TAXI TV

TAXI's Head Screener (Craig Pilo) will join Michael to answer any and all questions during this week's LIVE episode of TAXI TV. Got questions on topics like how TAXI's A&R team approaches their job, common submission mistakes, little improvements that can make a big difference, production tips for sounding more contemporary, and more? Craig and Michael will give you straight-up answers! Bonus topic: Craig is a first-call session and live drummer, and he'll be happy to answer your questions about getting drum sounds in the studio, tuning your drums, making programmed drums sound and feel more realistic, and anything else you can think of! Please have some questions ready to go in the live chat, or even better, email your questions to [email protected] no later than 2 pm Pacific Time on Monday, January 22nd.

TAXI TV has been “on the air” for at least 13 years, and we’ve never done an episode featuring a pair of earphones. The reason is; I’ve never heard any that were impressive enough to tell you about. But now I have, and this week I’m going to share them with you! While other manufacturers have seemingly tried to improve the listening/hearing experience by building a better “mousetrap,” Flare Audio studied the “mouse” first. Well, actually, the human ear, and how it degrades sound. Flare’s E-Prototype earphones dramatically reduce the natural distortion the ear canal introduces, and the result is noticeable. The imaging is impressive, the EQ curve sounds balanced and true, ear fatigue is greatly diminished (if not non-existent), and I’m hearing things/parts/instruments I’ve never heard before—even in my beloved Steely Dan songs I’ve used as my control room references for decades. Want to Win a Pair of Flare’s E-Prototypes? Flare’s Co-Founder, Davies Roberts is staying up very late (in the U.K.) to join us for this live episode (4pm Pacific time), and he’s going to give away a pair or two of E-Prototypes! We’ll also play the video Flare used for their GofundMe campaign and do a lot of Q&A with Davies, and hopefully, his wife and Co-Founder, Naomi. Can You Tell I’m Excited to Turn You on to Flare? I was introduced to the E-Prototypes by a close friend who’s done high-level audio restoration for Warner Bros. and several other companies for decades. He’s got very discerning ears and insisted that I check his E-Prototypes out. I did, and the rest, as they say, is history!

TAXI member, Matt Vander Boegh’s music plays somewhere in the world every hour of every day. His accomplishments have inspired his fellow TAXI members to quit making excuses, to get busy, and to become more productive. In 13 years, he’s amassed a staggering 25,000+ placements on over 900 TV programs, including various major sporting events, Hollywood movies, high-profile reality TV shows, soap operas, commercials, and daytime & evening talk shows. He has nearly 5,000 cues and hundreds of full-length songs signed to many high-end production music libraries.

Members have suggested doing an online Holiday Party for this week’s TAXI TV, so why not?! We imagine this will be sort of like the Quarantini Happy Hours we enjoyed so much during the pandemic, except we won’t be locked down this time ;-) Will we hang out and have some fun? Yep! Will I answer questions, if asked? Sure, why not? Will we pick some of the songs at random to listen to? Yes, we will! Will we do some random drawings for prizes? Absolutely!

I’ve been compiling a list of mistakes that can hurt, or even KILL your chances of having a successful career in the music licensing business. Some of these mistakes are made by people just starting out. Shockingly, others are made by people who I think are seasoned pros at this point in their careers! You might have heard of some of these mistakes before, but I’ll bet there will be plenty that you’ve never even thought about, and could be making yourself! This is a Do-Not-Miss episode! Win a TAXI Coffee Mug! I’ve got an official TAXI coffee mug left over from the Road Rally, and I’d love to give it away. But, you’ve got to be in the chat room during the LIVE show to win. TAXI Merch Store: https://taxi-swag-central.myshopify.com/

Our viewers have always loved our "A&R Hot Seat" episodes! Here's why: by judging music to see if their opinions line up with TAXI's A&R staff, our members get to fine-tune their "industry ears." They LOVE how it helps them listen to their own music more critically! Members have also told me that these episodes build confidence in TAXI's A&R team when they see that the screeners' decisions are very much on-target!

If you’ve ever thought, “I just need a manager,” listen up! The manager you’re probably dreaming of—you know… you make the music, and they do all the business-y and promotional work to help you become famous… that kind of manager—probably won’t want to work with you yet, and here’s why… The big, high-powered managers work on commission, and they won’t MAKE a commission unless you’re already making money. A well-meaning super fan might offer to manage you in the beginning, and that’s great… at least for a while. But can their lack of industry knowledge, connections, and clout be replaced by their raw enthusiasm? Maybe, but typically, not! And if they’re successful enough to help make you famous and/or get offers from major labels, in most cases, the label you sign with is going to “suggest” that you sign with a seasoned pro instead of your super fan. And that’s when things get ugly.

It's time to hear some great music from TAXI's members — songs and instrumentals, alike! Our Top 10 episodes are viewer favorites, so please join us tomorrow at 4 pm (PST) for the LIVE show and you'll have a shot at winning a copy of Steve Barden's must-have book! Join us and you'll hear a range of really cool music that our A&R team has uncovered recently. Win a FREE Book During the Live Broadcast! I'm also going to give away a copy of this awesome book, loved by TAXI members all over the world! Writing Production Music for TV by Steve Barden: https://amzn.to/47AYQkK Be in the chatroom during the live broadcast to have a shot at winning this highly-rated book! *As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases from the link above in this description.

In it for the long haul? The experts at Disc Makers share practical, actionable ways to triumph as an independent artist in this free "29 Tips For a Long and Successful Music Career" guide: https://bit.ly/49qvMOF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why am I not surprised that Spotify plans to pay even less to "lesser" artists soon? Talks between the streaming giant and the three major labels have been ongoing for some time, and rumors have been making the rounds for months. Now, it appears that Spotify will be lowering the rate paid to indie artists. Most likely, that means you! Disc Makers CEO, Tony van Veen was going to do a sponsor presentation on this very topic during the Road Rally Sequels last Monday, but getting him in front of a webcam in the time slot we had, proved to be tighter than our tech. set-up allowed for. So, we've moved his presentation to this week's episode of TAXI TV, live at 4pm Pacific, 7pm Eastern time. I know Tony well enough to know he won't just tell us the bad news. He'll likely have suggestions of alternate ways for indie musicians to earn income from their music. He's a very bright guy, and a "recovering" indie musician himself, so I look forward to hearing his take on this touchy subject. Please join me for what looks to be an informative episode on this somewhat shocking news!

