If TAXI is a waste of time.....How do I get my music heard

[adclark]

I'm really hesitant about TAXI. I've heard many negatives (and positives) about the service. Anyway, If TAXI is the wrong way to get my music into "somebodys" hands (labels, TV/Movie/advertisement music execs, etc.) what is the right way? I know its a "one shot in 2 million" but I need to start somewhere. I've read all the industry standard books etc.. I want to know the methods people here have used. I'm not expecting to be the next Mike Oldfield or Moby..but it would be nice to hear my tracks as background for commercials, television, etc. Please list your proven methods and sucsess/failure stories about TAXI or any other service. I plan on having a "4 track" sampler EP finished by summer. I'm hoping to have Sterling master the tracks. Listen here for an example of my work (it's unmastered...and in mid quality MP3 format)http://web.mac.com/a.daleclark/iWeb/...0Whispers.html

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Abery Clark

[C Heat]

TAXI is NOT a waste of time.

Rethink it.

Call/write Michael Laskow.

Who else is gonna give you the opportunities that TAXI can?

[chadly]

Originally Posted by adclark

I'm really hesitant about TAXI. I've heard many negatives (and positives) about the service. Anyway, If TAXI is the wrong way to get my music into "somebodys" hands (labels, TV/Movie/advertisement music execs, etc.) what is the right way? I know its a "one shot in 2 million" but I need to start somewhere. I've read all the industry standard books etc.. I want to know the methods people here have used. I'm not expecting to be the next Mike Oldfield or Moby..but it would be nice to hear my tracks as background for commercials, television, etc. Please list your proven methods and sucsess/failure stories about TAXI or any other service. I plan on having a "4 track" sampler EP finished by summer. I'm hoping to have Sterling master the tracks. Listen here for an example of my work (it's unmastered...and in mid quality MP3 format)http://web.mac.com/a.daleclark/iWeb/...0Whispers.html

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Abery Clark

I don't have any real advice for shopping your work, but the track was pretty good! What other material do you available?

[gitarrero]

I think there are a lot of diffrent ways.

I had 5 track placed at MTV USA last december, that came through an publishing company I'm working with.
I'm about to check out TAXI too.

I used to be a subscriber of songlink (more in the "song"-section, eg. artistst/their A&R are looking for songs), and my experience with this and any other "channel" to bring your music to a deal is:

- the quality needs to be good - in every way... composition, performance, production

- your track *really* needs to fit in the request. e.g. it must be really what they're looking for.

so be quite selective, work on your skills. Personally I didn't like your track that much - sounds ok and might be suitable for some background, but nothing special on it. The strings are to static I think.

Also: It basicly doesn't matter WHAT music you do - there are requests for almost every kind of music (of course the ammount of them differs according to the industry's needs). So in my experience: don't look "for what the industry is looking acutally", simply do what you can do best, and do it in the best way you can at this moment.

I also would recommend in learning more about business questions such as what exactly is in a publishing deal, what you have to look after etc.

[norman_nomad]

Get a myspace page.

Add 1 million friends.

I'm only half joking.

[abit]

Originally Posted by C Heat

TAXI is NOT a waste of time.

No it's not. It's only a scam.
tutt

[Sounds Great]

Get this book:

Songwriters Market 2006

Then start writing letters and making phone calls. No easy solutions, just a lot of hard work. I've gone this route and found it quite effective.

[adclark]

Thanks for info so far.....I may take a stab at TAXI sometime. Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[adclark]

I also may try some local filmakers (at local colleges). Even though they can't pay much (if anything)..it would get my music exposed a bit

[producerb3]

There are hundreds of INDY companies that will try to place your music into film and will work 10 times harder for you becuase they need the money more than TAXI. Also, today almost 90% of tv shows are using indy music becuase synching is much cheaper or free for them, but on the composers end you get ultra exposure.

[adclark]

Any recommendations?

[gitarrero]

Originally Posted by adclark

Any recommendations?

well... there's not much more to say - you have to produce great tracks and then spread them out. Basicly it's as simple as that but it means a lot of work, and that is what some people don't like...

[IntelDoc]

Not sure with TAXI, but to get it heard, heck...

Myspace.com

Purevolume.com

cdfuse.com

if you have a CD:

CDbaby

This place... there are tons of options.

Good luck.

Doc

[DP40oz]

People always underestimate how far a phone call goes. Get an industry contact book or something like that and just call people, i think you'll be pleasantly suprised at how easy it actually is to get music solicited and listened to. Everybody thinks the industry is so untouchable, which is not true. Forming relationships through calls and emails can really get you in the door.

[Bob Olhsson]

The first place I'd go is to my local ASCAP or BMI representative. A referral from them will get you in the door anywhere.

