TAXI Music Review | My Producer/Composer Experience as a Member

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Get our FREE stuff for Making Music Income and Licensing here! makemusicincome.com/free/

[@lauraprincipato8079]

I agree that Michael Laskow is a good guy, and I appreciate your honesty about how to pitch music. Thank you 😊

[@chriswilliamstunes1]

I saw you on Jesse’s channel. I went through his course 4 years ago and it helped so much!! Great stuff!!!!

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Thanks Chris. Yep, Jesse is the man. Great program and tell it like it is videos!

[@jeffwatson6463]

Great comment and advice! I have looked at TAXI quite a bit over the past 20 years or so... I have not pulled the trigger for the reasons you stated. I did not like sending money into a black hole so to speak... On the other hand, getting any music heard by anyone has not been the easiest task I have ever taken on either... Thanks for the information...

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Thanks for watching! I don't think it's a black hole IF you can do the pitching yourself. As I said, they do what they say for sure, but if you can do what they do for free, and get results that you can quantify much quicker, then it may be better to do it yourself without paying them. However, if the months and years pass by and you do nothing to pitch your songs, and you want to pitch your songs to music libraries and music supervisors, TAXI is certainly a valid option.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Please give me your comments on TAXI below! I do want to stress that while they may not for me because I can pitch and hear back quickly from my libraries, if you aren't pitching actively, TAXI can be a great resource that does what they say they do.

[@chriswilliamstunes1]

Great insight. I am trying it again this year after several years. most of my success is from submitting directly to libraries

[@MakeMusicIncome]

I totally think people should do all sorts of things to get their music out and Signed. Taxi certainly is one of those things and one of those ways that can happen. Like you I’ve had much more success submitting directly to libraries.

[@russellaustincomposer1664]

Interesting - Thanks...

[@RLamarDuffy]

Great review, & appreciate your practical comments. Having been a TAXI member decades ago & again in recent years, my biggest disappointment is that it doesn't really seem to be about SONGWRITING any more. The vast majority of the listings seem to want high quality finished recordings. While that is also a useful service, I'm not in a position to create recordings at the level of a Nashville demo studio, & few listings seem interested in a basic demo that presents the song, then allows the artist to take it in the direction their style dictates. So you'll often get something like "the vocals/production really don't sell the song." That being said, I HAVE found it interesting to review the listings, & the brief critiques have been helpful; they do a good job at finding something nice to say along w/ their criticisms, & do sincerely want to be helpful. (I keep waiting for one to come back saying something like: What I liked most--Vocals were perfectly on pitch at 1:27-1:34 .)

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Hey Lamar, totally understand your point here. I think the problem is that there is so much music out there, and people are getting more and more adept at creating high quality music in their home studios. But yes, it helps to have Nashville on your side. It also helps that I have been producing for 25+ years for myself and artists. Perhaps you can partner with someone to get your songs more polished that you send. In this business, you will have to compete every day with the next songwriter/producer who is pumping out high quality mixes. You should check out Jesse’s Sync Academy for great videos on how to make high quality mixes, or you can find tons of people talking about it for free across KZbin. Find one you trust, then do the training. If you need any help let me know. I offer coaching and other things at my web site.

[@darrenglover1427]

Thanks for the great content. I’ve been with taxi for 9/10 months. I’ve had 10 forwards so far but have yet to hear from any libraries….

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Thanks for the intel. Hope you hear back sometime soon. Would you say you are gaining anything for the expense? Learning? Growing?

[@darrenglover1427]

@@MakeMusicIncome I can’t argue that it’s been good practice to learn how to nail briefs.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Absolutely, and one of the most important things you can do with TAXI…learn.

[@Steven_Beddall]

Great review!

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Thanks so much Steve!

[@theopolisIII]

Thank you so much for sharing this

[@MakeMusicIncome]

My pleasure!

[@christineleasterling7703]

Thank you for the advice Eric!

[@MakeMusicIncome]

My pleasure! Hope it helped!

[@fabz1509]

Fantastic video & many thanks for saving me time & money. Would you please give a couple of examples of what you mean by misic libraries?

[@MakeMusicIncome]

There are many kinds of music libraries. An example of an exclusive library is Score Keepers Music. An example of a Non-Exclusive Library is Pond5.

[@fabz1509]

@@MakeMusicIncome Thanks again. Much appreciated.