These are just some of the topics we’ll be talking about on this week’s show with Chuck Henry, a very successful Music Library CEO. Chuck was a TAXI member before he started his company, so he knows exactly what it’s like to be in your shoes! You’ll get perspectives from both sides of the coin on topics like these… - The reasons why you haven’t been called back from the companies your music has been forwarded to. - Is it better to submit multiple tracks, or just one? - Music Library Etiquette: What it is and why it matters so much! - You’ve been contacted by a company, now what? - Why checking your music files before sending them is CRITICAL. - What NOT to include in your Metadata! - Should you register your tracks with your PRO or not? - Samples: Can you use them, and if so, what kind? - The absolute worst times to contact Music Library CEOs and Music Supervisors! - Why a Music Library executive hasn’t returned your phone call or email. - Choosing the right styles of music to create for sync placements. I’m sure we’ll cover several more topics, and if time allows, we’ll take some viewer questions as well! This is going to be a powerful episode that will certainly save you some heartache, and probably help you get more music signed and placed. Do NOT miss this interview unless you’re already a highly-experienced composer, artist, or producer who already knows the answers to all of these career-changing topics. You could spend a couple of semesters at a high-priced university, and probably not get as much poignant advice as you’ll get in this 90-minute episode of TAXI TV! Get your note pads ready!!

I’ll never forget the raging enthusiasm I felt bursting forth from Marcus Cohen (aka (CaiNo) when I met him at his first TAXI Road Rally about 6 years ago. In that moment, it was obvious to me that he’d become successful. He was at the Rally with his mom and creative partner — Sherry Marcus Milano — who’s also a force of nature! It’s not an exaggeration to say that music libraries and other music licensing professionals are now figuratively banging their doors down, asking for music from Marcus, Sherry, and his brother Ethan as well. They’ve got more requests than they can handle. Isn’t that the dream for most musicians? How Marcus and His Family Have Done It That’s the thrust of exactly what I want to find out! If they’ve been able to do it, couldn’t you? This is an episode you really don’t want to miss! Ask any self-help success guru (like Tony Robbins) and they’ll tell you to follow the steps of the people who already have the kind of success you want to have. Get your “road map” to success on this week’s episode of TAXI TV!

Casey Hurowitz probably wouldn’t have these placements if he didn’t collaborate: 60 placements on The Young and the Restless (CBS), Chicago Fire (NBC), Salvation (CBS), The Night Shift (NBC), The Originals (CW), and Legacies (CW). Is Casey so bad that he can’t create great music on his own? No! He just knows what he’s good at, and what he’s not so good at. Toplining is his strong suit, engineering and production, not so much ;-) I really can’t think of any TAXI member who so wonderfully exemplifies why collaboration is such a powerful tool. And there are so many of you reading this email who know you should be collaborating, but you don’t! “Why not?” is the question! You don’t know who to collaborate with, or how to find somebody who’s a good fit? You’re afraid a collaborator might steal your ideas? You don’t want to split the income? You don’t know how the process works? Well, we’re going to help you figure all that out, and much more in this week’s episode of TAXI TV. Casey is a font of incredibly valuable information when it comes to collaborating, and I’m going to pry every ounce of that info out of him, and hand it to you on a silver platter! If you’ve ever had the urge to collaborate, but don’t know how to get started or how the process works, you really shouldn’t miss this week’s episode of TAXI TV!

TAXI member Paul Croteau, has no problem saying things like they are! Is he smart, direct, and to the point? Oh yeah! Paulie doesn’t mince words. That's the reason I asked him to do a live, unfiltered, unedited interview with me and ask the tough questions that are likely on the minds of other TAXI members, and maybe even the people who’ve thought about joining TAXI, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Paul’s going to be in Los Angeles this week, so he’s joining me LIVE in the TAXI TV studio for what promises to be an incredibly revealing episode that could ultimately help you become more successful and make TAXI a better company. I specifically asked Paul to hit me with some really hard questions, and I’ve given him carte blanche. No question is off the table! The goals are: - To arm you with every bit of knowledge you can use to become more successful using TAXI. - To uncover things TAXI can do better in servicing your needs. Win an Excellent Book! We’re going to give away a FREE copy of Steve Barden’s book, Writing Production Music for TV: The Road to Success, during this episode. It’s a must-have for anybody who’s serious about succeeding in the music for media part of the industry. Writing Production Music for TV: The Road to Success by Steve Barden: https://amzn.to/48wVjFr

Very few CEOs get down in the trenches with the people they serve, but Disc Maker's CEO, Tony Van Veen, isn't one of them. He's BEEN in the trenches, and he learned a lot! He'd be the first to tell you that he's made a lot of mistakes along the way, and he's more than generous in sharing the tips and tricks he's learned from falling down, getting back up, and trial and error. In other words, YOU get to benefit from what Tony has learned over his years of BEING a musician and doing nothing but helping musicians during his entire adult life. I promise that you'll learn how to kickstart your career and find ways to make it last longer when you watch this episode of TAXI TV. Tony has always been a viewer favorite, and you'll see why when you join us for this information-packed livestream.

