TAXI.com

So, I've come to dread the old "Your Taxi Results" are available emails recently, they seem to be a never ending kick in the bollocks. The most recent one perplexed me slightly as I had accidentally submitted to a listing with a similar brief (but with vocals), got glowing feedback but obviously I was a tit and didn't submit to the right one. I subsequently sent it to the correct listing, and having done so had it declined for timing reasons, as well as it not sounding professional enough. I was hoping one of you guys could help show me where I've gone wrong with this one? The listing feedback was clear, but I'm not sure that it's within my level of understanding to get it. I want to, but I'm no pro. Anyway, this is the track that was bounced back and I'll put the listing and the feedback below.

I'll be honest, I'm beginning to think about jacking this in. I'm working so hard and it just doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere. Plus I'm having to pay for every submission that's declined, which adds up! Maybe I'm tired, I'll go to bed and stop ruminating.

Thanking you all in advance



Feedback: "Not meeting the Broadcast Quality needed for this pitch. Explained in the Improvement section."

"Overall was a great presentation, however there were some rhythm issues throughout that didn't feel as tight/together as needed. The mix/balance could also be tweaked. The ending could also have a bit more work, as there is some noise artifacts from the stringed instrument."

"There are the same artifacts from the previous submission of this cue without the added elements this cue presents which are holding this version from being at the Broadcast Quality needed. The ending stringed instrument's last release artifact. Mixing is also another area that should be revisited, and compared to the references for balance/voicing/panning."

This was the listing:

Several BALKAN FOLK INSTRUMENTALS are needed for TV Commercials by a top-notch Production Music Library that's landed tons of placements in TV Shows, Films, and Commercials.

NOTE: We previously ran this request as TAXI Listing #D230629FB, but the Library didn't find what they were looking for. If you submitted to listing #D230629FB, please send different material this time around.

This Library is searching for a range of Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumentals that could be heard on a playlist with the following references we got directly from our contact at the Company:

"Chaje Shukarije" by Esma Redzepova

"Born to Be Wild" by Fanfare Ciocarlia

"Different Sunshine" by CHOMAKA

Although some of the references have vocals, please submit Instrumentals only for this request.

Quoting the Library: "We are looking for tracks inspired by the traditional folk music of the Balkan region – Byzantine, Greek, Arabic, Indian, Jewish, Turkish, and Romanian cultures for use in TV shows, sketches, films, documentaries, web and various media productions portraying Eastern Europe or the Balkan region. The instrumentation consists entirely of acoustic instruments (or their digital imitations/samples), and the productions are organic. Instrumentation like brass, accordion, drums/percussion, and acoustic guitar are needed."

Send in well-composed, Original, Balkan Folk Instrumentals that could instantly transport viewers to the Balkan region. Compelling motifs, inviting rhythms, excellent musicianship, and engaging arrangements with plenty of dynamics, forward motion, and interest are all needed for this pitch. Traditional-sounding Balkan instrumentation in the general wheelhouse of the references will suit your submissions best. Nailing the authentic sound and feel will be key to this request. Please be sure your productions and any virtual instruments or samples you may choose to use are of high-quality and realistic-sounding.

All submissions should be about 90 seconds to 3 minutes long, give or take. Clean beginnings and Non-Faded, buttoned endings are required so that no extra editing work is needed on the client’s side to make the pieces work in projects. Please do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This client will need alternate mixes, shortened versions (60, 30, and 15 seconds), and STEMs, but not yet! ALL YOU NEED TO SEND RIGHT NOW ARE FULL VERSIONS. Please have the alternate versions on-hand and ready to send at a moment's notice if the client contacts you.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so the material you submit for this request CANNOT be signed with other publishers or catalogs. This Music Library gets 100% of the Publisher’s share, and you’ll keep 100% of the Writer’s share. The sync fees are split with 50% going to a sub-publisher and the other 50% will be split between you and the Library. You must own or control your Masters and Copyright. Please submit as many Instrumentals 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 (PDT) on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023. TAXI # S230816FB

TAXI # S230816FB

Tough listing, fair play for having a go. I submitted something to a similar brief direct from a library a couple of years back and it wasn't accepted either, it's not an easy style to make on your own in a home studio.

For me the intro was the worst part - the timing seemed very loose, the instruments sound fake until the strummed ones come in and I don't like the panning. It kinda drags too...I'm missing the tempo of the other tracks too and it feels a bit like you've put the record on at 33rpm instead of 45.

But yeah, timing and tightness and production/mix are the biggest issues for me . The actual idea was fine but not the execution. That just comes with making loads of tracks and possibly by sticking to stuff that's easier for the first few years !

This gig is not easy or else everyone would be at it. Sometimes it seems like everyone is at it but most seem to come and go whilst only a hardcore stick at it and eventually start getting somewhere. It took me 2yrs before I got anything onto TV and by that time I'd made around 150 cues .

And if you think getting a return is a never ending kick in the bollocks wait until you get your first few royalty cheques.

