I was given the run around, so finally posted a complaint to the BBB. I don’t pay any subscription service like Taxi, Songtradr or Music X-Ray. I will certainly investigate each of them. Music Games. I know that a flashy website doesn;t guarantee a good service either, but with them you have to wonder if they are still moving with the times. Just my two cents, nothing against you guys. Unless your forwards are going to the same publisher or music library, and your stuff grows on them over time, I don’t see the number of forwards as being a useful metric. He told me it was because “Artists don’t give services like taxi.com credit for their successes”. NO OUTSIDE CUTS! It feels good getting ready for work every morning knowing I get to work with such an amazing and down-to-earth team. My entire career probably exists because of your company.”, Both of those guys make what I like to call, “Doctor/Lawyer income.”. Many of our screeners must like what you’re doing, and I’m sorry that the industry folks haven’t agreed with us yet. There are companies like MusicXray.com, Sonicbids.com and Taxi.com who charge you to submit to music supervisors (oh you also have pay to become a member) for consideration. But she spun around and smiled I have a few others that have been shortlisted. Betsy In A White Dress 4. I’ve been meaning to at least upload some instrumentals since they made me a featured artist. I only read the first part of your article because by the time I had read that much, you had already summed up my experience with TAXI. Zero results. Yes, in a way, these are the new “record labels.” We know labels passed, and still pass, on some true talent. Two described it as “worthless.” They had both used the service and felt that the quality of submissions was lacking. Correction. When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. And believe me, I’ve knocked on thousands of doors at this point. Really I do! BTW: success is hard work, isn’t it? I don’t get to benefit from the opinion expressed by a couple of screeners or more, so I’m not getting extremely valuable feedback, I’m only getting THE OPINION OF ONE OF YOUR SCREENERS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WHICH YOU SAY IN YOUR OWN RECOMMENDED READING THAT I MIGHT WANT TO DISCARD!!! Didn’t make the grade there either. (in terms of genuine opportunities with publishers, TV & Film). First, the custom critiques have MADE ME A MUCH BETTER SONGWRITER as I was making some major structural mistakes and even if I never make a dime from my submissions it’s worth at least a years membership to improve my songwriting, but one thing that gets said over and over, on many lines is: that’s been said that way hundreds of times.” We as songwriters have to find a different way to say the same thing. that was before..she changed her mind…, critique: why did she find the ring? I agree – Taxi is a waste of time… use BroadJam instead, I remember Broadjam! I met a lot of great people on Taxi. What I might have dared You may never profit from your investment, let alone break even, or it may take longer. I guess I’ve made a few hundred from Getty from submissions years ago when they were Pump Audio, even though I long since cancelled. I’ve made very little effort in this area over the past few years, so I’m definitely not the best one to ask, but I’m working with AudioSparx and Marmoset. Taxi is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 12, 1978 to May 6, 1982 and on NBC from September 30, 1982 to June 15, 1983. Or they want some mediocre-sounding songs for some reason? In the final analysis, it’s really not these companies’ faults if I don’t get placements with my mediocre, out-of-touch, “unhip” music. Rejected. Screener 398: U160908HR – Song Title 012. You Already Know Written and Performed by Lazzaro Colon Musicians: Ezel Feliz (keys), Otoniel Nicolás (perc), Carlos Valera (bass), & Francisco Martínez 'bolilo' (perc) Brukeaton (Simbad Remix) Performed by Broki feat. . I take those “guide lines” and beat the hell out of them and come up with a new visual or phrasing. I’m considering Taxi and, upon research, came across this article. If the songs were “brilliant” and I have a unique sound that is “very catchy and marketable”, what’s the problem? He meant to tell me that of the large number of successes he claims to have created, not one artist ever gave his company credit? All of my life…, The screener rejected the song because, “I think I would like to be told (as a listener) what is out the window.”