We all know that it's WHO you know, not just what you know, right? But can you honestly say that you've done everything you can to fill your little "Black Book" with music industry contacts that are the key to a successful career? - How many music supervisors do you personally know? - How many production music library owners do you personally know? - How many A&R people or music publishers can you honestly say would take your call or answer your email? And how many successful TAXI members are in your network? More importantly, how many of them include you in their network? That's where the rubber really meets the road — when you get introduced to industry executives through your fellow members who already have those all-important relationships! Why work harder, when you can simply work smarter? Meet the Very Best Networkers I've Ever Met! Tracey and Vance Marino are well-known in virtually every music-related community I can think of. And they have a list of contacts that would make you incredibly envious! That's probably one of the reasons they've had thousands of TV and film placements all over the world. How Did They Make All Those Contacts? That's exactly what I'm going to ask them on this week's TAXI TV, and if you join us for this live broadcast, you'll learn how to build up your little black book of music industry contacts too! "But Michael, I'm not the type of person who feels confident or comfortable enough to walk up to total strangers to introduce myself, let alone sell myself." I hear ya, but there are some highly-effective ways to build a powerful network without ever leaving the safety of the cozy little cocoon you call your "home studio." Do I have your attention now? Thought so! Win a FREE Book During Monday's Live Broadcast! This book is so comprehensive, and covers so many critical aspects of succeeding in the music industry, that I can't imagine how Tracey and Vance had the stamina to do all this research for you! But they did, and you can win a FREE copy just by being in the chat room during this week's LIVE episode of TAXI TV. Hey! That's My Song! A Guide to Getting Music Placements in Film, TV, and Media By Tracey and Vance Marino: https://amzn.to/3P53xvw *As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases from the link above in this description.

It's been quite a while since we've done a Top 10 episode on TAXI TV, so please join me and the enthusiastic viewers who always gather to hear some really good music coming from TAXI's members! Join us on Monday at 4 pm (PDT) and you'll hear a range of really cool music that our A&R team has uncovered recently. Win a FREE Book During the Live Broadcast! I'm also going to give away a copy of this awesome book, loved by TAXI members all over the world! Fett's Mixing Roadmap by Fett: https://amzn.to/3qK6MjX Be in the chatroom during the live broadcast to have a shot at winning this highly-rated book!

Rob Chiarelli has repeatedly been one of the most popular guests on TAXI TV, and we're thrilled to have him join us for the first time in several years. Thanks COVID ;-) Rob is a record producer, mix engineer, musician, published author, and 5x Grammy Award winner. Widely recognized as a music producer for Will Smith and Men in Black II, Chiarelli's work appears on numerous Gold and Platinum albums and motion picture soundtracks, including 16 GRAMMY winners. ​ As a mix engineer and record producer, Rob has also worked with other well-known artists and shows such as: Kirk Franklin, Christina Aguilera, Angelique Kidjo, Sting, LeAnn Rimes, Mary Mary, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Keiko Matsui, Coolio, Ray Charles, American Idol, P!nk, Johnny Mathis, Paula Abdul, Diana Ross, En Vogue, Ice Cube, The Four Tops, Yolanda Adams, The Temptations, K-Ci & JoJo, Aaliyah, Hilary Duff, Jesse McCartney, Ricky Martin, The Corrs, Luther Vandross, Erin Boheme, and Charlie Wilson. Rob started out playing in wedding bands in Boston and as you can see, he's built a career that would impress even the most jaded among us. But, what really makes him special is his down-to-earth, real-world advice on what it takes to become successful. Today, he's heavily involved in everything from making records with superstars to placing music in big TV commercials, and everything in between! Got Questions for Rob? We plan on doing quite a bit of Q&A with our viewers, so don't miss your chance at getting some great advice during the live show!

Do you know what the difference is between a jingle and a Sonic Logo? I'm not entirely sure I do, so let's find out together when I have Jeanna Isham as my guest on this week's TAXI TV! We're also going to find out what Sound Marketing is, and how that's a different animal from Sonic Branding. Truth be told, I'm not sure I can tell you exactly what Sonic Branding actually is! I know, but I know very little compared to Jeanna. She's an expert! And how can you earn income from Sonic Branding? Who are your potential clients, and how do you market your skills to them? How much can you charge? Do you get creative fees or make performance royalties through your PRO? And by the way, what the heck is sound design? I think we might learn something about that as well. But, you've got to join us for this week's TAXI TV, on Monday at 4 pm PDT / 7pm EDT. I think this is going to be a fascinating episode, and who knows, it just might open up a new income stream for you and your talent. It might even create a brand new career path for you! Don't miss this episode on a topic we've never covered in more than 12 years of TAXI TV! Contact Jeanna at the links below! The Sound In Marketing mailing list sign up http://eepurl.com/gDxl6b Sound In Marketing Learning website https://soundinmarketing.com/ Dreamr Productions official site and blog http://dreamrproductions.com/ Medium https://medium.com/@jeanna-isham

TAXI members, John Pearson and Jim Thacker, are full-time Producers/Songwriters/Composers based in Nashville, TN. How did they transition from the "record" side of the industry to the "sync" side? How did they re-orient what they do, and how they do it? How did they learn the difference between writing songs, and trying to create hits, to creating music that would work well in TV shows, films, and TV commercials? I'm going to ask them ALL of those things, and you get to fast-track your sync career because Jim and John are going to turn you on to what they took the time to learn. What IS a "Composer" in Today's Sync Industry? For those of you who have always thought of yourselves as somebody who writes songs you'd like other artists to cut, or who'd like to get signed as an artist, you might not think of yourself AS a composer. Maybe the word conjures up an image of writing charts, and knowing a bunch of music theory. That USED to be true, but the word "composer" has taken on a new meaning in today's sync world, and we're going to show you WHY that is, and how you can re-invent yourself like Jim and John both did! You've already got the skills and the gear. And developing this new career path isn't a one-or-the-other situation. You can do both! Don't miss this episode. It's going to be really, really good!!!

