What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

[BrianW]

Hi, taxi forum. First time poster here.

So, Taxi will often look for instrumental "cues" for their listings. What makes a "cue" unique to you, and different from a regular song?? Arrangement, song length, changes, melody, genre? What types of users are really looking for instrumental cues?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

[sedge]

Hi Brian, these forums are top! Welcome !

As for cues I have no idea : ) so Ill give this a bump up and hope for the answer too

All the best
Sedge

EDit: probably not the right section for a question like this as here is for getting reviews on the music, so hopefully someone can steer on that too , maybe in General ?

[BrianW]

Sedge,

I'll reach out to the taxi team and find this question a proper home. Any suggestions while im here?

B

[ernstinen]

Hey Brian, and Welcome! Cues are normally instrumental, meant to musically support a specific scene in a film, TV show, advertising etc. Music libraries are usually the way to go in order to place cues.

Cues can start at about 3:00, and then pared down to 1:00, 0:30, and 0:15. Sometimes they want the whole arrangement; other times they want just the basic "bed" of the piece, without lead instruments, solos and/or vocals. More of a rhythm track. --- There are quite a few great composers here that do this for a living, so I'll leave it up to them to go into more detail on this subject.

You might want to repost this in General Discussion --- maybe you'll get more responses, even from the Big Kahuna Michael L....

HTH,

Ern