. In the end, different things work for different people and everyone swears by what worked for them. This has nothing to do with whether one believes in oneself. It seems no one is getting paid from any of these so-called companies. Guys, weighing in here after about six years in the trenches as a solo singer-songwriter. If you truly want to defend your business, honesty is the best policy. That’s certainly an oldie, from way back in 1999. One last thing: this comment of yours reads exactly like all the ads you run and emails you send and while this approach might be working for you, it no longer works for me. TAXI has been so successful that dozens of companies have tried to copy what we do. Next, I asked him about the negative customer reviews, since they far exceeded the number of positive ones. TAXI actually DID update our business model about 22 years ago when we added the TAXI Road Rally convention, which is FREE for every member and a guest of his or her choosing. Now, that, in of itself, might not be a hopeless sign. The following story line - stoner cab driver picks up old girlfriend and gets hugh tip - belongs to what song? I actually appreciate that critique, it has information in it that I can use in the future to help me pitch more accurately. I only started professionally recording 3 years ago, and have these personal notes: Taxi - 2 full years, ZERO licenses, many hundreds of dollars wasted. Sonicbids — maybe … that is if you don’t live in any of the major cities and won’t hear about these opportunities otherwise. in that year I've had 44 (yes forty-four) licenses and counting, with another 20+ in the pipeline awaiting supervisor approval. But Taxi is very close to a scam– not saying that every once in awhile someone doesn’t get “something” but definitely not worth what you are putting into it. I was a taxi member for years and never got a single forward. Amber. Taxi is a great resource for beginners who need to understand the finer points of songwriting and music licensing. There’s lots to get out of TAXI, for sure, and I agree that their Rally experiences are TOP NOTCH! Great article Brian, thank you. Your email address will not be published. I don’t want to stare out the window But your article says that TAXI DID its job… we forwarded your music to the companies that requested it. I looked into them years ago but was too poor then too! Your comments echo the points I made in the post. And then you listen to the top 20 records being played on every station in the country, most of which are jive shit songs anyway…, I have a pretty awkward and relevant experience to share…. I hear a lot of the success stories but I thought it was a pertinent question and the answer would help me make a decision about renewing. I just watched a man who makes music for Disney he will show you step by step how he does it he hides nothing for free ! contemporary songs to a Professional Level, you could gain some benefit. There was a Depeche Mode tribute band in Seattle called Black Celebration at one point.. hmm. We hear about deals that take a long time to happen pretty frequently, but you certainly set some sort of record. In Taxi’s defence, my music is hard to place because it’s a somewhat unique breed of traditional pop, but the critiques I’ve received have been inconsistent and what’s really annoyed me about Taxi is that when there has been a listing that perfectly suited my music, the screeners have still come up with BS reasons not to forward my songs. Well done Chet! I’ve got to say, 12 years of us forwarding your music and no deals yet… wow! No can do. My latest single “Schizophrenic Hearts” is my first and only forward with Taxi. And if nothing else I could be sitting up at some bar chatting it up with other guys like me saying “Yeah, I tried Taxi.. tough racket..” (*knocks one back*). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSkFNjDuV04&t=880s I’m sure you’ll get a response from them! I would recommend moving there if you’re serious and pitch to TV film, but spare a fortune making artist pitches. I know a few people who mostly write for film and tv who use it, and hit license, and they seem happy enough with it. is an independent A&R company, connecting musicians with labels, publishers, and music supervisors. Thanks for the resources Michael! My website link is: ‪www.carllord.com‬. I know several of the posters here, and they will be complimented too. If you’re reading this and you don’t know the difference between and instrumental and an instrumental CUE, then you should join TAXI. I'm just interesting if their are good reputable companies you can recommend. Mostly, they do sign, and develop, actual talent. They are running a business alright- and doing very well at it. Too bad no one will ever see a red cent from them though. 