The TV music thing is mostly a rip-off. A few bands have managed to use TV to expand a solid local fanbase to international but I understand it was only one of many exposure tools as opposed to something that took them to the top from out of nowhere.

[adclark]

Bob,
Thanks or the advice. I will probably avoid TAXI for now. I will finish my EP, get the thing mastered and have some copies printed up (Diskmakers..or whereever). I will then concentrating on contacting industry people.

[C Heat]

Because TAXI aren't really 'Industry People'.







*cough*

[blaugruen7]

i have surfed the taxi site and what i doesnt like is, that they get no money by finishing a licensing deal.
they only get money my getting you signed to them.
i am looking for others...

[WARangelx2]

dfegad

Originally Posted by abit

No it's not. It's only a scam.
tutt

Please guys. Please explain. Don't simply say "It's a scam." Why is it a scam.

I know when guy that got songs placed on several lTV shows by a publisher / agent .......... who he connected with through TAXI.

The guy also had reservations about Taxi - did not think highly of them - yet ironically, it did work for him.

I 'm going to try to follow up with him and ask him to explain also.

[C Heat]

Originally Posted by shikawkee

We did a test with them at one point.
We weren't getting any forwards so we decided to start asking for their "reviews" to see why. We shortly started seeing a pattern. A WRITING pattern. Though each review was supposed to be by a different reviewer with a different ID# THEY ALL HAD THE SAME HANDWRITING.

I never had this experience.

[C Heat]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

The problem is that those contacts don't give the stuff sent to them by Taxi any greater weight or importance than if it was sent unsolicited.

I'd disagree.

Unsolicited goes straight in the bin.

[abit]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

Having just received a phone message from Michael Laskow

You don't have to make excuses, zboy2854.
This is public place.
We like some piece of gear or we don't,
we like dealer or not - all here.
Same with taxi.

Originally Posted by zboy2854

who was alerted to this thread and was apparently upset

He wasn't upset to collect money..
He is getting now what he deserved , and nothing new about it.

[pan60]

it would be nice to hear from Michael Laskow on this.
maybe he can way in and offer some perspective from his point of view.

[abit]

Originally Posted by pan60

it would be nice to hear

Personally I think it doesn't make any sense, after so many ppl was robbed.
Do U wonna read his bool here?
He is a Master of "sayingz".
Go to his site - there U can find all of it.

[WARangelx2]

Originally Posted by pan60

it would be nice to hear from Michael Laskow on this.
maybe he can way in and offer some perspective from his point of view.

yes, michael is free to post counter claims and facts.

[WARangelx2]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

As I stated in a previous post, for certain listings, it may carry more weight with the particular contact. But the crux of my point is to stress that having your material forwarded by Taxi does not guarantee it will be listened to.

Thanks for taking the time to explain the basis for your opinion. We are still allowed to have opinions I understand.

Michael is free to 'guarantee' to people that their tracks will get listened promptly by the people they are forwarded.

I have heard from people that Michael can be a bully and /or jerk and I don't like it if he bullied you.

And again, this is from someone that in effect, looked out for taxi, by coming on and asking people to not simply give a negative opinion but reasonably explain their opinion.

[adclark]

When I started this thread, little did I know that this would be a touchy issue. Now back to the original subject. Can someone recommend a publication for getting info on who to send my demos to? The songwriters market has been around for years. Who finds the music for background TV/Commercial/Films? I am a member of BMI (I joined a couple years ago..thinking I would be pushing my music sooner), how can they help? Basically, TAXI is tempting because they do provide leads ( I assume they leads are legit). I wish I was 22 again, I would do things way differntly. I would have pursued a professional music career after college. Now, I'm 38...hoping just to get some of my compositions heard in mainstream. basically, I'm not expecting "big time money or fame". Maybe a few bucks knowing my tracks are featured in a car commercial or sports highlight reel. Another question. I do record electronica trance/dance style music from time to time. Has anyone had any sucsess sending their dance tracks directly to clubs and DJ's? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[robmix]

I very much agree with zboy findings as well. My experience has led me to believe that it's the followup that counts in getting something listened to. Even with solicited material !!!!!! It can take weeks for A&R guys to get around to your submission, even when they've asked for it or it has been given to them by one of their peers. Taxi may very well get the tape into the office but without any followup it's difficult to know whether it will actually get listened to. And yes, my wife was a Taxi member for a year and while we had many submissions forwarded nothing ever came of them. That same year we had something like 9 cuts, 1/2 a dozen tv placements, and some commercial spots - all stemming from relationships and being able to follow our tracks through the entire process.

I do think Taxi offers a valuable service for people who are not in the major music centers by way of the convention. But I personally would not join for the submission part of it.

[7161]

dude... go to film festivals and mingle

[adclark]

Where do I get the names, addresses, #'s to get in touch with these people? Indie Bible? Songwriters Market. There's thousands of addresses in those publications.