I appreciate your feedback but it would be nice to hear something more constructive from the screener. "Not moody enough" doesn't speak very clearly to me as far as what to improve upon.

I'm finding more and more of these listings are on a Yes/No basis which is disappointing. The critiques were one of the biggest reasons I joined as I'm not sure that I fully see the value of a $300+ membership without them

I remember this listing... I too received a return. Screener "I like the idea but it needs to be a little more convincing."
https://soundcloud.com/paulcroteau/look ... ky-dramedy

Y/N listings don't normally provide any feedback at all, so consider any quick feedback on these a silver lining.

When I listen to your track I don't hear quirky, and it sounds much busier than the three a la's. All three of them include space and pizzicato strings. The beginning of the third A La starts out busier but then goes right into the bouncy string plucks. It's a good track, just not right for this listing.

Regarding how to interpret the A La's: Last year at the rally a screener said during a session "listen to all of them and find out what they share, what they have in common. Don't try to mimic just one of them." So, what I've been doing since then is that very thing... what do they share? Do they all have a guitar taking the lead? What instruments are the same in all three? What is combined mood? Are they sparse or busy, energetic or relaxed? Is it the mixing sound (dry, close, lots of reverb, etc.).

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the feedback Paulie! That makes sense. I'll make sure to keep these things in mind from now on.