TAXI.com

I'm hoping to get some feedback on this track I am working on for the Chiptune listing shown below. I am wondering how close I am to the target and any feedback that would make it more compelling. Thank you for any and all help. Link to song:
https://theneonnightlife.bandcamp.com/t ... theme-demo

Lots of ORIGINAL, 8-bit CHIPTUNE INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a New Music Licensing Company started by a seasoned industry professional! They already have distribution for their catalog, and because it's a newer company this is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor and build a new relationship with an awesome, new Music Library!

This Company is looking for Instrumentals in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references:

Sweet Sweet Canyon - Mario Kart 8

Athletic Theme - Super Mario World

Inside the Castle Walls - Super Mario 64

Overworld - Super Mario 3D Land

QUOTING THE CEO: "The instrumental palette for these tracks are strictly 8-bit sounds, as used by video games in the '80s and '90s. The tracks can compositionally either be theme songs or game-play background tracks. For game-play tracks, they need to stick to a singular emotion and scene setting. Authentic-sounding 8-bit instrumentation is required."

Please submit original Chiptune Instrumentals with an authentic retro vibe that could have been heard in a video game from the '80s or '90s! Your submissions should include memorable motifs, excellent compositions, great musicality, and genre-appropriate arrangements. Instrumentation should be completely 8-bit, and it needs to sound authentic. A wide variety of emotional contexts and tempos could work for this opportunity, such as scary "Boss" music, happy, serene, over-the-top energy, etc. Original compositions only! (No covers please!)

Your submissions should be between 1.5 and 2 minutes long, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Do NOT copy the referenced material in any way, shape, or form. Use it only as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe.

AI ALERT: This company does not accept or sign music that has been melodically composed using generative AI, nor does it accept backing tracks or full instrumental tracks created with AI.

This Company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal in perpetuity, so the material you submit for this request CANNOT be signed with other publishers or catalogs. Sync fees will be split 50/50. The Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher’s share, and you’ll keep 100% of the Writer’s share. You must own or control your Masters and Copyright to pitch for this opportunity. 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 (PST) on Sunday, December 1st, 2024. TAXI # S241201AB

Full disclosure, I haven't done chiptune before, let along gotten a forward on one, so I'm just going on the list, references, and your track. I had three observations.

1) Lots of respect. I could not put together a track like that and it definitely evokes both the 8bit mood as well as the theme (flying hero).

and then for "constructive feedback..."

2) The drums/percussion seem a bit strong in your mix versus the references and seem to use up a lot of the high frequency space in the mix. I wonder how it might sound if you mixed them down or put a high frequency -3db shelf on 'em, or made it a bit more sparse in some way?
3) The references (mostly) have a short intro phrase followed by a discernible, catchy melody (or chord progression) in the first 30 seconds. What I hear in your track is a longer lead-in to a complex and wandering melody, picking up on the theme of superhero flying. It does make me feel that - you have captured the spirit of the theme in the music, at least for me. But I felt like I only heard the background music of the hero and not the main melody of the hero's theme.

If it were me, I'd try to harvest some of your melodic ideas by shortening a line you already use later in the track and then removing notes and adjusting the rhythm to make it stand out more. Then pull it forward so it starts playing in the first ten seconds, or after you go up and down that minor third you have at the start of the piece, or something like that.

Nice track!

Hi Ryan,

I think you're in the ballpark in terms of the sounds. It sounds like it's supposed to sound (and as a kid from the 80s, it's in my blood ).

It sounds like from your post that this is not a piece that you are submitting? That you are working on the listings and you want to know if you're on the right track?

If that is the case, I would say, yes, you're on the right track, but this piece is not quite there. While the sounds are spot-on, it needs some work compositionally. You have these long melodic phrases that are bit more "jazz" than "pop." What I mean is that they go on for a bit longer than the should.. makes the piece sound unfocused. For me, I think of this as writing a hooky pop tune, just for computers from the 80s. This needs a bit tightening up.

And be careful of endings.. this just abruptly cuts off. While stinger endings are mandatory, they don't mean this.

I wish you all the best with it,
Mark

Thank you so much for the feedback. This helps a lot. I definitely agree with your observations and I am going to keep chipping away at it.