TAXI

[Bandit]

Hello

Has anyone had any modicum of success using TAXI?

Thanks

Mike

[anyhorizon]

They're really pleasant when you write them a check.

 

They say nice things about your music when you submit.

 

You get "free" monthly issues of Recording Magazine whilst you're a member.

 

They make the monthly listings easy to read 'cos once you've read ten or so, you've pretty much read 'em all.

 

They offer lots of advice about where you're going wrong with your writing and if you subscribe for a further two years they're sure you'll iron it out.

 

Yeah... very relaxing transport.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

If you join your local song writers association, they usually have an in with a similar publication.

 

Like most of these ideas, if you are driven and you write commercial music, you may fit right in and do well. But if you write the odd pop song a couple of times a year, you probably aren't going to get very much out of a membership.

 

Bill

[echoshock]

I joined Taxi for a year.. Had pretty much all of my submissions forwarded on and received 9s and 10s on all of my reviews. I never heard back from anybody that my songs were forwarded too. When my membership was up and I was asked to renew I told them my frustration with my positive reviews and lack of responses when my songs were forwarded. I understand that when they forward your song it is not a guarantee it will be used. So I asked if they could let me know how many other songs were forwarded along w/ mine. Just to get an idea. I received a response that they would review my file and get back to me.. They never did even after 2 other requests. I have not renewed due to the lack of response. I still think they're a good service but just would have wished for more feedback.. If they are telling me my songs are so good, how come I'm not getting responses? I was just looking for feedback. Thats why I joined.

[Bandit]

Thanks for the replies.

I have learned from TAXI's critiques of my songs

to become a more efficient songwriter. One song I received all, or mostly tens. They said it was a great song, but to hard to categorize. No forward, or antyhing more than that. I'd like to find ,(as would we all, probably), an outlet for my songs. At least get the satisfaction, of knowing a real industry insider has listened.

AS inundated with material as they may be, isn't it there job to find new songs? I have this perception of a record company, publisher, et.al.,

as some sort of impenetrable,amphibian guarded kingdom, where submitted songs go do die.

There must be a way to break through the current marke,t without having to uproot my family in the process.

Mike

[anyhorizon]

Originally posted by echoshock:

So I asked if they could let me know how many other songs were forwarded along w/ mine. Just to get an idea. I received a response that they would review my file and get back to me.. They never did even after 2 other requests.

Just as an example, I had a song forwarded and was of course, over the moon. About 4 weeks went by without a word so I decided to track the publisher down. I explained that I had been told by TAXI that my song had been forwarded to his company to which he replied that he hadn't received anything but asked if I could send him a separate copy. A day or two later he rings back and says he's just received the TAXI package and my song was in there, along with another 40 or so!!!

[robmix]

Do a search on this topic as it's been beat to death. But to summarize my experience - we had about a 90% forward rate. Honestly I couldn't count the number of songs forwarded in year. Nothing every happened with them. This industry is about relationships and since Taxi doesn't followup, and they generally don't give you the info so you can follow up, you're songs get lost in the shuffle. Further I've since learned more about the screening process and most of the "industry insiders" are unemployed A&R types who can't get work anywhere else. In that same year we joined Taxi we had something like 9 covers, two or three publishing offers, and two charting singles all on our own.

 

What does it offer ? A chance to network at the convention which is helpful if you're not living in any of the major music cities (NYC, L.A., Nashville), and writing assignements. It's great practice to look at the pitch sheet and write for specific artists versus just writing for the heck of it.

[echoshock]

Originally posted by robmix:

In that same year we joined Taxi we had something like 9 covers, two or three publishing offers, and two charting singles all on our own.

Thanks Rob. I guess for a guy like me, I joined taxi because I don't really know how else to 'do it on my own'. Especially for my type of music (instrumental electronica), its not the most marketable music for radio and singles. Any advice in this area? Especially for publishing in commercials and tv background music.

Thanks all.

[Bandit]

This is prettuy damn discouraging. Has anybody had any success with publications such as the Song Writer's Market?

