Hello, I have had a few hard rejections lately and have reached out to many people for advice, even some top authors here who have been terrific to communicate with and have had wonderful feedback. So far the only really constructive criticism I have gotten is that my mixes need slight adjustments, typically in the low mids or high end spectrum. Other than that I haven’t had any recording/mastering/samples or commercial composition/arrangement comments. Usually when one of my items has an EQ issue, the reviewers soft reject with a solution on how to correct it and I fix it. The item is then approved, makes a few sales and then it drifts off down the list and only makes sales when new items get approved (We all know this process).
For the past few rejections I am at a loss, can any one of you helpful friends tell me why this item is not suitable for AJ?
AJ if you would like to start providing me some helpful feedback other than generic responses that would be terrific, I know I haven’t made much for your company, but I have contributed. I always appreciate a soft rejection with a solution on how to get the item approved, but a hard rejection with no comment, just being left to make the same mystery mistake over and over and over again is gut wrenching. I am here to work together not make things stressful or make more work for anyone, I would appreciate the same treatment in return.
The first thing I think about when I hear this track is the overuse of the slide up. I would keep it to a minimum and only use it at maybe the end before going to the next chord, if at all. It gets so distracting when it’s heard over and over again.
I think you could come up with a more interesting whistling melody too.
I’ve noticed the following things that might be the main reasons for rejection:
The intro is nearly 20 seconds long. I’ve heard approved songs here with longer intros though, but they were in a different genre. In this simple-shiny-happy-fun scene I think you have to start up the “main engines” earlier.
I’d try to make the clapping/snapping sound more natural: less high end and a bit more mid range maybe.
The arrangement is a bit “flat”. It’s a two minute track, and at around 0:30 it reaches the top energy of the whole song.
I hope this helps.
Other than these, the sounds and the mix is great, the uke is well recorded and tracked, the bells are “well played”, so it shouldn’t take much to get this approved.
Hi!
I think there are a few problems with this song:
Long intro
Slide at ukulele very specific
Drums sound not commercial (there are so much high frequencies, OH very loud, kick drums and snare are very specific).
Track to repetitive
Try to add some another melodies to create more interesting arrangement and mix it with better (and delete slide:) ), more professional sound and it will be cool. Mood of track is very cool! Good luck!
Hi,
there’s something wrong with claps (and snare?), after-beat is really “laidback” and the pulse doesn’t work.
it’s ok for hip hop but for this kind of track you should quantize the rhythmic parts.
for me this is the main reason for hard reject (and yes, too much high frequencies on rhythmic)
Thank you! @soundcity@luckyblackcat@sixidebeats@flumen this is way better constructive criticism. I really need a mentor to collaborate with before submitting tracks, I just don’t have a good enough I think for my own music.
Cool track! I think the poblem is not long into or somthing…its claps and snares. They’re too agressive, pulsing like a devil with gatling gun and probably yes, pretty sharp for this kind of music. But overall, its nice sounding and on par with many other ukulele quality tracks here.