Our music conference, the TAXI Road Rally (November 2nd – 5th in Los Angeles, CA), has become legendary over the last quarter of a century. People come from all over the world for the actionable information that invariably takes their music careers to the next level when they use it. And the people who have a huge hand in choosing which panels, classes, interviewees, and mentors we have each year at the Rally. I would really appreciate it if you could join me for the LIVE episode of this week’s TAXI TV, so I can get your opinions and suggestions on a wide range of topics regarding the upcoming Road Rally. I want to know what you want to know! And if you have a moment, write down some of your ideas so you've got them ready for the show. If you need some inspiration, take a look at last year's Rally schedule. See Last Year's Schedule: assets.taxi.com/PDF/2022/2022_schedule_of_events.pdf?_ga=2.201885393.1501265207.1689895818-1567352027.1680549793 Make sure you’re in the chatroom for the live episode to cast your vote and give your opinion. We look forward to hearing what’s important to you!

Our viewers have always loved our "A&R Hot Seat" episodes! Here's why: by judging music to see if their opinions line up with TAXI's A&R staff, our members get to fine-tune their "industry ears." They LOVE how it helps them listen to their own music more critically! Members have also told me that these episodes build confidence in TAXI's A&R team when they see that the screeners' decisions are very much on-target! The New & Improved Version of the A&R Hot Seat.. Rather than listening and judging music from just one recent TAXI Listing, we're going to do it for THREE different listings to give your ears a tune-up on a broader range of genres. We're going to listen to Contemporary, Alt-Indie Pop songs, '60s style Motown/Soul songs, and Pulsing Investigative Tension Instrumentals. We'll listen to some that got forwarded, and some that didn't, and I'm curious to see if we vote like the screeners did! Aren't you? Don't forget, you need to be in the YouTube chat during the live show if you'd like to cast your vote!

TAXI member, Greg Carrozza was on a panel about this topic at last year's Road Rally, and he's discussed aspects of it on various episodes of TAXI TV. But, I've yet to give him the floor to do a much deeper dive about it on TAXI TV. That all changes on this week's episode! In Greg's own words, "I’d talk about what to do after you get a forward, how to manage your expectations and attitude, how to deal with people when they contact you, how to be prepared for that, how to communicate, how to create deliverables, and more." The Upside... Doing things right can create a trusted relationship with a music library. The kind of relationship that lasts for years, and gets you to what some might call, "the front of the line," when it comes to having an open door with the library, getting briefs sent directly to you, having your music requested for special projects, etc. The Downside? The opposite of living in that rarified world can be caused by doing some dopey stuff during your first contact with the company, or by sending them deliverables that cause them to do this 🤦🏻‍♂️ If you'd like to be in the "Trusted Composer Club," then you really don't want to miss the advice that Greg will be dishing out during this week's TAXI TV. Miss it at your own peril, as they say! Greg has a knack for making things crystal clear, and very digestible, so don't miss this golden opportunity to learn from a guy who has definitely figured it all out! Have Your Questions Ready... Greg will be taking questions during the last 20 minutes of the show, so have yours ready-to-go so you can post them in the live chatroom and get real-time answers! If you snooze, you might lose!

For the entire 31 years we’ve been in business, people have conjectured about how much competition there is when they submit their music to TAXI. I’m going to pull back the curtain and give you actual submission numbers on this week’s show! But wait! The submission numbers actually mean NOTHING because there IS no competition! And I’m going to tell you exactly why that is on this week’s episode. Let’s Bust Some Other Myths! There are other myths about the music licensing industry that I’ve seen dispensed as gospel on some sync-oriented YouTube channels. Just because the person giving out that information has a super sincere, silver-tongued delivery doesn’t mean the information is actually accurate! I’ve been biting my tongue for a few years, watching a couple of these “experts” give out information that, in my opinion, is either false or 180 degrees out of whack with reality. Funny thing is… I’ve recently seen one of these guys flip-flop and completely change his tune. I was happy to see that. But then I realized that the entire premise that he’s been using to sell his course and other products for years has been the opposite of what he’s saying now. Did he have a “Come to Jesus” epiphany? Maybe! I hope so!! But what about the people who based their decision to buy his course or other services and products BASED on the false information he previously dispensed with such certainty? I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt. I want to hear how you feel. Ask Me Anything… I also want to do a healthy dose of Q&A during the last part of this episode. We haven’t done that for a while, and it feels like it’s time! Please email your questions to [email protected] by 2pm (Pacific time) on Monday, and I’ll do my level best to answer every one of them!

Nailing the creative side of the music industry is a given, right? And the business side of the industry has become more important than ever. But, how often do you think about things like these: - Saving and investing money - Understanding investment apps - Increasing your credit score - Limiting your tax liability - Protecting yourself from identity theft - Getting out of debt - And protecting your assets The older you get, the more you think about these things. But, sometimes that's too late! I'm excited to cover this topic with TAXI TV and Road Rally favorite - Bobby Borg - and Britt Hastey, the co-authors of the new book, Personal Finance for Musicians. We're going to hit as many of these topics as possible during this week's (LIVE) episode of TAXI TV. Developing good financial habits becomes more important as you grow older, wiser, and start thinking about having a secure retirement. Secure retirement?! Well, yeah, but it seems like this critical topic takes a backseat to the more immediate-feeling aspects of succeeding in the music industry. Let's move it to front and center this week with Bobby and Britt! Win a FREE Book! Personal Finance for Musicians by Bobby Borg and Britt Hastey https://amzn.to/46nteiW I've got a copy of this wonderful new book, and one of our lucky viewers will win it during the live show, so join us LIVE on Monday at 4 pm Pacific Time to get your shot at getting your hands on this FREE book! *As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases from the link above in this description.*

