TAXI TV

Does your music sound dated? Have you ever received feedback that your production sounds outdated, but nobody can explain exactly why or what you should change?

In this episode of TAXI TV, acclaimed engineer and producer Ronan Chris Murphy breaks down common music production mistakes that can make songs sound dated, less contemporary, or inconsistent with the sound you're trying to achieve.

Ronan joins TAXI founder Michael Laskow to explore what separates modern-sounding music from productions that feel stuck in the past. He'll explain what to listen for, why certain production choices can undermine your track, and how to make more informed decisions about your sound.

Plus, Ronan will give live feedback on three songs submitted by TAXI members, identifying opportunities to improve their production and make them sound more contemporary.

IN THIS EPISODE:
- Why some songs and instrumentals sound dated
- Common music production mistakes that make tracks feel outdated
- How to make your music sound more contemporary
- Production choices that affect the overall vibe of a song
- What professional producers listen for when evaluating a mix
- How to identify areas for improvement in your own productions
- Live song feedback from engineer and producer Ronan Chris Murphy

WIN A THREE-SONG MASTERING PACKAGE!

Ronan is also giving away a free three-song mastering package valued at $300, completed remotely through his Veneto West Studio. The session can be used anytime before November 1, 2027.

Whether you're a songwriter, independent artist, producer, composer, or musician pursuing sync licensing, understanding how your production sounds can make a major difference in presenting your music professionally.

Learn how to recognize dated production, make smarter creative decisions, and give your tracks a more contemporary sound.

Can you use AI-generated music for sync licensing? And is TAXI really the only company drawing a line around AI-generated music?

In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow takes a deeper look at the growing debate surrounding AI music, music licensing, and sync placements.

If you've ever wondered why AI-generated music isn't accepted for certain TAXI opportunities—or whether the same concerns exist among music libraries, music supervisors, editors, TV networks, and movie studios—this episode digs into the questions behind those decisions.

We'll explore where the lines are being drawn, why even a small amount of AI-generated material can create questions about a track, and what musicians should consider when creating music they ultimately want to license for film, TV, advertising, trailers, and other media.

In this episode, we'll discuss:
- AI-generated music and sync licensing
- Why AI music can create concerns for music licensing
- How music libraries approach AI-generated content
- What music supervisors and other licensing professionals may consider
- Why the amount of AI-generated material can matter
- AI music and potential copyright and rights issues
- The difference between using AI as a production tool and generating musical content with AI
- How AI-generated music can affect the licensing process
- What independent musicians should consider before submitting music
- How decisions made during production could affect future licensing opportunities

If you're a songwriter, producer, composer, artist, or independent musician pursuing music licensing and sync placements, understanding the conversation around AI-generated music is increasingly important.

Where exactly is the line? And who is drawing it?

Have a great song stuck in your head—or sitting unfinished on your hard drive? You're not alone.

Many songwriters, artists, and composers have ideas they're excited about but don't have all the skills, instruments, production experience, or resources needed to turn those ideas into finished recordings.

In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow talks with TAXI members Michelle Witmer and Khris Berry about one of the biggest challenges facing independent music creators: how to get unfinished songs and instrumentals over the finish line.

Michelle and Khris have been getting placements with music created through collaboration, and they've recently launched a company designed to help musicians find collaborators and guide the creative process through completion.

The conversation explores an increasingly important question for today's music creators: What do you do when you have the song, but you can't do everything yourself?

You'll learn about:
- How collaboration can help turn unfinished songs into finished tracks
- Finding the right musicians, songwriters, producers, and collaborators
- Getting a song from an idea to a professional recording
- Why some great musical ideas never make it off the hard drive
- Building a team around your music
- How collaboration can help create music for sync licensing
- Getting songs and instrumentals ready for music libraries
- The challenges independent musicians face when producing their own music
- Alternatives to trying to do every part of the creative process yourself
- How Michelle and Khris are helping musicians bring their music to completion

If you're a songwriter, artist, composer, producer, or independent musician with unfinished songs sitting on your hard drive, this conversation could give you a new way to think about getting those ideas completed—and eventually getting them in front of people looking for music.

Because sometimes the missing ingredient isn't another songwriting session.

It's the right collaborator.

AI music is changing incredibly fast. But what does it actually mean for songwriters, artists, composers, and producers?

There’s no shortage of headlines, videos, predictions, lawsuits, and opinions about AI music and the future of the music industry. Keeping up with all of it can feel like a full-time job.

In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow talks with TAXI member and music-for-media creator Paul Croteau, better known as Yo Paulie, who has made it his mission to follow the rapidly changing world of AI-generated music and understand how these developments could affect independent musicians.

Rather than focusing exclusively on the doom-and-gloom predictions surrounding artificial intelligence and music, Paul takes a broader look at the technology, the business, and the potential implications for working musicians.

In this conversation, you'll learn more about:
- How AI music is changing the music industry
- What AI-generated music could mean for independent songwriters and artists
- The impact of AI on composers and music creators
- Major developments involving AI music companies
- The legal battles surrounding AI-generated music
- What musicians should understand about companies such as Suno and Udio
- How record labels, publishers, and other music industry companies are responding to AI
- The difference between facts, opinions, predictions, and hype surrounding AI music
- Potential opportunities AI could create for musicians
- What independent music creators should be paying attention to as AI technology evolves

If you're a songwriter, artist, composer, producer, or musician working in sync licensing or film and TV music, this episode will help you get a clearer picture of where AI music fits into the changing landscape.

Paulie has been doing the homework.

Watch this episode of TAXI TV to get the 10,000-foot view of AI music and what it could mean for your career.

Want to learn how to compose music for movie trailers? Trailer music is becoming a major opportunity for composers, producers, and musicians creating music for production libraries—and the demand for high-quality trailer music continues to grow.

In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow sits down with composer Michael Whittaker to discuss what composers need to know when creating music for trailers and production music libraries.

For years, trailer music was often associated with large orchestral recordings, professional studios, and substantial production budgets. But advances in home studio technology, virtual instruments, orchestral libraries, and music production have changed the landscape dramatically.

Today, production music libraries are increasingly being asked to supply trailer music—and they're looking for composers who can create powerful, cinematic instrumentals that work for film and television marketing.

In this episode, you'll discover 10 important things to know about composing trailer music, including practical insights that can help you create music that production music libraries and trailer clients actually want.

You'll learn more about:
- How to compose music for movie and TV trailers
- What makes a great trailer music instrumental
- Writing cinematic music for production music libraries
- What trailer music companies are looking for
- How home studios have changed trailer music production
- Creating powerful, dramatic instrumental music
- Approaching trailer music differently from other types of sync music
- What composers should consider when writing for music libraries
- How to make your music more licensable for film and television
- Opportunities for composers in the growing trailer music market

Whether you're an experienced composer or you're just getting started creating cinematic music, production music, or sync music, this episode is packed with practical advice you can use when writing your next trailer cue.

If you're interested in trailer music, sync licensing, production music libraries, film music, TV music, or composing for film and television, don't miss this conversation with Michael Whittaker.

Grab your headphones and take notes—there are some trailer-writing concepts in this episode we haven't covered before on TAXI TV.