[@eskaroon]

Thanks for your view on Taxi. It's good to hear about your experience with them. I'm new to your channel and look forward to your future videos. I am a composer who hasn't had the time to write for many years and just getting back to it now. Your video was timely. I wish you well.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Excellent. I have enjoyed this go round with TAXI and have respect for what they do. But as you may see in an upcoming video, it’s not that hard to find sync libraries to pitch to, so using TAXI will be dependent on if you want to do the work pitching, or would rather have a company like TAXI do it for you.

[@chipratliff7736]

Thanks for this Eric! I have been debating on wether to go with Taxi or not. This helps a tone! Thanks again!!!😎👍🏽

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Glad it helped. Talking further with Michael on TAXI TV tonight!

[@freemusicforyourvideos]

John, I greatly appreciate you brother, great input, you certainly helped me make my final decision, and that would be "non interessato" as far as shelling out $300 then 5bucks a pop. The more I listen to his videos I think of John Braheny of LASS where I attended many a sessions back in the 80's paying for listens with the usual replay, " Ya, I hear what your into but its not what were looking for at this time" Direct pitching is always better, you get to tell your story, as my first big brake came from pitching back then directly to an A&R guy with A&M records, left feeling like I hit a grand slam in Yankee stadium. "Information Overload" with all the briefs, is a technique used to distract you & put your mind in fantasy land instead of working on that new track. But as you say, I use his videos and take notes on specific points as it relates to my company. Thanks again, Honest John!

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Great story! Thanks so much!

[@BeckyWrightSongs]

Thanks for this, Eric! I was with TAXI years ago, and it was difficult to afford at the time (single mom then). Had one forward, if I recall, then crickets. Now using (occasionally) Music Xray, same kind of service. But, THANK YOU for suggesting that we just find our own sync licensing sources / music libraries. Definitely going to do that from now on! (I've had several forwards with Music Xray, some songs even selected to BE in a movie right before Covid hit, but now nothing has happened in 17 months on that project.... frustrating!)

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Thanks for the comment Becky! Yes, I feel like things like TAXI and Music X-Ray are okay ways to find opportunities for songs, but in the end just distractions from actually making real connections yourself which is FREE. And things happen much faster than they do with TAXI or Music X-Ray. Maybe a future video will be about how I seek out and find libraries. For now Jesse from Sync My Music has a great videos on finding libraries yourself. I’ll find them and put them in the sync playlist.

[@BeckyWrightSongs]

@@MakeMusicIncome THANK YOU, Eric!!! May the Lord continue to BLESS you, especially as you bless others!

[@antiqueivory7130]

Yeah I've had so many forwards through taxi and never a single response. And it does really bug me how I can submit a song and one reviewer will love it and have only good things to say (wow! amazing song and perfect mix!) and the next will say literally the opposite (needs a stronger hook and the mix is pretty weak!). That was always my biggest frustration. I don't use them anymore.

[@art-solis3135]

When I was with Taxi I had three songs forwarded but never heard anything back about the songs, as you have said has happened to you. I did find an opportunity through their Taxi community listings for musician looking for singers. I was hired by a sound engineer who was working with Sony Music and he needed someone who could sing in Spanish so I got the gig. My voice was used on two of Sony’s karaoke videos. I was able to get a female friend a gig with them as well. I got paid good for doing that. So those gigs came because of Taxi. I did a year with Taxi but I didn’t continue after that. I did find success with Fiverr. Now days the income is more than when I wrote songs with Fiverr. I wrote songs for 21% of the worlds nations and was paid for over 450 songs. Made great money. I don’t know how it is anymore but the cost for a song is high.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Awesome info! Thanks for the intel. I am hearing of some call backs lately, and they are…interesting to say the least. Steve and I may do an episode on this coming up, and Dave Kropf talks about the same thing (meeting people in the TAXI boards) in our latest interview.

[@officiallistengreatmuzik]

how do i find the page where my songs got fowarded? i just recently paid for Taxi and i was very afraid sending that amount of money

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Have you submitted a song? Has it been forwarded? If you have not submitted any songs you cannot be forwarded. IF a song HAS been forwarded, you will only hear something back if the company they forwarded it to is interested.

[@officiallistengreatmuzik]

@@MakeMusicIncome oh ok yes I've submitted a song

[@MakeMusicIncome]

If it is forwarded you will get an email that a song has been forwarded and a review. After that you won’t know unless you are contacted by the library or clients they forwarded it to.

[@officiallistengreatmuzik]

@@MakeMusicIncome ok thank you

[@frankbarbalace1403]

In your Taxi profile page, your songs listed have a check box either unchecked or checked for a forward. That's it. One Producer explained this Taxi process perfectly. Their music requests require knockoffs of the references supplied. It's a challenge for sure.

