TAXI.com

Hey Folks!
OK....so I do not DISAGREE with any of these returns. For a newbie like myself, the feedback is sometimes worth the $5 sometimes, especially in a genre that is WAY out of my comfort zone like this.
I would like to thank screener #452 for his feedback. Since not using good enough or realistic enough orchestral samples seems to be a recurring theme here, I wonder if there is a really good resource for this somewhere on the site or Taxi TV? Or maybe some of you guys can dish out a pointer or two? I have good libraries, and a decent knowledge of MIDI, but certainly not an expert on Orchestral content to say the least!
Original Listing:
Lots of DARK, HORROR-Style UNDERSCORE INSTRUMENTALS and/or INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a Great Music Licensing Company with lots of Film and TV placements. They need a bunch of great new tracks to meet increased demand in this genre!

This Library is looking for several Instrumentals (and/or Cues) in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references:

"Shivers" by Nox Arcana

"Sewer Enter Lair" by Rik Schaffer

Please submit well-crafted Horror-Style Instrumentals and/or Cues that give off a dark and ominous vibe and sound. Your submissions should have tense motifs that keep listeners on the edge of their seats! Instrumentation that's in the general stylistic wheelhouse of the references will work best for this pitch. Please make sure your productions are polished, and that any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality and not dated-sounding.

Your submissions should be roughly 90 Seconds long for Cues, and about 2 to 4 minutes long for Instrumentals, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Please do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a guide for tempo, texture, and tone. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so please be sure the Instrumentals and/or Cues you pitch for this opportunity are NOT already signed with any other Companies or Catalogs. Any sync fees will be split 50/50 with the Company. You'll get 100% of the Writer's share, and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control your Masters and Copyright to submit. Please submit as many Instrumentals and/or Cues as you'd like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024. TAXI Dispatch # D240102RU

TAXI # D240102RU

Feedback: ( it is pretty much the same for all three submissions, so I will just include one of them to save space..)
https://www.taxi.com/members/DVGQpc37Tk ... tkVwVAlPrg

Tracks:
https://www.taxi.com/members/DVGQpc37Tk ... spooked-v1
https://www.taxi.com/members/DVGQpc37Tk ... spooked-v2
https://www.taxi.com/members/DVGQpc37Tk ... g-version-

Thanks in advance fro a lifelong rock and roll guy!!! lol

These look really really good! Thanks Dude!

Bradley, I saw this dude on YT as well... It was a bit overwhelming seeing the technique of manipulating the textures, while performing the strings on keys at the same time... I've seen this with a few YT'ers... I will eventually get a little midi mixer, and try to figure out how to set up and manipulate those things (vibrato, modulation, volume, articulation, etc...)... It seems if we want to compete in the big leagues - orchestrally - this is how it needs to be done!... Here is another YT'er that I enjoy ~ https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkSpaceEducation
...Seems the more I learn, the deeper it gets!...

Thanks for the link! Yeah, I may have to graduate to a better controller as well....I am still on an old M-Audio Code 61 - Looking at the new NI S Control, but I really do not using NI samples much, because it seems like EVERYONE uses them, which likely makes them sound "dated" to the screeners and libraries. The S-Controls seem to work well with some of the other sample libraries though.... I just hate throwing money at stuff like this, when I could be buying great plugins, sample libraries, or even better yet - HARDWARE! lol

Don't trash your M-Audio... it will do the trick. I had an old M-Audio for years, switched to a cheap Alesis Q88... the libraries and how you play them is what matters.

This is an excellent video reviewing tons of strings and tiering them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PonqFB2pBCc

This is a more recent follow up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz5BwQcD0Kg

Thank You Paulie!!!

Thanks to all for the links....I have been woodshedding on the Guy Macklemore stuff for a few days now, and it is stunning how much I DIDNT know about this! In any case, it has been fun to learn!

Bradley,
Glad your enjoying Guy's videos (I need to dig in more as well)... I am not going to tackle orchestral music until I can master the "simpler" stuff first (working on about 15 rejections so far)!... Feel like I am getting closer all the time tho!... Starting to get out of my "comfort zone" - and try emulating the references for Everything else instrumental - that is Not percussion based - (my "so called expertise")... I tried re-vamping 3 percussion based instrumental cues - 3 times - and - altho seemingly getting closer - still not quite there... I am limited by my lack of equipment and lack of computer based recording knowledge - but learning everyday!... (My "Full" studio - equipment - instruments - Lot's of gear - is currently in my storage unit - until I can house it all properly... So for now - I am limited to a computer, Studio 1 DAW, and all the loops and plugins that were included... which is why my stuff apparently sounds dated / Old School?... If you (or anyone else) are interested, here are a few links to my feedback - like you Bradley - all very similar comments (I seem to keep getting the same screener also (# 419), so I assume they are comparing my re-edited versions... I did 3 versions of 3 different submissions, and 2 new ones for another - all Percussion based Instrumentals... I have listened to ALL the forwarded pieces (on the Forwards Blog page), and frankly - I think mine are as good - or even better - than some that did get forwarded... Most of the comments on mine focus around -"old school sounds", not good enough production, and not enough "developmental arc"... If you (or anyone else) care to listen to them - please give me some feedback... I am slowly learning, and figuring out what exactly they are looking for... and I'll get there - eventually! Never stop learning!!!

The tunes can be found on my profile page (link below)... Thank you in advance for your feedback and time.... I find it useful to listen to what DID get fwd'd, and also what did NOT get fwd'd...


https://www.taxi.com/members/0TMsBs66Sf ... 9VI6rqsL3A

https://www.taxi.com/members/0TMsBs66Sf ... 8nnK48wFhA


https://www.taxi.com/members/0TMsBs66Sf ... D7m6zlRJrA

https://www.taxi.com/members/0TMsBs66Sf ... hKPrSf2F5Q


https://www.taxi.com/members/0TMsBs66Sf ... GVMVWH9PBw

https://www.taxi.com/members/0TMsBs66Sf ... 66MN1DQ9Fg