I am enjoying this series of 'Do not Sync'. Did the graphic design and web coding gig for some time in another age. You have a meeting or brief as to the job. Half the time clients don't know what they want or do not understand scope (in relation to scripting and adding ridiculous software features) The other half are just peaches to deal with. Looks to be the same case with custom music projects. I've known mix engineers lose their crap and never properly compensated for labor. I rather waste intellectual capital and time and mistakes on own music. Profitable not really but I may live longer and not go crazy. If you are absolutely unscathed, not jaded by working in retail. You are practiced and ready to work in the music industry. If you have been a contractor or temp worker in 50+ workplaces, you understand humanity Talent and education offers more opportunities, a level a what is abstractly called emotional IQ might take one further. I absolutely lack it much of the time, and considering the news and tragedies of late, I am probably average.
Thanks for bringing up the politics aspect of the biz. The longer and deeper you dive into this field, the more clarity you get on the darker elements one has to deal with (which is no different from any business)...takes a solid disposition, business savviness, and people skills to maneuver through the bureaucracy where it starts benefiting you instead of suppressing your progress
Im grateful to have known this side of he business alteady as an artist. There's going to be tons of No throughout your career and politics and favors RUN RAMPANT in this industry!! I really appreciate your tips (and other comments here too) about taking a chance on those briefs with being a bit unique. That mindset leads to a broader strategy and actually should be relieving to most of us producers in that being unique and yourself somehow in the middle of being a service can be very exciting and fullfilling. But again, if Who you know is very much at play here, get ready to play that angle and work on the networking🤝
The subjective part is a killer. I have the most placements with this show Catfish on MTV. To this day I couldn’t tell you why they got picked. It’s funny because I’m in two libraries that both sent me the same brief. However it’s always the one that gets me placements on the show and the other one doesn’t even though I’m making the same type of music for both. I started doing what you said with making slightly different cues pushing the boundaries of the brief while trying to stay within the brief. I think the big problem is people who are non musical don’t know how to describe what they want.
Yes, to me this is THE most frustrating aspect to sync licensing. I've had tracks rejected or passed over where the brief and/or reference tracks were completely misleading. One scenario that comes to mind was one time where the brief asked for "dobro", so I spent the time to craft a dobro part as the feature of my track (playing the dobro myself and putting in the time to make it sound good in the track, in tune, etc). Then after submitting the track they rejected it, complaining about the "twangy" slide guitar (which is what a dobro naturally sounds like). It was clear from their feedback that they asked for dobro, but had no idea what it sounded like. Lesson learned. Briefs can be misleading, and reference tracks as well.
I just got rejected by one of the royalty free music libraries. The email said that my music was good but not the right fit. Tough to hear but that's the game. Have to beat back the toxic thoughts and get on to the next.
One day I received a brief from a studio manager that said: modern dance music. I did about 4 different demos trying to capture the dance club vibe and they were all rejected by the client. After I asked for more specific explanations, the client sent a reference track... and it was typical 80's R&B music!!! I can't describe how furious I was. But this is what we have to deal with🤣
Bring on video for! I've had this scenario with Videos three happened to me, so I'm used to it. It's annoying yes, but it is what it is. Keep telling it like it is! Bring on video for! I'm ready.
Amen to that! I came very close to being accepted by a library. I made the "mistake" of telling the guy that I had made children's music in the past and he asked for a meeting on Zoom. Come to find out, he was being asked a lot for that type of stuff. I had an album of finished music ready to go and sent it to him, but when he asked me to compose lyrics and vocals ala "Baby Shark", I was disappointed because I wasn't interested in doing that kind of music anymore. It was then that I decided I wasn't right for this industry. That said, I still love listening to Jesse just because it's refreshing to hear common sense and reasonableness. That's what keeps me coming back.
Didn't get the gig? That's a bummer. It happens all the time. Take the track you did for that pitch and make an entire album of that kinda stuff. Then find a library to take it.
You had me convinced sync isn't worth the risk when at some point you mentioned in a video that you have to sign a contract that indemnifies the library in the case they get sued for infringement if they place your material. I realize it's unlikely to occur, but why take such a risk, that someone who is lawsuit happy thinks your music may (even if by coincidence) too similar to their music and then sues you.
This serie of videos is gold
I am enjoying this series of 'Do not Sync'.
Did the graphic design and web coding gig for some time in another age. You have a meeting or brief as to the job. Half the time clients don't know what they want or do not understand scope (in relation to scripting and adding ridiculous software features)
The other half are just peaches to deal with.
