TAXI.com

Hey everyone,I'm going to be submitting some instrumental tracks to a listing this week that is screened by the producer who posted the listing. Here is the listing:"NEW LISTING -- R&B/POP INSTRUMENTALS a la Chris Brown, Usher, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland are needed by an Independent Music Group/Label for numerous upcoming projects at the start of 2008. The producer is also asking for great backing tracks for his artists to write lyrics to. The producer will come in to screen your submissions himself. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD/cassette, include lyrics. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI and must be received no later than Feb. 8, 2008." I'm wondering what I should do about track length. The verses are of course repetitive so I was thinking about shortening them to get to the hook and other parts of the songs quickly. I called TAXI and was told that its a tough call but that a full 3:30 minute song would be fine and that the producer would be listening to the songs all the way through. So I guess I'll do that, but I was wondering what peoples' thoughts were here. It seems like it would get a little boring listening to an entire verse when there is no vocals and I don't want the producer to get bored a click "next" before getting to the chorus. Any help would be much appreciated.-Steve

Steve,This looks like they would want full song length. I think he would be considering the potential of your tracks as backing tracks for yet to be written lyrics and/or melodies. So personally I don't think I would edit them, unless your verses are way long. I know what you're saying though, it's a dilemma, but at Taxi they have to listen all the way through if they're going to provide a critique, which seems to be the case here. So I think you're safe...matto

Thanks matto. I just now realized that at the end the listing says that the songs will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. That confuses me a little as it also says that the songs will be screened by the producer himself. So are the songs screened and forwarded by the producer and then critiqued by TAXI as well?-Steve

Quote:the listing says that the songs will be screened and critiqued by TAXII asked about that, and they said that the producer is also a screener at TAXI.- JH

Quote:Quote:the listing says that the songs will be screened and critiqued by TAXII asked about that, and they said that the producer is also a screener at TAXI.- JHAhhhh....now it makes sense.Thanks!-Steve

Well, since we're talking about track lengths, I've decided to keep it in the same thread.Looking through the listings and saw this one:Dark and threatening/suspenseful HIP HOP INSTRUMENTALS needed by an East Coast Music Library/Publisher who has signed and placed tons of TAXI songs. He wants the vibe to be one of action and brooding excitement. No party music! He needs interesting drums and/or loop action happening and no samples that require clearance, please. Samples used should be of excellent quality -- nothing cheap or "canned". Broadcast quality needed--Great sounding home recordings are just fine. (Meaning they will use your version -- they won't re-record anything). Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS ONLY -- NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXIDoesn't mention anything about length so for a music library, what are we talking here? A normal 3:00 to 3:30 song? Or can it be shorter than that?Thanks folks. Peace and blessings.

Quote:Well, since we're talking about track lengths, I've decided to keep it in the same thread.Looking through the listings and saw this one:Dark and threatening/suspenseful HIP HOP INSTRUMENTALS needed by an East Coast Music Library/Publisher who has signed and placed tons of TAXI songs. He wants the vibe to be one of action and brooding excitement. No party music! He needs interesting drums and/or loop action happening and no samples that require clearance, please. Samples used should be of excellent quality -- nothing cheap or "canned". Broadcast quality needed--Great sounding home recordings are just fine. (Meaning they will use your version -- they won't re-record anything). Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS ONLY -- NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXIDoesn't mention anything about length so for a music library, what are we talking here? A normal 3:00 to 3:30 song? Or can it be shorter than that?Thanks folks. Peace and blessings.Instrumentals can be from :30 to 3:30 or more. Personally, I keep them short - :60 to :120 seconds.

I called TAXI and got the 411. The guy said anywhere from 2:00 to 6:00 minutes. Says that's the standard for instrumentals and music libraries. So a 4:00 song (which is the length of the one I have), seems to fit in just nice. I figure they'll use snippets and edit what they need if they want to use it.Thanks.