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Howdy all We'll, got my first return tonight. Think this is going to be a little harder then I though. Bright-side is I got 1 year and 11 months to go before my membership with taxi is up. If I don't get a song forward by then, I don't think I ever will. My best to everyone who gets a return, I know now how you feel.Congrats to everyone who gets a forward, working on how that will feel one day.Tim

Quote: Howdy all We'll, got my first return tonight. Think this is going to be a little harder then I though. Bright-side is I got 1 year and 11 months to go before my membership with taxi is up. If I don't get a song forward by then, I don't think I ever will. My best to everyone who gets a return, I know now how you feel.Congrats to everyone who gets a forward, working on how that will feel one day.TimHey Tim,Well, one thing for sure is that anyone who has ever submitted music via Taxi or outside of Taxi has been passed over so EVERYONE has experienced that feeling. I joined Taxi because I wanted to know "WHY?". Outside of Taxi, if I sent something and never heard back, I had no idea whether it was because my composition stunk, or that my production was lacking or what. With Taxi, I loved the idea of getting a critique along with a definite "yes/no" because those things told me what I needed to work on and helped me moved on.FWIW, initially (the first year or so), the main reason I got passed over was that my music wasn't "modern" enough in terms of the style and sound. The next main reason was because the music wasn't right for the listing. So it's not an overnight process but those items have improved a lot since my first submissions several years ago.Anyway, try to make each return and forward a learning experience. Returns become much easier to deal with if they're just another piece of information to get better. Good luck,Dave

Tim, I'm going to recommend that you take at least three and preferably more of your favorite songs and send them in for a custom critique. Write up a list of questions that you want answered in relation to what it takes for the songs to get forwards. Gives you the opportunity to say "here's what I'm doing.... what do you think?.... what works?.. what needs to be changed?.... how does it stack up to "competition"?... You'll get some tidbits that will accelerate your success.... but the real work on changes is still up to you... I think its extremely useful especially in the early part of your membership... it will help you make the most of your investment... It also helps to break what from a creativity standpoint is called "psychological inertia"... the thinking that our song ideas are so great "as is" we are offended by criticism and are so in love with the song we can't get past letting it go and rewriting... So at the risk of offending people.... with a vulgar sexist bigoted comment... I offer strictly as entertainment.....Confucius say "..... not getting custom like peeing in dark without rifting seat...." ArkJack

Quote: Howdy all We'll, got my first return tonight. Think this is going to be a little harder then I though. Bright-side is I got 1 year and 11 months to go before my membership with taxi is up. If I don't get a song forward by then, I don't think I ever will. My best to everyone who gets a return, I know now how you feel.Congrats to everyone who gets a forward, working on how that will feel one day.TimYou never forget your first return. Casey

Howdy Friends In the critique I had gotten for the song that I submitted the listener said, quote "I especially advise a warmer and fuller electric guitar tone". I was wandering if someone could shed some light on what he might mean by a warmer tone. Dose he mean the sound ?? Sometimes I don't understand the meaning of certain phrases that other artist are saying. Guess this is because I don't work with anyone when it comes to creating music or writing songs. I do all the musical Instruments and production alone, and everything is by ear. There are time when I wish I could be in a band or at least gone to school and learn music the right way.. We'll, Think I said to much. Tim

TimWhen its not tax season, I meet with production consultants twice a week, its an all encompassing meeting (like therapy) .... but I do a good bit of writing and bouncing ideas, as well as listening to my tracks. You could probably find someone similar in San Antonio.That being said... when the screener makes a comment such as the one you note.... that is a production decision... the bottom line is ... you liked it and thought it was appropriate. I don't want to discourage the screeners from making production comments... we need all the help we can get.... but like many of my rejects... when they have the comments that enter the totally subjective realm... they need to be careful in the wording... otherwise, you and I are lead to believe that if you change the guitar sound the tune would get a forward.... but then don't say exactly what sound works.... I guess that's why Taxi tells us that it is just one person's informed and experienced opinion... Given the experience the screeners have as producers, I would like to see the comments addressed more specifically rather than vague and subjective... specific would be... "the lead guitar is thin add x and y effects and bring it front in the mix.. ... try an accoustic with a touch of chorus or flange... " instead of " gee I wish that guitar had a warmer tone.... " ... after all... we are all professionals here.. . If you post a song here for production suggestions, you get a good bit of input and very specific descriptions of what the listener is hearing... seems to me the critiques should be at that level or higher.... I get the feeling sometimes that they are so nervous about people going of the wall and accosting them at the next Rally that they tame it way down and every once in while are too nice and fluffy.... So don't get me wrong,... I get a lot of good info from critiques... but subjective comments need to be taken with a grain of salt.... I don't know about you,... but between all my little boxes I have about 4000 combinations of effects I can put on a guitar track..... pick one.... I do really love the screeners OK ... sorry to be so verbose... but you got me started....ArkJack