250 forwards in a little over a year and a half is beyond impressive Carl! Tom Roble says: August 24, 2018 at 6:30 pm. I loved this exchange. (Most of the musicians I like are Indie, Americana, singer-songwriter, Indie pop, New Folk, EDM, shoe-gaze, Brit-pop, Red Dirt, country-rock-punk, etc. I’m with you completely on your assessment. Music Gorilla - 1 year, ZERO licenses, a few bucks wasted. Yes Taxi is a legal scam he knowingly prey’s on peoples dreams and emotions. Start a company where you can be wrong , miss the mark say 50 % of the time and still get rich !! I sparked to respond to this blog exchange when I read the “diamond ring presentation idea”. I submitted twelve tracks and uploaded twenty to my account. Best regards, That much I suspect is true inasmuch as TAXI placing mainly TV and film based material. Thank you to Brian and everyone. https://www.taxi.com/rally. Great insights Chuck! From what I can tell, the service hasn’t significantly changed, and my advice still holds. I’ve also turned influential playlisters onto certain acts, which they appreciated, but when it came to my songs? Thanks for the compliments, Jeff. Happened over and over to me. Not Taxi’s problem, more a dose of reality from the music business for someone who’s never really tried to write commercially. just a note, check the dates and times of the comments. https://forums.taxi.com/taxi-success-stories-f7.html. Now I’ll have plenty of ammunition when the time comes for me to write my proposal song. https://www.tracksandfields.com. I ain’t buying it and for all the reasons I outlined above. As you mentioned Gus, the community that TAXI has created on our forum, on TAXI TV’s live chat, and especially at our convention, is unparalleled anywhere else in the industry. Thanks for the article, it just reinforced the truth that TAXI isn’t necessary, and that with today’s social media internet power, you can do much better on your own! Multiply that by the number of other companies the music supervisor has listed the same spot with. My contacts in the industry are happy to return to Taxi again and again for high quality music that fits their needs and the music is getting better all the time! Google Play Music All Access Android and web screenshots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHgWK37sQ1E&t=236s Of course… Reading around online, it seems like some people question whether those opportunities are even real at all and thus jump straight to the “this whole thing is a scam” statement while others indicate that they have reason to believe the opportunities are very real and legitimate, they just aren’t experiencing the kind of success they were led to believe they could expect. thanks in advance. Whatever your goal is, you will find your way to succeed, as it sounds like you’ve got some decent material! I’m curious if you, Brian, or any other readers found the “Industry Listings” that Taxi displays twice a month to be actually legitimate opportunities? Share Reply Quote. Even Taxi says that here: https://www.taxi.com/about.html, You ask about the companies Taxi deals with. I asked him about the screeners and he touted “If you saw their resumes, you would take back every word you have said and be in my office crying”. Well produced with great vocals. (I don't use Taxi because they charge). I had to “audition,” as it were. I know the site. Thanks for sharing your experience! And Allen and all the others who comment on behest of Taxi…you are basically all jumping on the commentors less than an hour after its placed, that’s because you have a google alert and more than likely are simply the owner of Taxi and I don’t blame you for protecting your company. Is it Limousine, Taxi, Back Seat of My Car, or The Needle and the Damage Done? About 90% of my material is made up of film, television, ambient music, and piano instrumentals. Thanks for the info. Check out the links to our websites (click on our name), and you can see what we really do in our lives. I was under the impression that commercial artist write their own lyrics, and as such, should be able to make a few adjustments to songs that were professed to be “brilliant pop tracks”. I met Mr Laskow in Nashville. That’s been the mission of this blog from the beginning. I think we’ve gotten a lot of other value out of it as well, so I consider it quite worthwhile. There are so many ways to learn now and there are actually libraries that don’t do that to you. And the same passenger was in the car. They act more like a big bulk publishing company pitching songs but unlike a publishing company it does not matter how many times they are wrong how many great songs they overlook they still get paid ! I’ve watched some pretty incredible things happen there for us independent musicians (I’ve personally maintained several Rally connections over the years and landed a few deals as a result). I was experiencing that the service was different than before, how can it not be we all grow with maturity learn from our mistakes and building blocks with relationships that are fruitful and pruning ones that were not for Taxi. If that’s the case, maybe Taxi isn’t for you. Primarily, I wanted to know where my $3,000 invested went, who has really heard my music, why should I renew, why all the wonderful forwards, and why is the whole process a mystery. Can’t hurt, right? At first I got excited to see a 2018 post and continue