[@gregcarrozza]

While you mention that one can pitch directly to music publishers, one important aspect that you miss in your review is that Taxi vets every company that requests music from them. In addition, Taxi has a community of members who know from the inside what it is like to work with certain publishers, how many placements those publishers get, and how much those placements pay. There's no way to know those things from searching on the internet. You are right in that the forwarding process is hard to swallow. You can definitely expect results much faster than they may come, if ever. But you also have to realize the publisher side of the business. By the time they get your song, their needs may have changed, they may have already selected something from another source, or the whole project may have been delayed/canceled, etc. There are myriad reasons why you may never hear back. On forwards through Taxi, I have heard from a publisher days after it was forwarded and as long as 10 months after it was forwarded. I’m not defending this part of the process, just giving some examples as to why it is just part of the business and one has to suck it up and deal with it. You showed a clip of a video interview I did with Michael Laskow where I talked about how many tracks I got forwarded before signing a real deal. It was in the 90s and I admitted that I was relatively close to concluding that Taxi wasn’t for me. But in a few short years since then, I have 500 tracks signed across 15 publishers and my income greatly exceeds the amounts I’ve spent with Taxi. One other key aspect of Taxi that you didn’t mention is the Taxi Road Rally which is held once a year in Los Angeles the first weekend of November. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the event was virtual last year and will be virtual this year as well. Hopefully it will return to in person in 2022. The information presented and the networking opportunities both with publishers and fellow composers/songwriters is invaluable. The event is free for members and one guest; Just have to get yourself to LA. I have been to other music conferences that are very geared toward being a sales pitch and other attendees are reserved. The Taxi Road Rally is filled with members who want to work together to improve themselves in this business. Relationships I have made at the rally have been pivotal in my career. Lastly, I agree that Taxi is not for everyone. Many composers/songwriters spend a lot of effort trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. They’ve written a few songs that they think are great and think everyone should think they are great. And they may very well be great but the only way to be successful with Taxi (and the whole industry of music for film/tv/media in my opinion) is to write music that matches the listings as best as possible. You have to be agile, willing to make changes, adapt and accept constructive criticism. And just keep writing; not one, 2 or 3 songs, but hundreds. I do encourage people to join especially in 2022; submit music, get the feedback, improve your music, attend the rally in November. If it’s not working out for you, Taxi will refund your membership fee.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

First off Greg, thanks so much for replying personally to this review. I really enjoyed your video with Michael, and hope to one day interview him for this channel. I think I was careful to say that even though it is seeming to not be right for ME at this time, you certainly (and many others) have built string careers using their services. I mentioned that in publishing (related to TAXI, or in Nashville, or anywhere) you seldom hear back from publishers even if they go as far as to put a hold on your song. And I also said, there's likely no way TAXI can solve this "post-forward" problem because...music business! ;) What you said in your video was important for people to hear. That's why I highlighted it. My experience has been different and this was my personal review after almost a year with TAXI getting one forward on about 20 tries, while at the same time having a particularly good year finding three exclusive libraries and over 100 signings. So in my case, it makes more sense not to pay to submit especially now. I haven't been able to attend a Road Rally except online, but everyone tells me the same thing. Excited for the online one soon. And to respond to your past paragraph, agreed, TAXI is not for everyone. I am probably a bit less interested in writing for briefs. In truth, my one forward this year was something I wrote specifically for the TAXI brief. But I don't enjoy that as much as writing and producing what I want, THEN finding a home for it. But agree on writing a LOT. It's the only way to really have success in licensing, and to grow as a writer. Thanks again! EC

[@soldierofyhvh5966]

Brother, you hit in the nose!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@abevon6152]

Thx for the info! What music libraries do you recommend looking into to pitch directly ?

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Any you can find. Google is the first great resource! Jesse has a great ebook about this on @syncmymusic

[@Ryconmusic]

just paid the 300 and started submitting hopefully i have good luck

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Good luck!! Remember to read every word of the briefs and not just the song type. Listen to the examples, chart them out, then write something with a similar form, key, tempo, etc. If the examples are major key, submit a song in a major key, if minor then minor. It’s tempting to submit something that is already made and “kinda close” but don’t!

[@Ryconmusic]

@@MakeMusicIncome I appreciate the insight and info!