I’m very excited to have Ronan Chris Murphy join me on our first live episode in several weeks! Ronan is a huge fan favorite, both on TAXI TV and at our annual music convention, the TAXI Road Rally! Here’s his bio, if you’re not already familiar! https://ronanchrismurphy.com/bio/ Side note: Ronan is an incredibly smart, well-informed, studio rat who loves teaching what he knows about all things audio/studio/production to anybody who will listen. Those who do listen are well-rewarded! Ronan and I are going to talk about: - Creating a great studio space in your home - Studio monitor placement and brand recommendations - Mixing on headphones or not – best practices or fool’s errand? - Backing up your files in case of disaster – miss this at your own risk! - What type of insurance you should have for your gear – Yes, you need it! - And how a giant tree made Ronan a world-class expert on the last two bullet points! Ronan will also answer some questions, so don’t miss this live episode! Want to Win a FREE Book? To celebrate our return to doing live shows, we’re going to give away 2 great books during the live show. Join us for the live broadcast on Monday at 4 pm PDT / 7pm EDT, and you could be the lucky winner of either of these two wonderful books every musician should have - Tracey and Vance Marino's book, Hey! That's My Song!: A Guide to Getting Music Placements in Film, TV, and Media, or Steve Barden’s book, Writing Production Music for TV – The Road to Success. Hey! That's My Song!: A Guide to Getting Music Placements in Film, TV, and Media by Tracey and Vance Marino amzn.to/441Ct6e Writing Production Music for TV – The Road to Success by Steve Barden amzn.to/43LNNUe *As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases from the links above in this description.*

Michael is out of the office this week, but he recently recorded this interview with veteran music attorney, Ben McLane, looking at potential legal issues with music created by Artificial Intelligence. Is your music going to train a computer to create new music? Who will get paid? How will they get paid? It's the Wild West out there, and once again, tech could outpace legislation. Don't miss this discussion! Music Business In 10 Easy Lessons: The Deal by Ben McLane: https://amzn.to/3MmQuVX *As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases from the link above.*

During the 31 years I've been running TAXI, I've noticed something that's critical to becoming and staying successful in the music industry! Is it great music? Yes, that's certainly a big part of the equation, but building, maintaining, and nurturing relationships could very well be equally as important in regard to becoming successful. And I'm sorry to say that I've seen many talented musicians ruin some (or many) of their relationships, new and old! My goal in this week's episode of TAXI TV is to highlight many of the relationship-building and/or killing things I've witnessed over the last three decades. Sadly, most of the time, the people who've committed relationship suicide don't even realize what they've done, and the impact it's had. Special Guests... I consider Tracey and Vance Marino world-class experts at building and maintaining music industry relationships. I've watched them work their magic at conferences and online. As a matter of fact, they dedicated an entire chapter to that subject in their excellent book, Hey, That's My Song! That chapter alone is worth the price of buying their book! Please join me when I interview Tracey and Vance during this week's episode. I'll bet you'll find yourself saying "oops" more than once as we go through all the ways you can destroy the music business relationships you should be building, maintaining, and nurturing. Hey, That's My Song by Tracey and Vance Marino: https://amzn.to/3peEOvx *As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases from the link above.*

It's been a while since we've done an "Ask Michael Anything" on TAXI TV, so that's exactly what we're going to do on this show! Ask me anything about TAXI, engineering & production (from the mics and wires aspect), or the music licensing business, and I'll do my best to give straight ahead, helpful answers. Want to know what production music libraries are looking for? I can tell you! Want to know why Hollywood studios won't use you to score their blockbuster films? I know the answer! Want to know why your mixes don't sound like hit records? I'll let you in on a little secret ;-) Want to know where the "sweet spot" is to place a mic on an acoustic guitar? You're going to find out! Want to know how to mic an electric guitar amp for the best sound? I'll fill you in! Want to know a sure-fire way to avoid popping "P's" when recording vocals? I'm going to show you. Want to know how to make publishers reach out to you time and time again? It's common sense, but many people don't do it! Want to know how to approach an industry pro at TAXI's convention? If you promise not to let them know who told you, I'll tell you the secret ;-) Want to know how to avoid headphone leakage when recording vocals? The answer is SO simple, yet almost always overlooked!

For years, I've been preaching about "not putting all your eggs in one basket." My personal opinion is that you should hedge your bets by having your music in several, if not many music library catalogs. But not just ANY catalogs! Join me for this week's episode to learn more about the strategic way you might want to approach how many (and which) companies you want to have representing your music! I Want to Hear From You! I want this episode to be pretty interactive, with a lot of feedback from TAXI members (and viewers who have music in music libraries) as to what YOU think is an optimal number of catalogs to be in, and any strategic thinking you might have when deciding which companies you work with! If you can contribute to this discussion, I would REALLY appreciate it if you could join us for the live show. I plan to spend more time than usual taking comments and questions from the chat during the live show!

How’d you like a consummate Instrumental Cue Composer to show you what the most common Cue structures are for TV placements? Great, I’ve got the perfect guest to lay those structures out in great detail on this week’s TAXI TV! Steve Barden is a successful, longtime TAXI member, and a truly excellent composer. He’s the author of two great books on the subject. Click the covers below to see just how good those books are! Deconstructing Production Music for TV by Steve Barden: https://amzn.to/3o9UFLn Writing Production Music for TV by Steve Barden: https://amzn.to/41qUQ3i Steve’s most recent book, Deconstructing Production Music for TV, is a deep dive into some serious analysis of nine cues, which you can listen to online. For each cue, Steve breaks it down as follows: - The Structure - Chord Progression - Melody - Instrument Choices - Style and Genre - The Emotion and Intended Use - The Sound Libraries He Used - Analysis of the Bars and Sections of the Score - ...and Why the Cue Works! I’m beyond excited to have Steve share his considerable knowledge with you. With any luck, we’ll be playing you some of the cues during the show, as Steve tells us what he did, and most importantly, WHY he did it!

When a music supervisor or TV show editor looks at a huge playlist of possibilities, they will inevitably listen to the tracks with titles that "telegraph" what the music will sound like, first! Wouldn't you like to have your music considered first? Or, maybe I should ask, wouldn't you want to give your music an "edge" when end-users are combing through hundreds of titles, looking for the perfect instrumental or song? We're going to go over how the RIGHT titles can make you more money in sync licensing! Not only will we review dozens of great titles pulled from top music library catalogs, we're also going to delve into the minds and work processes of music supervisors and video editors. That should help us understand why some titles work better than others in certain situations!