Looks to be the same case with custom music projects. I've known mix engineers lose their crap and never properly compensated for labor.
I rather waste intellectual capital and time and mistakes on own music. Profitable not really but I may live longer and not go crazy. If you are absolutely unscathed, not jaded by working in retail. You are practiced and ready to work in the music industry.
If you have been a contractor or temp worker in 50+ workplaces, you understand humanity Talent and education offers more opportunities, a level a what is abstractly called emotional IQ might take one further.
I absolutely lack it much of the time, and considering the news and tragedies of late, I am probably average.
Thanks for bringing up the politics aspect of the biz. The longer and deeper you dive into this field, the more clarity you get on the darker elements one has to deal with (which is no different from any business)...takes a solid disposition, business savviness, and people skills to maneuver through the bureaucracy where it starts benefiting you instead of suppressing your progress
Im grateful to have known this side of he business alteady as an artist. There's going to be tons of No throughout your career and politics and favors RUN RAMPANT in this industry!! I really appreciate your tips (and other comments here too) about taking a chance on those briefs with being a bit unique. That mindset leads to a broader strategy and actually should be relieving to most of us producers in that being unique and yourself somehow in the middle of being a service can be very exciting and fullfilling. But again, if Who you know is very much at play here, get ready to play that angle and work on the networking🤝
The subjective part is a killer. I have the most placements with this show Catfish on MTV. To this day I couldn’t tell you why they got picked. It’s funny because I’m in two libraries that both sent me the same brief. However it’s always the one that gets me placements on the show and the other one doesn’t even though I’m making the same type of music for both.
I started doing what you said with making slightly different cues pushing the boundaries of the brief while trying to stay within the brief. I think the big problem is people who are non musical don’t know how to describe what they want.
3:04 hear you brother - thanks again for your time and for keeping it real for us!
Yes, to me this is THE most frustrating aspect to sync licensing. I've had tracks rejected or passed over where the brief and/or reference tracks were completely misleading. One scenario that comes to mind was one time where the brief asked for "dobro", so I spent the time to craft a dobro part as the feature of my track (playing the dobro myself and putting in the time to make it sound good in the track, in tune, etc). Then after submitting the track they rejected it, complaining about the "twangy" slide guitar (which is what a dobro naturally sounds like). It was clear from their feedback that they asked for dobro, but had no idea what it sounded like. Lesson learned. Briefs can be misleading, and reference tracks as well.
I just got rejected by one of the royalty free music libraries. The email said that my music was good but not the right fit. Tough to hear but that's the game. Have to beat back the toxic thoughts and get on to the next.
One day I received a brief from a studio manager that said: modern dance music. I did about 4 different demos trying to capture the dance club vibe and they were all rejected by the client. After I asked for more specific explanations, the client sent a reference track... and it was typical 80's R&B music!!! I can't describe how furious I was. But this is what we have to deal with🤣
Damn..... I feel this video in my soul!
Bring on video for! I've had this scenario with Videos three happened to me, so I'm used to it. It's annoying yes, but it is what it is. Keep telling it like it is! Bring on video for! I'm ready.
Amen to that!
I came very close to being accepted by a library. I made the "mistake" of telling the guy that I had made children's music in the past and he asked for a meeting on Zoom. Come to find out, he was being asked a lot for that type of stuff. I had an album of finished music ready to go and sent it to him, but when he asked me to compose lyrics and vocals ala "Baby Shark", I was disappointed because I wasn't interested in doing that kind of music anymore. It was then that I decided I wasn't right for this industry.
That said, I still love listening to Jesse just because it's refreshing to hear common sense and reasonableness. That's what keeps me coming back.
Video 3 of learning of this business and I’m going through with this 🎉The commitment for me is real
Haha can’t stop me bro
✌️❤
Didn't get the gig? That's a bummer. It happens all the time. Take the track you did for that pitch and make an entire album of that kinda stuff. Then find a library to take it.
Came back for more. LOL
You had me convinced sync isn't worth the risk when at some point you mentioned in a video that you have to sign a contract that indemnifies the library in the case they get sued for infringement if they place your material. I realize it's unlikely to occur, but why take such a risk, that someone who is lawsuit happy thinks your music may (even if by coincidence) too similar to their music and then sues you.
For some of us, taking the risk happens because we either do sync or bust.
0:03 😂