[@wildbird78]

You actually do know if it's going to be used. If the library emails you back, and want your tracks, then they are going to use it. If you get a forward, and then don't hear back from the library, then that means they don't want it. They state in the briefs whether they are for an exclusive or non exclusive situation. So knowing that, you know that if you submit to an exclusive opportunity, you shouldn't also submit that same track to Motion Array. Isn't it worth it to wait around a few days to find out if a really good music library wants your track or not? If you don't hear back within a week or two, then submit to Motion Array and whoever else. In the meantime just submit and forget, and move on to your next composition. I don't ever wait around for more than a week or two after a forward when submitting to an exclusive brief. The forwards usually land on the publishers desk within a day or two of the forward, and they are actively checking to see if any forwards are what they are looking for. And they will contact you ASAP. They're not going to get a forward, decide they like it, and then sit on it for 6 months to tell you. They're going to contact you within a few days of the forward if they want your track. Otherwise they wouldn't pay Taxi to actively be looking for music for them. Nice content you have here Eric, I'm subbed.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

I see what you mean, and I was talking more about pitching to other exclusive libraries while waiting. But, only you can pick the time you think fair to wait and then start pitching or uploading elsewhere. The beauty of Pond 5, AJ, and MA is you can take them down just as easy (although MA has a 15 day wait I believe) if you do get a call weeks or months later that they want the track. And sure, if it's a non-exclusive deal then you have no worries putting it up to other RF libraries. Thanks for the comment!

[@_Only_Zuul]

so then what is the best option for newbies in this business? if you're just simply wanting to put your music out there and see what happens? are there any great libraries that are free to join and submit music to?

[@MakeMusicIncome]

See my Pond5 video here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKHFYX57g7yrqcU

[@jeffh3409]

I just watched another video of a person that used Taxi. During her first year, she had 70 submissions (that's $350 out of pocket I assume on top of the annual fee of $300 she paid). Of those, 55 were returned. The other 15 were forwarded but...as you indicated...she heard NOTHING. After her first year with Taxi, she had ZERO sales. Hmmm - $650 with no return does not make much sense as an investment. Even with the $100 off coupon, I am not sure $200 makes sense. They have a great marketing campaign because I sure am tempted but will check out other companies too. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Would love to see this video. Yes, I agree. While I do find some value in it especially if you WANT to practice writing for briefs, or push yourself to compose timely (which dated briefs make you do), then I think it;s good. But I don’t have enough evidence in my use or those who I know personally who have been forwarded and even contacted (by libraries and various other “music biz folks”) that it is worth the money. All the libraries I am in, I contacted and sent in my music and got in.

[@aidavocal8839]

Should the songs that you submit to Taxi be copyrighted? (Or to any music library) or it doesn't matter? I will add that create my own music 100%, including songwriting.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

I would not copyright them (formally, technically they are formatted the moment you write them in the US.) There may be a deal where a library or company wants to become the publisher and administer the copyrights.

[@Sekosh]

Could you explain please, do you first find an exclusive library and then compose for them or.... you already have some material and seek out for the libraries? Thanks for the info!

[@MakeMusicIncome]

You will need to have catalog to show the exclusive library that you have what they are looking for or what they need. Songs always come first. I suggest building several albums in certain styles (whatever your favorite or best style is) and then pitching those 10+ song albums to the music libraries you find. With TAXI briefs it will also pay to have material ready in case one of your songs gets forwarded. I have heard a story recently where a library got in touch with someone whose music was forwarded to them, but the person only had the one song! So missed opportunity,

[@Sekosh]

@@MakeMusicIncome So you write songs and pitch them to exclusive libraries in the first place, wait for their decision and if not accepted you send those to non exclusive libraries, correct?

[@MakeMusicIncome]

That’s one possible way, although you are likely to make more income long term by continuing to shop them for bigger exclusive deals and libraries. Stock is turning into more of a zero sum game now I’m afraid.

[@natmarie6450]

Thanks for the honest review. I'm not going with Taxi. You've saved me money. 😊😊

[@MakeMusicIncome]

You bet. Make sure you see my renew video too. I have been submitting more and had a few forwards. I likely will not renew this year though. Other free ways to get songs into licensing.

[@natmarie6450]

@@MakeMusicIncome will do. Subscribed. Thanks again 😊😊😊 ps. Highly entertaining as well as informative video btw 📹😍

[@bradallenmusic]

Tried taxi years ago. My experience wasn't a good one. Like paying someone to slap you in the face or insult you😀

[@bradallenmusic]

The one thing I would advise is find people who will start giving you free feedback before you start paying for it - maybe a friend that produces or a free forum or Facebook group

[@MakeMusicIncome]

LOL. I firmly believe you can be a better middleman for your music. More about that coming out today.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Agreed. I do a Music Review live show for free once a month, and our Discord is also a great place to get feedback.