You’ve got a decision to make that will directly affect how successful you become in the world of Production Music: Are you going to be easy to work with, or require some hand-holding by the Production Music Libraries your music is forwarded to by TAXI? Assuming you’d prefer to be thought of as a buttoned-up professional, you REALLY don’t want to miss this week’s TAXI TV, and here’s why… I’ve asked several of TAXI’s successful members to share their personal Music Licensing Checklists! What are they, exactly? They’re the lists of things they do before they submit their music to the companies we connect them with. It’s the list of things that make it easy for those companies to love working with them, again, and again! The things that make them “go-to” composers and artists! The things that might even give them insider access and/or special treatment by the people at those Music Licensing Companies. Do You Want to Be a “Go-To” Composer or Artist? Don’t miss this episode of TAXI TV. I’ve already seen the checklists from these successful TAXI members, and WOW, they are really, really good! I honestly think these lists are better than what you might get if you were to take an expensive course in Music Licensing/Production Music. You’ll Get the Checklists for FREE! And you won’t have to pay to watch weeks of boring videos, or sit through classes with a professor who only gives you one person’s perspective. Our Production Music Checklists are coming to you directly from several highly-experienced (and successful) TAXI members who are battling it out in the trenches, right now!

If you’re reading this, you probably own a home studio and record your own music. You also want it to sound “pro,” like your favorite artists and records, but it doesn’t! You’ve tried the latest plug-ins, outboard gear, and mixing tips from YouTube videos. You bought new monitors. You’ve added acoustic treatments to your room. And your recordings still don’t have that professional sound. Frustrating, isn’t it? While we don’t have enough time in this week’s episode to solve every problem you might be having, we do have enough time to solve some problems you have recording vocals and organic instruments. And most of those problems start with common microphone mistakes. If you think your biggest mistake was not buying a $3,500 Neumann U87, consider this: Bon Iver’s hit album, Emma, Forever Ago, was recorded using a single, $99 Shure SM57 and a beat-up, old Sears catalog acoustic guitar that sounded like it looked. I love microphones and classic outboard gear more than the average person. I learned the craft of audio from some of the best engineers and producers in the business at the time. Some of them are considered legends, and I’m going to teach you some of the mic. techniques I learned from them. I’m going to show you how to get great sounds and how to stop making mistakes with your microphones! Join me for this episode of TAXI TV, and you’ll be a few steps closer to making better-sounding recordings.

I wish there was just ONE trick to making money with production music, but it's not that easy! However, there are several things you can do to increase the number of songs and instrumentals you get picked up by music libraries and ultimately used in TV shows, films, commercials, and other media. What are they? Don't miss this TAXI TV if you'd like to find out!

Our viewers have always loved our "A&R Hot Seat" episodes! Here's why: by judging music to see if their opinions line up with TAXI's A&R staff, our members get to fine-tune their "industry ears." They LOVE how it helps them listen to their own music more critically! Members have also told me that these episodes build confidence in TAXI's A&R team when they see that the screeners' decisions are very much on-target! Here's the Listing we're going to be listening for... CONTEMPORARY FOLK-POP SONGS with Male or Female Vocals are needed by a prestigious International Music Publishing and Licensing Company that's doing a major expansion of their catalogue! NOTE: This Library is FAIRLY NEW to requesting music from TAXI, so this is a great opportunity to create a new relationship for your music with a very highly-regarded company! Trust us, this is a catalog you want to be in! This Company is looking for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Songs that could be found on a playlist with the following references: "Stick Season" by Noah Kahan "The Worst Of You" by PJ Harding & Noah Cyrus "Sweet Ever After" by Ellie Holcomb feat. Bear Rinehart Please send them well-crafted Folk-Pop Songs with captivating melodies, honest lyrics, and memorable hooks that could work well for a variety of sync placements. Your submissions should have engaging rhythms, contemporary Folk-Pop instrumentation in the general wheelhouse of the examples, and acoustic-based arrangements that seamlessly blend Folk and Pop elements. Your productions and any virtual instruments or sounds you may choose to use need to be high-quality and not dated-sounding. Expressive, well-performed vocals are a must, as well! Lyrics should avoid references to specific names, places, dates, brands, and profanity. Do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, texture, tone, and overall vibe. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed. NOTE: The bar will be high for this request. Please send your very best! This Company offers a NON-EXCLUSIVE deal. The specific deal points will be handled on a case-by-case basis. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to pitch for this opportunity. Please submit as many Songs as you'd like, online or per CD. Please include lyrics. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on Monday, March 6th, 2023. TAXI # S230306FP

I'm very excited to have one of our clients — an awesome Music Library CEO — join us for what promises to be a great episode this week! You can ask him anything, and I'm sure he'll give you some insightful answers. I planned on doing an A&R Hot Seat/Forward-Return episode this week, but when I found out this gentleman was going to be in LA on Monday, I decided to postpone that episode until next week so we could get this industry pro to join me live, and in the studio this week!

11 CAREER-KILLING Habits Musicians SHOULD AVOID! Before you work on developing good habits that can drive your success, there are some nasty old bad habits you need to part company with because they're holding you back. Actually, they can kill the career in the music business you've always wanted. When you hear what they are, I think you'll be nodding your head in agreement with the majority of them. Not as Hard as You Might Think... The good news is I think it will be much easier for you to break the bad habits than learning and habituating new ones! But you won't know unless you tune in to this week's TAXI TV to hear what those career-killing, bad habits are!

It's been quite a while since we've done a Top 10 episode on TAXI TV, so please join me and the enthusiastic viewers who always gather to hear some really good music coming from TAXI's members! Join us in this episode to hear a range of really cool music that our A&R team has uncovered recently.