[Eric VB]

Originally posted by Bandit:

isn't it there[sic] job to find new songs?

I'd love to hear a "success story" from someone that had absolutely no industry connections that managed to get their song picked up.

 

When I was younger, I believed that this would happen based on merit; "good" songs would of course be chosen, no matter who wrote them. Now I see things differently: unless you're connected, you'll never get a song picked up.

 

The MI seems like such a closed society; I don't see something like TAXI (which I just learned about here) as a tool to actually get in. I see it more as an independent reviewer (based on your comments).

 

I'd rant more, but I've got to search the threads that have already beaten this topic to death.

[Barandine Vondenger]

Taxi is suck.

people all ovre the world hear my music. Why? NOT 'cause i am givink' my monies to a suck companies.

I finde a website for free. A goode website.

I make the song. I finde out to make song better. i write many song. I make them better. I make them better till "I" am satisfied.

I try to get on RADIO. I actually get on Radio.

Fifty downloads last month. Four hundred hits on site page. Hundreds of plays.

Folkes tellink me THEY HEAR MY MUSIC ON RADIO BOX.

TAXI no do this for you.

TAXI is SUCK.

[echoshock]

uhh thats all well and good but I wouldn't consider 50 downloads a month a success story. Taxi is suck. I agree though.

[Barandine Vondenger]

Originally posted by echoshock:

uhh thats all well and good but I wouldn't consider 50 downloads a month a success story. Taxi is suck. I agree though.

Fifty is a success for me. I am NO ONE SPECIAl. a NOBODIE.yet out of MILLIONS OF MUSIC SITES; folkes come to mine, they see, they hear and they Download. hundreds of varied peoples from all walks of life. From all ovre the GLOBE. maybe even outerspace? hundreds of hits every month. more every month. why? why is this happening? magic? VOODOO? noooo!

They tell their friends or loffers and then their friends come and see, and hear and clonk/clank/clink and download. WHY?

when I first started i had many sites. and not so many downloads. One download a month or no downloads a month. month after month, NO DOWNLOADS OY!

Folkes would say to me in writings: YOU are SUCK. ahahahaha!

So I try to learn and get better. I learn to write better. I practice many styles to make better musics and singings.

I make my music better TO ME, then it must be better to the peoples cause NOW they say: I like this song and i like that song. and they download. and leave fonny messages. ahahaha!

I sell first one ceedee, then two, now a few, here and there for REAL DOLLARS or RUBLEs OR EUROS. I give away many ceedee. all around the world.

then downloads increase. one or two then five or six more every month. month after month.

I don't give up. I keep making musiks.

Folkes keep downloading. more and more.

Like a snowball to be rollink' down a mountain. first it is small like pea. then a little bigger like egg. now a little bigger like apple or horse turd. apple much sweeter to eat yah goote! veddy soon it will be an avalanche of downloads and my site will burst at the seam from so much downloading.

And zoon I will be on veddy many radio boxes all accrozz the lond.

I am already on LOCAL RADIO STATION. wxnr 99.5 many, many times. many thousands of folkes hear me and my music.

and I am tryink to be on 101.5 wral. I soon will be. WHY? not because I am givink' my hard earned rubles to crooked companie. OH NO!

I will be on RADIO BOX because I am moveing the jams.

Move the jams.

TAXI IS SUCK.

thanks for listenin' and I'll see you on the Radio!

[echoshock]

Dude I loved your post. It brought a smile to my face. Keep up the good work! And you're right.. You can never give up.. Keep working and improving and success will come.

[Barandine Vondenger]

You "really liked" my post. Cool!

JEY ECHO MAN! you brought a smile to your own face.

I may never reach the heights I see in my minds eye, yet, I'll still be olde. and tired. as long as ten million ceedees are solde at ten dollars a piece then I know i'll have truly found wealth. or at least wealthfulness.

wealth. rhymes with HEALTH so it MUST be goode! ahahaha