[@danweber8170]

I hope you stick it out and try to get more forwards. I know you've heard it before but it really does, most of the time, take a lot of forwards before the first deal or a yes as you put it. Took me around 30. But I really like the comment you made about taxi being around a long while and is a reputable company. It definitely is all of that. For that reason alone taxi is worth it for me but having the chance to have my music in the music industry and critiques from experienced and very knowledgeable screeners from the music business itself, it's a no-brainer for this old guy. congratulations on your forward. You may never hear back from the company your track was sent to but then again, that company or music supervisor that received your track, May hold on to it for something else in the future. The best advice I can give you or anyone thinking about joining is, be persistent in your music Creation and your attitude towards this business. A lot of determination mixed with some positivity, pays off. It did for me, I have hundreds of tracks in libraries around the world now thanks to taxi. Happy New Year and good luck.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

You need to see this video where I talked more about TAXI and made my announcement about rejoining or not. I also had a terrific interview with Greg Carrozza about his personal experience with TAXI including detailed stats on how many submissions per month, how many forwards aster all his submissions, and how much he heard back from forwards. Quite revealing. Also, expect some very revealing new info about TAXI in the coming week from this channel. But bottom line I like TAXI and use it to prompt me to write. I’ve gotten many songs signed into different deals because I was prompted to write it for a brief.

[@mitchelledels9762]

Just got into taxi .I listened to almost all the songs these companies want .The country music and jazz is fine .The other. Music I heard from these companies were terrible,BAD. Some of the companies taxi delt with did not impress . The Nashville companies look like they were legit. Too much time for the money you put out

[@palabrajotbabylon]

Taxi is a complete waste of time and money. On the production music side of things I am very lucky to have worked with a few libraries that pay up front $300-750 per track and I keep all songwriting share. There is another company I work with where the composers all right to briefs on spec, but the library has a subscription deal with a major network, so almost guaranteed to be used. These are hard to come by situations and it took 5 years to build. I tried Taxi and they rejected pieces that went on to make decent money in other places, and as a demo landed album contracts with legit libraries. For example they said that the production level on a track wasn't high enough, and the same piece was placed in a well know show on Amazon Prime by the music editor from Lord of the Rings. They also rejected klezmer piece because of an accelerando, which is kind of a thing in that type of music. Their reviewers have a limited window of understanding music outside of the narrow confines of what could be used in bad reality TV, which is what most of the companies advertising on Taxi are looking for. I understand how this process could aid libraries who get flooded with submissions and sort of weed out the garbage. However it casts the submitters as reeking of desperation and thats the footing you have going into a deal. I feel like this degrades composers into being beggars rather than as craftsmen and artists. Higher end music houses do listen if you send them a demo, but it has to be good. Send to 20-30 companies and you'll get a handful of responses, or they will reach out 2 years later when they need something that you do. The majority of work that I have comes from meeting people in person and recommendations, so reach out to people who are successful in this world and help them out. It will come back to you. Ignore people who want money just to listen it lowers the bar for all of us.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

Very good real world answer and not just a “TAXI Scam” answer. Agree with all of this. Talked about this in my latest video about how to find and contact libraries.

[@jayfblank]

$300/yr * (let's just fudge a number - 10,000 members - the more you market, the more members you get, right?) = $3,000,000 base income for this company and it's employees. IF they only have 10,000 members. After reading stories, I feel like maybe we're only making them comfortable.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

You may be right!

[@yasminevine]

Thank you for all this great info! I knew someone who used to work at Taxi Kenny Kerner who is now in heaven. I have been thinking of joining. Im not crazy about the fact that you have to pay $5 a song in addition to $300 yearly.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

My experience is to watch the briefs. Are you able to write and produce the level of what they show in the examples? They are pretty stringent about the songs being very close to the examples. As far as the price, I think if you are submitting regularly to libraries yourself, you can save yourself the $300 and the $5 per submissions file. I have had hundreds of songs signed to exclusive libraries that I simply emailed the library (for free), but so far spent $500+ over about a year and a half with TAXI for just a few forwards with no response. So for ME not sure it’s going to be worth the $ moving forward. Your experience may be different.

[@yasminevine]

@@MakeMusicIncome are there other opportunities besides song placement at Taxi? I'm a singer/Songwriter looking for networking and A&R in addition to placements.

[@MakeMusicIncome]

They used to and sometimes still do offer listings for A&R but I don’t think enough to pay for it.