Late one evening in 2019, I spent a couple of hours trading studio war stories in the control room (pictured below) with Trevor Fletcher, the Vice President of the legendary Criteria Studios in Miami. Trevor's mom (Margie Curry) was my awesome boss when I worked at Criteria nearly 50 years ago. She remains a cherished friend of mine to this day. When Trevor was a kid, he'd come to the studio after school, allegedly, to do his homework. Instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic, he learned what made Criteria one of the top recording studios in the world. Today, he's the Vice President and General Manager of Criteria, and it could not be in better hands. They have had clients like The Bee Gees, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, James Brown, Rod Stewart, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Joel, Drake, The Allman Brothers, Shakira, Gloria Estefan, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Aerosmith, and dozens (likely hundreds) of others, one can imagine what might have happened behind closed doors when records like "Hotel California," "Stayin' Alive," "I Shot the Sheriff," "Layla," "I Feel Good," and countless other Gold, Platinum, and Diamond albums and singles were recorded. Trevor Fletcher is a living encyclopedia that knows the good, the bad, and the ugly. He also knows where the skeletons are buried. You'll be riveted by the stories he's going to share with us. He's also a classy, professional guy who won't name names (when he can't), but trust me when I tell you that you're going to hear some pretty amazing behind-the-scenes stories. I'm also going to ask him... - What makes a great song? - What traits (if any) do superstars share? - What traits do great producers share? - Contrast the producer's role back in the day VS today. - How do great engineers and producers become great at their craft? - Why do artists still go to world-class, large format studios when they can make records at home? - How much does outboard gear get used VS plugins? - When somebody under the roof is recording a song that sounds like an obvious hit, does the staff still get buzzed about it? I can't wait to hang out and chat with Trevor! I have a feeling you're going to love this unique episode of TAXI TV, so don't miss it! Win a FREE Criteria Studios T-Shirt! Criteria's shirts are beloved by superstars around the world! They've become collector's items, and I'd like to buy one for one of our viewers. All you've got to do to have a shot is show up and be in the chat room during the live broadcast!

Do You Really Need A MIDDLE MAN in Today's MUSIC Industry??

If you get contacted by one of TAXI’s clients offering you a deal and you’d like to know the technical aspects of delivering your music to that company, this week’s TAXI TV is for you! TAXI’s Head Screener (Craig Pilo) has put together a video showing you how to properly export your masters and stems! Craig will be joining me in the studio, and he’ll be answering your questions after we play the video. All TAXI members should watch this, especially if you’re a new member who is not yet experienced in making sure you deliver your music in the most professional manner possible! Please join Craig and me for what promises to be a very educational episode!

If you think having great music gets you a “pass” from getting the business aspects of sync 100% right, you’re 100% wrong! Here’s proof in the form of an email TAXI recently got from a new client when we reached out to ask if they needed us to run any new searches for them… Date: Thu, Jan 5, 2023 at 12:40 PM Subject: Re: Happy New Year! To: Tom @TAXI Happy New Year to you too, Tom. I'll let you know [about running new listings with TAXI]! I took a lot of [TAXI] people on for the [XXXXX] tracks. The problem with taking new people on is the ones who aren't regular library composers deliver frequently incorrectly. For example, the wrong levels, versions not correct, or technical errors. If it's one person, it's not the end of the world, but I spent a huge amount of time holding the hands of most of the composers to get things to the point of delivery. The creative quality was unquestionable, but it's frustrating having to send things back so many times when things are set out clearly in my delivery guidelines. I guess this is the difference between those who do this as a living full-time and those who do it in their spare time. Not your fault, but it was kinda my fault that I took so many people on - I took tracks from 17 people you put forward! That was a huge amount of micromanaging! I think I probably need to be more careful about taking too many people on at the same time - especially those who are new to the business, or less experienced. Even if the final product is brilliant! The album is still waiting on people to deliver their corrections! Absolutely not your fault here, but I just wanted to let you know what the issues of taking new blood are from my perspective. It is hugely time consuming, basically! I'll be in touch when there is a project I can involve you on. Cheers, XXXXXXX I personally wrote to apologize for the time suck our members caused him. I also asked if I could re-print his email. He was gracious in his response, but included this in his email: “I just had a composer finally address all the technical issues, only to deliver as 44.1 and not 48, so they need to be resent all over again. The problem is, no matter what anyone says, any new deliverable needs to be quality controlled [by us] - even if someone claims nothing has changed. It all adds up in terms of time spent. It is a major reason why I won't work with people now. Check, check, and check again! Make a checklist - I don't care how you do it, but make sure it is all correct!” I want to discuss this serious issue on this week’s TAXI TV, and get your input as to how we can most effectively get our members to understand that creating great music isn’t enough to become successful in the world of sync. You’ve got to make sure your hands don’t need to be “held” by the companies that want to work with you. Make it easy and pleasurable for them to do business with you! Please don’t miss this episode of TAXI TV. I really want your input!

We’re super excited to be broadcasting our first LIVE episode since The Road Rally, and we promise to help you make 2023 your most productive year yet! Most of us make New Year’s resolutions, but statistically, 90% of resolutions are just words without actions. It’s easy to resolve that you’re going to lose weight in the coming year, but hard to avoid ordering a delicious pizza when you don’t feel like cooking and doing dishes. It’s easy to say you’re going to create more and better music this coming year, but it’s hard to put down your phone and ignore TikTok. This week’s show is going to give you some solid, actionable steps to help you kick your music career into high gear in 2023! Win a Microphone! The good folks at Warm Audio sent us an awesome 512 Audio, Skylight, large diaphragm condenser microphone, and we’re going to give it away during this week’s TAXI TV! You’ll need to be in the chatroom during the live broadcast to have a shot at winning!

