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Return on Access Hollywood listing - some help

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 11:10 am
by musicalweather
Hi everyone,

I'm another person who got a return on the Access Hollywood listing (see below). I wrote a hybrid orchestral-electronic piece. You can find that here: http://www.taxi.com/charlottemcmillan Click on Follow That Man.

First, I'd like to thank my screener for providing a comment. He/she didn't have to do that, and I'm grateful for the feedback. However, I think I'd like the help of my fellow Taxi members in understanding more clearly what I could do to improve this track.

Here's what my screener wrote:

You were on the right track with this. The piece is very interesting and had lots of character. However, it lacked forward motion. It needed a drum part to add drive and helped with the forward motion of the piece.


Well, I actually did have a drum part in there; perhaps it's too light, too much in the background?

As the far as the forward motion, I'm thinking that at about :22 or :25 I could bring in a much more intensified electronic element -- a more hyped up sound (something like what Derek or Barry did, both of whom really hit the target as far as the electronica sound...) The melody, too, could probably change at this point and become more exciting / anticipatory instead of returning to the original theme...

The lack of forward motion is something I think I understand, but it's pretty dang hard to know what to do to get it.

I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have.

Thanks! :)


ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION-type INSTRUMENTAL CUES a la shows similar to Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, etc., needed by a Full Service Music Publishing Company with a great working relationship at a Major Network for use in multiple shows! They're looking for short cues of 60 seconds or less - think "bumpers" and transition music! They said, and we quote: "The key word often used for the music we want is 'urgent entertainment news.' About 60% of the music will be fast tempo Electronica. An additional 30% will be mid-tempo Hip-Hop. The final 10% used is Rock, Country or Dramatic Orchestra that would be used for short stories, such as a story about a country star or an actor due in court, etc." Think about how your music can create the extra punch and energy needed to keep these fast-paced shows moving! Tight, clean performances will work best here. They also added this: "The network uses over 100 cues per day, 5 days a week, so the possibility of much of this material (from TAXI) being used is VERY HIGH."

Re: Return on Access Hollywood listing - some help

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 11:25 am
by pboss
Charlotte - nice track. Definitely sounds like TV / building tension kind of feeling to me. I was thinking that where the string hits/melody fills up portions of a measure, maybe as you develop the piece, the rhythmic activity, and presence of that string part could increase. I was initially hearing spaces between those phrases, and so that could be a place part way through to pick up the motion perhaps. Also, i guess some big drum hits or increase in drum activity and dynamic wouldn't hurt either. good luck, would be cool to hear it if you post a new mix.

Re: Return on Access Hollywood listing - some help

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 11:39 am
by AlpacaRoom
Charlotte,

With this track, I think you could give it most of the drive it needs without really altering the composition too much. The drums/percussion are very, very quiet compared to the strings--just bringing those up would do a lot to put some punch into the track. The extreme disparity between the levels of the percussion/gated synth and the strings, I think, actually takes away from the impact.

If it were me, I might actually start the track with another instrument--maybe some kind of fairly small synth--playing the lead part, and then bring in the strings for punch after the break, at :25. I'd lead into that with a bigger roll/sweep, too (same with the ending). Giving some real weight to the transitions with more "muscular" breaks would go a long way, I think.


-Nick

Re: Return on Access Hollywood listing - some help

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 10:20 pm
by mazz
Hi Charlotte,

I have similar feedback to Derek for this pitch: Needs to sound way more "produced" and punchy, like modern dance/techno music. This is more like a film cue. The show this is for is very "hyped" sounding and the music needs to have at least a few ounces of Red Bull in it's bloodstream! :o :shock:

Here's a set of 3 I just completed that I think (hopefully!) fit the vibe. I tried to give them that produced feel:

http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/3334865

Keep at it, your music is excellent!!

Cheers!

Mazz

Re: Return on Access Hollywood listing - some help

Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 8:45 am
by musicalweather
Thanks, Patty, Nick, and Mazz. I appreciate your help. This track definitely needs some more adrenaline. I'll work on it and post it up again.