Hello everyone.
I'm a new member - truly grateful to have stumbled upon this gold mine of no-holds-barred experience and wisdom.
If I may, I'd like to pick your brains about music libraries and spots.
(Full disclosure: as the principal of a new library targeted to advertising, I'm eager for feedback on how I might earn your business someday...)
Question #1: About the marketplace and vendors...
My thinking up to now has been:
1) The supply of music far exceeds demand. Music of all kinds (and quality) can be had legally for nothing or next to it. So, any newcomer must offer a really killer value proposition to get any attention at all.
2) At the highest end, custom music houses and licensed pop music (ranging from unknown indies to major artists) will get most or all of the business.
3) At the lowest end, cost will win, so even the most generic stock music will do.
4) Somewhere between those extremes, there is a niche market that can be served by higher-calibre libraries. However, even those essentially offer music that is untargeted, i.e. not specifically aimed at the kind of style and sensibility that usually works well in commercials.
5) A company that caters to that niche market, has a viable catalog, cares about results as much as clients do, and does it all at competitive rates should have a shot in this marketplace.
Reasonable?
Question #2: About finding the right music...
From reading the COW forums, I get the sense that many of you dread the music selection process - even if you're just temping. Simply too little time, and too much music, and it's very unsatisfying.
I'm wondering if, like me, you find the websites and search engines at most music libraries to be a real pain? You wade through tons of verbiage and dancing widgets to get to a complicated search engine, and then the search returns a huge list of (sometimes unremarkable) music, with titles and descriptions that rarely help you decide what to listen to.
My thinking is that folks would prefer a library that has a straightforward website / search and a selective catalog, doesn't overwhelm you with CDs, DVDs, drives, etc., and will give specific recommendations or referrals if called.
True?
Question #3: Is it useful to you if a library offers to do edits, alterations, or even customizations (at no charge)?
Thanks everyone - I appreciate your time and advice.
Jack Gray
Shord and Sweed Music: profile on CreativeCow
Shord and Sweed Music: website