If you're not yet registered to come to our annual music conference, the TAXI Road Rally, you should be! It starts on Thursday, November 3rd, and it wraps up on Sunday, November 6th! Want to see all that's going on? Click on the link below: https://www.taxi.com/taxi-road-rally/ Get Your Road Rally Questions Answered! Even though we're in every-minute-counts mode here at the office, I'd like to invite you to join me for Monday's live TAXI TV show, and ask me anything you want about the Rally. - "How often does the free shuttle run from LAX to the Westin hotel?" - "Should I bring my music on CDs or USB drives?" - "I'm pretty shy! Do you SWEAR that I'll be comfortable and not feel out of place at the Rally?" - "How do I know which panels or classes will be best for me?" - "Is it really possible to meet music industry people and give them my music?" I'll answer those questions and anything else you can throw at me! I'm sure some of your fellow TAXI members, who will be in the chatroom, will also have their own take on how things go, and what you can expect at the Rally. This episode should be fun and really helpful in prepping you for the big event! Please have some questions ready-to-go in the live chat, or even better, email your questions to [email protected] no later than 2 pm Pacific Time on Monday, October 31st.

I've invited everyone's favorite songwriting coach, Robin Frederick, to join me on this week's episode of TAXI TV to review your song's lyrics and give you the keys to songwriting for Film/TV placements!

As a producer, engineer, and mixer, Ronan Chris Murphy has worked with the likes of King Crimson (several albums), Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple), Terry Bozzio (Zappa, Missing Persons), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd), Martin Sexton, Jamie Walters, Ulver, The California Guitar Trio, Chucho Valdes y Groupo Irakere, Joan LaBarbara (Philip Glass Ensemble, Steve Reich), Nels Cline (Wilco), as well as various projects featuring members of Tool, Ministry, Weezer, Dishwalla, and Yes. And we've got Ronan in-studio to take your questions about mixing and recording during this week's episode of TAXI TV! He's one of our most beloved guests, and a fount of knowledge on Mixing, Recording techniques, and Mastering. We'll Take Questions LIVE from the Chat Room, Only! Get your questions ready to copy and paste in the chat before the show so you don't have to do any sloppy typing in the heat of battle ;-) Short, pithy, and succinct questions will be appreciated! And if you could please avoid broad, general questions like, "How do I make my mixes sound better?," and ask specific questions like, "How do you know how much mix bus compression to use?", we'll love you for that!!!

it's been a while since we've done an "Ask Michael Anything" on TAXI TV, so that's exactly what we're going to do on Monday's show! Ask me anything about TAXI, engineering & production (from the mics and wires aspect), or the music licensing business, and I'll do my best to give straight ahead, helpful answers. Want to know what production music libraries are looking for? I can tell you! Want to know why Hollywood studios won't use you to score their blockbuster films? I know the answer! Want to know why your mixes don't sound like hit records? I'll let you in on a little secret ;-) Want to know where the "sweet spot" is to place a mic on an acoustic guitar? You're going to find out! Want to know how to mic an electric guitar amp for the best sound? I'll fill you in! Want to know a sure-fire way to avoid popping "P's" when recording vocals? I'm going to show you. Want to know how to make publishers reach out to you time and time again? It's common sense, but many people don't do it! Want to know how to approach an industry pro at TAXI's convention? If you promise not to let them know who told you, I'll tell you the secret ;-) Want to know how to avoid headphone leakage when recording vocals? The answer is SO simple, yet almost always overlooked!

It's been a while since we've done a Top 10 episode of TAXI TV, so join us on Monday to hear some great music our A&R department has recently found! As an extra little treat, we're going to give away a truly awesome book! Join me for this episode and you just might win a copy of Robin Frederick's best-seller, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting - 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell. The winner will be chosen at random from people who are in the chat room during the episode, so don't be late! This book is a career-changer. I hope you win it!! Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting - 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell: https://amzn.to/3DcIZgi

On this week's episode of TAXI TV, we're going to show you a VERY real-world example of why your music doesn't get used, whether you're a TAXI member or not! TAXI's Head A&R Screener (Craig Pilo) and I will show you something SO shocking that you almost won't believe it! But it's absolutely real, and don't be surprised if you're guilty of this grievous, career-killing mistake as well. The next time you see somebody posting, "I used TAXI, and my music got forwarded, but I never heard back," remember what you saw on this NOT-to-be-missed episode of TAXI TV. ALL TAXI members need to watch this! Actually, all songwriters, artists, and composers need to watch this episode! What we're going to tell you about happens every day, and the end result can quite literally mean the difference between success and failure.

People ask me this question nearly every week of my life: "How many tracks do I need to make full-time sync income?" They ask me in the live chatroom on TAXI TV. They ask me in the hotel elevator during our free music convention, the Road Rally. They ask it on the TAXI Forums. Why are musicians so obsessed with the magic number of tracks it takes before you can earn a full-time income with your music? I think it's because they'd rather have their day gig be a job they love, VS their day gig now, that they probably hate! I was working on TAXI's website a few days ago, and I saw a quote from member Keith LuBrant that inspired this episode. "I've had 105,455 placements on 1,711 TV shows on 283 networks." Well Keith, how many tracks do you have in production music libraries to accomplish numbers like that? Inquiring minds want to know, and that's why I've asked him to join me on this week's TAXI TV! We're going to dig deep and uncover everything you need to know about how many tracks you need to make full-time sync income during this episode of TAXI TV. If you want to earn your full-time income from creating music for media, don't miss this power-edition episode. Composer Catalog Giveaways! Keith is going to give away two copies of Composer Catalog. One during the live show, and another to the person who asks the best question in the YouTube comments, under the archived version of the show. Composer Catalog was created for writers, by a writer. No more trying to stuff metadata in .mp3 fields. Since Keith compose music for television and film, he created a tool that would allow him to get a handle on his music library. The music was growing, and keeping track of it on a spreadsheet just was not cutting it! Find out more about Composer Catalog here: http://www.composercatalog.com/