TAXI TV

Latest Episodes:

Studio Stories And Techniques With 5X Grammy - Winning Producer Engineer Rob Chiarelli[052024] May 21, 2024

Show notes

It’s been quite a while since we’ve had one of your very favorite guests on TAXI TV, so I’m happy to let you know that 5-time Grammy-winner Rob Chiarelli will be my guest on this week’s TAXI TV! If you’re not already familiar with Rob’s career, you can learn more about him here: https://www.finalmix.com/ Rob and I have been close friends for several decades, and we love to talk about mixing, mics, production, and even finding success in the sync market. We spent three hours trading studio stories and techniques at dinner last night. Our waiter kept asking, “Is there anything else I can get you guys?” He was anxious to get us out of there, but we weren’t having it ;-) I wish you could have been there. I’m sure we’ll re-create the magic on this week’s show! Remind me to ask Rob about the time he was trapped in a burning apartment building with a big pop star! Seriously close call!!! Ask Your Questions During the Live Show… Rob and I will also be taking questions in real-time from the viewers in the Chat Room during the show. Want to know our recommended drum mics, ask us! Is your bottom end poofy and flabby? We can tell you how to fix that! Reverb settings, panning, compressor settings, EQ, and anything else you can think of will all be on the table, so join us to get answers from a seasoned pro! Live Viewers Get a FREE New FinalMix Plugin! Join us for the live broadcast, and you’ll get a code for a FREE plugin from Rob’s software company, FinalMix. He was raving about a new plugin that’s not even up on his website yet, and he’s going to give it away to every live audience member. Honestly, I’ve never seen him this excited about one of his plugins, so you don’t want to miss out on this giveaway. You need to be in the Chatroom during the live broadcast to get it. If you miss the show, you’ll miss your chance!

Is Your Money In This Music Organization's Bank [051324] May 14, 2024

Show notes

Frankly, I just can’t seem to wrap my head around what the MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) does. I think I’m reasonably intelligent, but that’s just my opinion and I’m biased ;-) But, every time I hear what the MLC does and who might have money coming to them, I understand it at the moment, then can’t remember the complexities an hour later. Michael Eames is VERY involved with the MLC and explains it better than anybody I know. He’s also one of the smartest people I’ve ever met in our industry. Really! When he tells me how important the work the MLC is doing, I believe him. If you want to understand what it does, and if there’s any money owed to you sitting in their bank account, do NOT miss this episode of TAXI TV! I think there’s a window in which you have to claim it, but as I said, I could be wrong ;-)

How Worried Should Musicians Be About AI [042924] Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

AI and its effect on music creation is likely the most talked about topic of the year amongst musicians. And, while I haven’t wanted to jump on the click-bait bandwagon like so many other music-related YouTube channels have, I also don’t want to stick our collective heads in the sand. It’s early in the game but also a party to which you don’t want to be late. My personal feeling is, that histrionics are bad and balance is good. I was catching up with my old friend, Todd Herreman this week, and he had some interesting and balanced views on the topic of AI, and I’ve asked him to join us on this week’s TAXI TV to share his thoughts and insights. By the way, Todd was a valued member of TAXI’s A&R team for several years. He knows and understands indie musicians! 🚨 WARNING: Viewer Discretion is Advised: This video contains some "spicy" language. Please advise near: 56:42, 1:06:51, 1:14:18, 1:22:09, 1:23:39, 1:31:23, 1:32:30.

Ask TAXI Music's CEO Any Question! [LIVE Music Industry Q&A][042224] Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

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 today'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 ;-)

Would You Forward This Music Or Not A&R Ear Training[041524] Apr 16, 2024

Show notes

Our viewers love it when we do the “A&R Hot Seat” episodes, and here’s why… “Michael, I’ve learned so much from the A&R Hot Seat episodes on TAXI TV! Can you please do them more often? My music has improved quite a bit because it’s much easier to be objective when deciding what works and what doesn’t about somebody else’s music rather than my own.” —Timothy Reardon We’ve been hearing the same thing from other viewers for years! With that in mind, on this week’s TAXI TV, we’ll be making A&R decisions on two types of music: Light-hearted, organic Instrumental Cues and Christmas Songs. I’m back in Los Angeles, and this will be a LIVE episode with some FREE prizes to celebrate our first live episode in several weeks. If you’d like to have a shot at winning a copy of one of these two incredible books, you’ll need to watch the live episode and be present in the Chat Room.

