Compact Diss Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 I have been asked to make background music for the voicemail system of a Pharmaceutical company. Same as everywhere else, once you are put on hold you get to listen to some sort of music, this is what I am being asked to make. I am going with Blues. Basic 12 bar progressions and so on. I'm just wondering how many of you would approach this type of project. I will let you all hear my finished product but I'm just enjoying the venture... I have all sorts of idea's running through my mind..I'm looking towards a BB King style ballad or slow Blues... This is not a post to ask what to do, I just wanted to start a conversation on a project like this, where would you start, where do you find your idea's... I'm psyched to do this! I got the offer because my wife(she works there)was playing a 12 bar Blues clip I made here at home, the CEO walked up to her and commented "nice music" and it bloomed from there...it's a nice opportunity. I am grateful I even have a chance to do something like this but it all has to be approved before it gets put on the system anyway. The great thing is that they have filed with the SEC and may go public soon which means a lot and I mean a LOT of people will have to listen to your Mr. Diss while waiting on hold....Wow! A chance like this does not come up often. Whatever I do has to be good, it has to be great, this is like an audition for a contract to me. I can only hope to be contracted out to come up with a jingle or commercial for them, if things go right they will have the need in the future for tv commercials.... "Do you feel tired" "Do you fall asleep at work" "Can you concentrate on one thing for more than ten minutes" You know the Pharma commercials I am talking about! I just want to thank all of you oldtimer's here who have been here since my first day posting, my skills would be nowhere as close to what they are if it wasn't for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiral light Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Nice one!! I work for a company that makes optical filters for fluorescent microscopy, my idea is to put short movies of cells mutating and moving to music (the cells being stained with dye and our filters providing the 'color'). I only have movies from cd-roms to work with so far but I think it would be a great trade show giveaway. Of course, having the time to wade through and find the right clips and pair it up with music.....etc. One of these days I'll get around to it. www.windhamhill.com - Shameless Advertising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A String Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Hey, nice going CD. This is one of those rare opportunities that come along once in a life time! I've heard you play before and I'm sure you will come up with something perfect. This may be the first step towards a whole new career for you! I'll look forward to hearing your finished work. Congrats man! Craig Stringnetwork on Facebook String Network Forum My Music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compact Diss Posted May 7, 2004 Author Share Posted May 7, 2004 Sounds like a good idea. I used to do some cell work and they look good with the different stains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billster Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Hey CD, sounds like a great opportunity. Once you have one under your belt, you can list it up on your resume, and push for the next similar deal. See if you can find out what the company targets for "hold time" - how long they expect people to be on hold before a live human gets to them (I know they think about those things, and I think it's sinister, but I digress) Make sure you have enough music to far exceed the hold time. The last thing you want is a customer on hold hearing the hold music cycle back to the beginning again. they will go Buy my CD on CD Baby! Bill Hartzell - the website MySpace?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMcGuitar Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Originally posted by billster: Hey CD, sounds like a great opportunity. Once you have one under your belt, you can list it up on your resume, and push for the next similar deal. See if you can find out what the company targets for "hold time" - how long they expect people to be on hold before a live human gets to them (I know they think about those things, and I think it's sinister, but I digress) Make sure you have enough music to far exceed the hold time. The last thing you want is a customer on hold hearing the hold music cycle back to the beginning again. they will go And also make sure that what you do isn't too repetitious. Even if if doesn't cycle around to the top again it can feel like it has. So if it's just one piece (rahter than doing 3 or 4 different tunes), make sure there are some different sections to it. BTW, congrats! This is really cool! May all your thoughts be random! - Neil www.McFaddenArts.com www.MikesGarageRocks.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J J Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 FREEBIRD!!! Hey congradulations man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funk Jazz Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 cool Diss post the track when you get done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 Elevator music - that's what I'd use. Actually, I never really thought about it. Personally, I'd like to hear some nice Spanish flamenco. Then again, I don't know if I'd want people falling asleep on my phone system. That reminds me, at my old rodeo entry job, we just had an obnoxious recording of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association announcements. It was really annoying. You got put on hold just to call in sick. I can only imagine the grief from the patrons and cowboys. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compact Diss Posted May 9, 2004 Author Share Posted May 9, 2004 Thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement!! It's funny how someone mentioned making it long enough so it doesn't repeat and so on, it seems like we all have our own experiences with being on hold, the most annoying, "You are on hold, we want to help you and appreciate your patience" blah blah blah...some of those systems can drive you nuts! There will be no talking, nothing to announce, callers hear the greeting(company name, so on...) when they call in, then they get connected to a live person and re-directed from there...I have thought about the length also, I've been told to do one song, they already have music on the system, I'll just be added to that for now. I know they have three songs rotating, I'll be the fourth. This is what we live for isn't it?? I love to sit back and play or to bring my guitar up to relatives houses and play but being able to create something for people to hear(whether they want to or not)is something great to me. OK, ask me how far I have progressed??? Nowhere besides music buzzing in my head, obstacles...t-ball, soccer, movies, mother's day visiting this one, that one...I'll get there eventually... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 Play Louie Louie!!!! Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundWrangler Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 This may already be obvious to you, but just so it doesn't go unmentioned... be sure to compress the hell out of your (mono) mixes. Notwithstanding all the rants in these forums lately about oversquashed CD mixes (all too true), "natural" dynamic range is decidedly NOT appropriate in on-hold music... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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