Mark

cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 4:24 pm

Tough listing, fair play for having a go. I submitted something to a similar brief direct from a library a couple of years back and it wasn't accepted either, it's not an easy style to make on your own in a home studio.

For me the intro was the worst part - the timing seemed very loose, the instruments sound fake until the strummed ones come in and I don't like the panning. It kinda drags too...I'm missing the tempo of the other tracks too and it feels a bit like you've put the record on at 33rpm instead of 45.

But yeah, timing and tightness and production/mix are the biggest issues for me . The actual idea was fine but not the execution. That just comes with making loads of tracks and possibly by sticking to stuff that's easier for the first few years !

This gig is not easy or else everyone would be at it. Sometimes it seems like everyone is at it but most seem to come and go whilst only a hardcore stick at it and eventually start getting somewhere. It took me 2yrs before I got anything onto TV and by that time I'd made around 150 cues .

And if you think getting a return is a never ending kick in the bollocks wait until you get your first few royalty cheques.

Mark

Thank you man, once again, for giving me some perspective and some very helpful feedback.

I think I was just in a bad place yesterday, I'm going to keep plugging away, I'm in it for the long haul. Plus with helpful feedback like yours then I'm only going to improve.

Thanks again.

Fun track, the screener gave you some solid feedback. But, keep working at it... you might try submitting tracks to the Peer To Peer forum before the deadline to get some quality input that can help you out.

As far as the mix goes, you had the tuba panned right. You generally want to keep bass-related instruments panned center (bass, kick drum, tuba, etc). Save the left/right panning for other instruments like guitars, percussion, etc.

Something you might want to mess around with is quanitizing audio files, if you are recording instruments live. In Logic you can edit a wave file and apply quantizing to it, just like midi notes. Depending on how off the timing was, you'll need to go in and tweak it a bit to remove artifacts or correct bad timing corrections. Works great on percussion and can be helpful with plucked guitar.

Paulie wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 3:09 pm

Fun track, the screener gave you some solid feedback. But, keep working at it... you might try submitting tracks to the Peer To Peer forum before the deadline to get some quality input that can help you out.

As far as the mix goes, you had the tuba panned right. You generally want to keep bass-related instruments panned center (bass, kick drum, tuba, etc). Save the left/right panning for other instruments like guitars, percussion, etc.

Something you might want to mess around with is quanitizing audio files, if you are recording instruments live. In Logic you can edit a wave file and apply quantizing to it, just like midi notes. Depending on how off the timing was, you'll need to go in and tweak it a bit to remove artifacts or correct bad timing corrections. Works great on percussion and can be helpful with plucked guitar.

Thanks Paulie,

Once again a great help. The reason I panned the tuba right was because I downloaded a layout of an orchestra. Now, obviously I see the folly of it given that it's not an orchestral track, but at the time I was a bit obsessed with it.

As far as quantizing wav's, that never even occurred to me, I've just googled it and it's certainly easily done in Ableton. That's a fantastic bit of advise that I'm certainly going to use going forward. I did actually put it up on the peer to peer bit, I usually do with a track, but I didn't really get any feedback, one of those things.

Could you clarify what artifacts actually are? I'm under the impression that's what happens when an audio clip is reduced in quality and has that late 90's realplayer sound, if you catch my drift. Is that right or am I barking up the wrong tree? I ask (obviously because I want to know), but also if it is a loss in quality I'd be surprised as I always bounce everything to .wav, so it should be lossless.

Anywho, thanks again!

Dave

davidagates wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 5:46 pm

Could you clarify what artifacts actually are? I'm under the impression that's what happens when an audio clip is reduced in quality and has that late 90's realplayer sound, if you catch my drift. Is that right or am I barking up the wrong tree? I ask (obviously because I want to know), but also if it is a loss in quality I'd be surprised as I always bounce everything to .wav, so it should be lossless.

Any audio quantization relies on time stretching , and on some sources if you push it too far it can be noticable - kinda flangy sounding . Nothing to do with bouncing to Wav it's all about the algorithm doing the time stretching.

I tend to use Melodyne Studio as it's superior to the built in DAW stuff but even then there are times when the best thing is to go in and do it all by hand note by note -Or play it better in the first place

cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 19, 2023 2:02 am

davidagates wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 5:46 pm

Could you clarify what artifacts actually are? I'm under the impression that's what happens when an audio clip is reduced in quality and has that late 90's realplayer sound, if you catch my drift. Is that right or am I barking up the wrong tree? I ask (obviously because I want to know), but also if it is a loss in quality I'd be surprised as I always bounce everything to .wav, so it should be lossless.

Any audio quantization relies on time stretching , and on some sources if you push it too far it can be noticable - kinda flangy sounding . Nothing to do with bouncing to Wav it's all about the algorithm doing the time stretching.

I tend to use Melodyne Studio as it's superior to the built in DAW stuff but even then there are times when the best thing is to go in and do it all by hand note by note -Or play it better in the first place

That's really weird in which case as, I didn't quantize anything! Is there ant other reason that could cause it?

But yeah, I need tackle the guitar more efficiently. I've been having trouble with my hands for a year or which hasn't helped.