Music Marketing For The Indie Musician With Bobby Borg![040824] Apr 09, 2024

Show notes

Bobby Borg joined me on TAXI TV a couple weeks ago and after the show ended, I realized how much more we could have covered. Specifically, I felt that we could have gone more in-depth on the subject of marketing for musicians. He’s the perfect person to talk about it because he’s the author of, Music Marketing for The DIY Musician. But, he’s much more than the author of that book!

The 5 Mistakes That New Songwriters Make, With Robin Frederick![032524] Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

Do you believe that you’re either born with talent or you’re not? Do you believe that hit songwriters just pop out of their mother’s bellies imbued with the gift of writing great songs? I don’t! All the hit songwriters I’ve met during my career have gone to great lengths to learn the craft of songwriting. And they keep working at their craft to stay current and relevant as styles and the public’s preferences change with the times. There’s something else that hit songwriters have in common, but few will ever admit it. They ALL made a ton of mistakes in the beginning! Many of those mistakes are common to virtually all beginning songwriters. But, if you don’t know what those common mistakes are, you keep making them over-and-over until they become career-killing habits! “Career-killing” as in; your career as a hit songwriter never materializes. You stay stuck in “amateur-land” no matter how many years you keep writing songs. Please don’t think of me as being rude or harsh for asking this, but, how many years have you been writing songs? And if you’re completely honest with yourself, how many hit songs have you written in all those years? You’ll stop making those common mistakes once you know what they are… And best-selling author of Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting, Robin Frederick is the perfect person to tell you exactly what those mistakes are, and how to avoid making them as you finally move your career forward! That’s why I’ve asked Robin to join us on this week’s episode of TAXI TV!

Business Basics For Musicians With Bobby Borg![03182024] Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

You can be an extremely talented musician with songs that sound like they’re destined to fly to the top of the charts or TV instrumentals that could earn a bunch of mailbox money, but there’s another “factor” that could stop key music industry executives from wanting to work with you —lacking business skills. More specifically, MUSIC business skills! Which musician would you sign? Given the choice of working with an artist, composer, songwriter, or producer who has a decent, working knowledge of how the “sausage is made” VS the musician who thinks great music is all they need, the industry executives I’ve worked with for nearly 50 years always seem to sign deals with musicians who have their business s#!t together. Why is that? Because the musicians who understand the business side of the music business are easier to work with, and almost always make more money for all parties involved. Who would you work with?

Musicians Have You Ever Had Self - Doubt [031124] Mar 12, 2024

Show notes

Who among us hasn't had self-doubt at one time or another? It might be so bad that it keeps you stuck in the same place—career-wise—for your entire life! Maybe in other ways, as well! If you're anything like me, meeting people who prove that you can be anything you want to be can change the outcome of your life in an instant. Kim Tibbs is one of those incredibly rare, super-inspiring musicians. She's an unstoppable force of nature with a list of impressive accomplishments that didn't come easily. Kim accomplished her goals with a burning desire, a clear vision, and a willingness to work hard. If you're feeling stuck, uninspired, or need to find your true path, spending some time with Kim Tibbs could be the "thing" that becomes your life-changing moment. Trust me, you'll feel inspired to reach higher and accomplish more by the time you finish this very special episode of TAXI TV!

Will A.I. Replace Composers And Artists .[030424]mp4 Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

Stephanie Reid is a super-smart music licensing executive who has a really interesting take on the Artificial Intelligence kerfuffle, as it relates to the music industry. Are you trepidatious? Have you lost sleep because you’ve spent years building your sync career, and now it looks like Robbie the Robot is going to force you into busking on street corners in the not-too-distant future? Now that you’ve listened to all the other prognosticators shouting, “The sky is falling!” you should hear what my incredibly well-informed, and well-reasoned friend Steph has to say. Try and poke holes in her logic and see how that goes. And while you’re at it, listen to how she thinks the blockchain could dramatically improve the music publishing industry! Put your thinking caps on gang! This episode is chock-full of great information, and I’m curious to see how you feel after watching it!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected