I got this terrific email from TAXI member, Hugo McLaughlin last month. If you’d like to know how Hugo got 2,000 tracks signed by 20 music libraries and has had hundreds of placements on nearly 100 TV networks, take a few minutes to read this. I think you’ll see that you may very well have some things in common with him! — Michael Laskow
Hi Michael,
This message is long overdue. Much overdue! And I feel like I owe you an apology, because my life has been changed in so many positive ways because of TAXI. And you should know that. This may be a bit long, but I promise you it will be worth your time to read it.
I found TAXI in a bit of an unusual way. I am based in Calgary, Canada, and in October 2013, Bob Seger was on a tour and became ill while in Calgary. So, his band ended up staying here for about a week. As it turns out, my neighbor is from Detroit, and is a close friend of one of the band members.
He and I went to hang out with the guys a few times, and in the course of these conversations, I happened to mention that I was interested in shifting my focus to writing music for film and television but didn’t really know how to go about it. This is when my neighbor’s friend [from Bob Seger’s band] mentioned that I should look into TAXI.
After returning home from their hotel, I got on the computer and started researching TAXI. It piqued my interest, and I mentioned it to my wife. The following day, while she was at work, she called me. She had mentioned my latest idea for music to a co-worker, and her co-worker knew all about TAXI. As it turns out, my wife worked with [TAXI member] Neil McTavish’s sister. What are the odds of that? She suggested that I get on the phone with Neil, which I did that evening.
After chatting with Neil for a couple of hours, I hung up, joined TAXI, and booked a flight and hotel to the Road Rally which was about a week later. This turned out to be the first of many helpful conversations I would have with many TAXI members over the years. It was my introduction into this very generous community [of TAXI members].
“I was not a composer, and my knowledge of DAWs was severely limited. Sure, I had written some music before, but most of it was in my head, or with very rough demos on my computer.”
At the time, I was earning a good living in music, split between performing, teaching, and running my company, which was one of the largest private music schools in Calgary, and also the largest backline company in Canada. But I was not a composer, and my knowledge of DAWs was severely limited. Sure, I had written some music before, but most of it was in my head, or with very rough demos on my computer.
“I knew nothing about this part of the music industry. I didn’t even know about music libraries, let alone edit points, and all the considerations of composing production music.”
I was off to LA, excited, nervous, not really sure what to expect. I got to the Rally and connected with Neil right away, and then he introduced me to his daughter [also a TAXI member at the time]. I felt like I knew two people, so that was a good start. But I didn’t have a demo, I was really exploring, hoping to learn and see where things would go. I attended classes non-stop for the entire weekend, and this is when it really hit me: I knew nothing about this part of the music industry. I didn’t even know about music libraries, let alone edit points, and all the considerations of composing production music.
[TAXI member] John Mazzei was my One-to-One mentor that year, and we had a great chat. As the weekend came to an end, I had learned so much and I remember thinking that I felt different. I was hopeful, re-energized. I even remember running into you and saying that I thought this weekend had changed my life. Because it had.
I came home, told my wife I was finishing the basement of our house, because I needed a place to have my studio and I got to work.
“I didn’t know how to orchestrate music in a DAW, and I was far from being an expert in all the styles that are used for film and TV.”
Then it became clear. This is not going to be something that happens overnight. I had heard of the five-year plan at TAXI, and I tried to remind myself that it is not a sprint. It is a marathon. I had so much to learn, I didn’t know what I was doing. I was a trained musician, played piano for a living, but I didn’t know how to orchestrate music in a DAW, and I was far from being an expert in all the styles that are used for film and TV.
So, I started with what I knew. I am a pianist, so I composed piano pieces. Then I started adding strings to them. I was determined to go back to the Rally with some sort of a demo so that I could impress someone, anyone. But I still felt like I was spinning my wheels. I went back to the Rally in 2014.
While there, I ran into John Mazzei; he sort of remembered me. I asked him if he would consider listening to my music and giving me feedback. He agreed, and I remember being so nervous. He listened, and then looked at me and said something like: “Do you want me to be gentle and diplomatic, or do you want me to tell you straight up?” I asked him for blunt honesty.
This was going to be another life changing conversation. Here, I was thinking that my music was pretty good (now, 10 years later, I can confirm that it was NOT). Mazz said to me, “You have nice piano compositions, but they sound dated. You should put Hip-Hop beats behind these, and they will be current sounding and will work well.” I knew nothing about Hip-Hop and had no clue where to even start.
“But here is the power of the Road Rally.”
But here is the power of the Road Rally. The very next day, I sat at a random table at the Road Rally’s Eat & Greet Luncheon. And I started chatting with the guy who was sitting next to me (TAXI member, Bryn Evans). As it turns out, he was into creating Hip-Hop music. And he was great at mixing music. The more we talked, the more we realized that our respective skill sets were very different, and yet they complemented each other perfectly. And we were getting along. And as a bonus for me, he already had some music in a music library, along with a bunch of placements. I felt like I had hit the jackpot. Here I was spinning my wheels, and there was someone who could get our music signed into libraries right away.
We agreed to stay in touch and to try writing music together. It started off with me doing the piano and orchestral parts, and him taking care of the mixing and Hip-Hop elements. In the first year, we did about 100 pieces together. It was a year later, I was literally at the Rally in 2015, when Tunesat detected my first placement. It was exactly a year between meeting Bryn and getting my first placement. Needless to say, I was very excited by this news.
Life continued, and together we have composed and signed approximately 2,000 pieces (unique titles, not counting alt versions), and we have countless placements all over the world.
We have worked with artists from various countries, and we have music with approximately 20 libraries. Many of those were direct connections made through TAXI, through forwards, or in person meetings at the Rally.
I can say for certain that even though all the libraries I work with didn’t come through TAXI, even those deals would have never happened without me going to the Road Rally. This is really where I got my start, where I learned so much about how to write for libraries, where I met co-writers, and where I made many of my connections in the industry.
“The education at the Rally is like getting a music degree. As a matter of fact, I have learned more about the real-world music industry by attending the Road Rally than I have studying music in university.”
The Road Rally is by far the best conference I have been to for film and television music. I cannot overstate that fact. It is the best part of being a TAXI member. The ability to make connections in person is invaluable, and in my opinion the most important part of a TAXI membership. And the education at the Rally is like getting a music degree. As a matter of fact, I have learned more about the real-world music industry by attending the Road Rally than I have studying music in university.
Today, I have lost track, but hundreds of TV shows and almost 100 networks have used my music all over the world. I went from wondering how to get a piece of music in a library almost 10 years ago, to today, where I can’t keep up with all the requests I get for my music from music libraries. And I am now working with film makers and writing music for ads.
And TAXI has been a huge part of that journey. I will forever be thankful to you and your amazing team. For everything you have done and continue to do. And if I can ever repay or help you, please let me know. It would be my pleasure to do so.
Hugo McLaughlin