Okay guys, maybe the topic seems to indicate that this will be a rant of why Audio Jungle shouldn’t have rejected one of my tracks, but it will be anything but that. I have had a problem with the AJ rejection email for some time, but I couldn’t seem to put my finger on why until now.
I hope this will actually be a source of encouragement and hope for some.
First of all, I do not doubt the expertise and the ability of the reviewers.
“they must be of high aesthetic and technical quality”
Aesthetics in art is relating to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellect.
Related to technical quality, if they are referring to being precise in your performance, then aesthetics can be diametrically opposed to technical quality. If a performance is too technically precise it can lack emotion and not have as great effect on the sensations (therefore lacking an aesthetic quality).
technical ability in music does not necessarily relate specifically to a technically precise performance, and in some ways is more related to the many approaches to musicianship. There are several different types of techniques, some of which are more or less technical on a precision level. We can hardly call Free Jazz(a sub genre of jazz) technical in a precise way but it does, however, require a lot of technical ability.
Have you heard the Title Screen Music to Despicable Me 2? that’s not free jazz, but there is something interested about the drum beat. It gets off tempo a little bit (it it very swing like at times). This is a technique that requires a lot of technical ability, but is not technically precise in the traditional sense (that would defeat the purpose). I wonder if AJ would have accepted that track?
“Unique to our library.” If that were followed, then 90% of the corporate inspiration tracks would be rejected. I don’t think I have to explain this one any further.
Keep in mind that there are many artists who were rejected by big record labels or had certain works rejected. Some examples: The Beatles were rejected (I think by EMI?) because they didn’t appear to have any appeal or sell-ability. Lady Gaga was dropped from her label just before her single was to be released. Wilco had their album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot rejected and also lost the label. Brian Wilson’s (well, the Beach Boy’s) Pet Sounds was a failure at the time and was rejected by some of the other members.
I am sure there are many more examples. Anytime you have imperfect people (everyone is) there is going to be rejections of good music. Don’t take it personal. That doesn’t mean your music is bad. Be true to yourself and search and discover and seek to continually improve.
This is a royalty free market, where they are generally looking for slick, overprod…hhmmm well produced, poppy, sell-able (well, of course) music.
When it comes to the true heart and quality of music, these can sometimes be at opposite ends of the spectrum. America’s Got Talent and American Idol may have poisoned our minds by thinking that from a great band or musician is required perfection. Not so! If you take most great, even iconic artists of the past, most were not perfect in their singing or their musicianship. One great example is Bob Dylan. What you want to do is connect on an emotional level. I believe that even the kinds of people who search on AJ for music are the same. It’s just that we’re stuck in this rut of thinking great music must be perfect in almost every way.
Great music at it’s heart is felt, not studied and analyzed. You can study or analyze great music to feel it more strongly, but without the feeling part, all is pointless.
Rejection does not = you’re bad or a failure.
While I reject the wording of the email itself, I understand this is a certain kind of business and they’re looking for specific things. But please AJ, consider just sending an email saying simply "sorry we could not accept your track"
I’d almost prefer that to your half explanation that seems to put your critique on a pedestal.
What you are saying is that our music is not of “high aesthetic and technical quality” by saying that you only accept music that falls into that category. You also don’t seem to realize that aesthetics and technical quality is far more subjective than you think.
You don’t have to write that to make sure we know you have expertise and some kind of precedent in rejecting our work.
I know some want even more explanation. I want less. Just tell me sorry.