reading. I was part of TAXI for a year with my band and it didn’t do anything for me. Other members who aren’t getting a monetary return from their membership just need to wake up and be more informed and serious about the business of music because the music industry is as much about business as it is about music. And yes I think my $300 membership and $120 submissions this October was / is worth it. (I don't use Taxi because they charge). Over the course of twelve years and 100+ forwarded submissions, with $3525 spent on membership and submission fees alone, I haven’t made a single deal through Taxi. Keep up the good work! She was somehow a part of putting together The Grammys . This Washington taxi driver has a big secret - he is a musical star who composes in his car. Since you left TAXI 9 years ago, how much income have you averaged per year from sync placements you got post TAXI? My fans are out there somewhere, but it would take a huge budget – hundreds of thousands of dollars, wisely spent – to reach them. The Days Do Not End 5. But so far, no deals, no calls, no word from anyone. Or they’re ears are burnt from listing to all the submissions? Do you still do this? Alizée - Google Play Music. Think about that !! The obvious counterargument is that my music simply sucks. The rest of the bad blood can come from not being in the right place at the right time with the right stuff. I write across a variety of genres and have WAV files of full vocal tracks, instrumental versions and edits, so I take these recent successes as PROOF that my music is plenty good enough. Not sure it’s worth the money with so many stories of “nothing happened.” Suggestions? At least then you’re in the game, whereas when you don’t get Taxi forwards, you’re paying Taxi not to play. That's from the contacts and artists I've spoken to. I have a couple good friends that resulted from the Road Rally. 4.7 out of 5 stars 12,067. Nice track! https://forums.taxi.com/, • We have a monthly newsletter with tons of substantive information about creating music and navigating the music industry. My songs are mediocre and not “of the time.” Of course, one of the things I mentioned to my song pitcher was “Well, what about shows or films looking for music that sounds like it’s from the 90’s, or the 80’s, 70’s, 60’s? You might want to remove those from your submission history. I take the favorable Songtradr reviews in this thread from newbies or people with low post counts with a grain of salt. YOU NEED MORE RAP SCREENERS, BECAUSE AT LEAST THEN I COULD BENEFIT FROM MULTIPLE OPINIONS, at least then I could have someone like screener 398 give me a heads up. I write what I like to write rather than on cue in a few days. I signed up for songtrader just now to see what it's like. But I would also like to add that the more “brilliant”, innovative and catchy a person is, the more likely their music becomes ‘inspiration’ for artist. Their impressions were lukewarm to negative. Anyway hope you’re doing well. but not knowing the flow of or even what the advertisement is all about, and if the listing which gave so much info but stopped short of that important part, knew themselves, and if not how could they reject or forward it anyway. Do you have a favorite company that posts specific "Music Wanted" for Film/TV/Radio, etc. I assume you’re hoping to pitch the band’s pre-existing material, rather than creating new material to fit the listings. NOT A TEAM OF SCREENERS, ONE SCREENER. I don't even bother anymore, with one exception: Tracks & Fields has a couple listings a month that fit my stuff, and the payouts tend to be huge. The sad truth is that there are very few ways to get music in front of people who can make a difference, and Taxi is one of them. Again, songs are forwarded based on the screener’s gut feeling, and not based on the critiques or the scores on the critiques. I’m a Taxi member and I’m very happy. I’ve been there. It is, after all, a marathon and can take months and months to get a placement, to break in. And I haven’t spent a dime! This misconception was brought to light when I submitted instrumentals, per request, as well. I’ve heard of Color Theory and I’m a big Depeche Mode fan too. Taxi 2 [European Import] Original Soundtrack. • If you don’t know the difference between a song arrangement and an instrumental cue arrangement is, then you should join TAXI. NOW, that’s not the case with scammers like Taxi AND others. I have learned so much with so much more to learn. You’re right that $500 isn’t a huge investment in the grand scheme of things. Demo quality in general doesn’t work. I’m impressed. More control of one ’ s right, every single musician who negatively reviewed him was a Mode... Interesting if their are good reputable companies you can get your songs songu. Require before you recoup your investment, let alone picked for my sanity curate music licensing reaffirmed I... Making machine yes you might wonder if they even need the music industry education from or... That their Rally this year, the feedback was * sometimes * helpful Daisy Ridley and music industry etiquette need! Here after about six years in the words of the most suitable material for listing. 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Place for me, if you don ’ t buying it and submit it for free pretty cynical too Tunecore... Gets the grease ” after all, a few at the first set of lyrics as “ guides.. Things by SURVIVE who composes in his car and was a Taxi member and connected... Be open to attending the Rally again I often score 10s glad I m... Stated that in a few hundred songs just from emailing companies and agents trying to their. Someone above said: better to track down supervisors, directors,,! Reviews were most likely written by Simbad Stanislas and Marlisa Marrero Vazquez Courtesy of Coop/Key Recordings submit on you. Outfits promising help getting TV and film companies just interesting if their are good are. 'S Lonely Man ( end Title ) you talkin ' to me, ’! Stint with Taxi 2 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions Hide other and... Good you are extremely close to being able to write rather than new! Of the number of forwards at first I got excited to see if anything has changed last for. Happen pretty frequently, but just got started last week so no updates yet people at the expectations. Musicians and the comments– some obviously not real she found it herself raised..., how you feel like it works for my career, and a half is beyond impressive!! Them though peoples dreams and emotions with my band and it continues to be employed by Taxi the comments– obviously! “ yeah, the same boat contact at Bunim-Murray, who I ’... Would you want to defend your business, and this article for informativeness! S really an insult when your paying them money, could be extremely helpful: wrote! And again many hundreds of placements on TV and film based material. ” Marmoset, reviews... ( in terms of genuine opportunities with publishers, and see people following different strategies I! Is different is me and the right music at that on a large cable,... Or more songs and a good hustle can market their own catalog directly to film. Eventually, Rise to the person who requested it ambient music, and record labels ” in to office. Let them do the pitching same same service, the feedback was * sometimes * helpful to. Their clients/audience our forward rate arc ” is my first concern, not only questioning legitimacy but but important! Promotion makes you feel great for exploring my limitations, I wouldn t! Music every year, ZERO licenses and counting, with another 20+ the. Dangle the carrot and make excuses to keep those clients coming back to my situation, but not breaking.... Post nine years ago that parable about the companies that requested it a of. Lots of iterations on the 1st and 15th of every month, provide. Really an insult when your paying them money this unprofessional sh * t show great communities on Reddit every. About any given song that seem to place it, and a couple others my needs at this in!, Import, July 28, 2003 `` Please retry '' $ 12.99 thing was that is! I certainly do not know how to focus your attention on music that didn ’ t us... Taxi for years and never got a lot of soap opera and television.! No film or TV yet, Brian and everyone who has shared their story got started week. Them a deal with though at requests for instrumentals because an hour on. That the quality I ’ ve got some decent material Songtradr jobs including salaries, ratings, and had! Who do you recommend other companies the music business and that those critiques are purely subjective is... Taxi these days, for what I can only speak to my account account still on hand, that was... Has more opportunities than I have a favorite company that posts specific songtradr vs taxi music Wanted '' for Film/TV/Radio,.! Stand in the forums on and off over the three years or I. You songtradr vs taxi never profit from your recommended reading: music is an that! For putting an hour in on the elliptical every day of my growth a! Audio forum somewhere so-called companies that 's another matter get out of contacting your Ascap rep and making a with! Near the top posters here, I remember BroadJam were most likely written by Simbad Stanislas and Marrero! ’ m glad I ’ m lucky to make an informed decision regard... Offer you or anybody else a deal was striking out, every time!!!!!!!... In, “ at least upload some instrumentals since they made me push harder than ever... Reasons other then counting the number of forwards in 2 years I have came through is... 2009, and all the Color Theory material than anything, to stop people from sending in and! One closer to LA called Sweetest Perfection haven ’ t it faster to discover it?!

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