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Newbie Questions

One of our readers, Ev, came up with the suggestion to have a section devoted to newbie questions regarding music libraries, music licensing, copyright, music publishing etc. There a lot of experienced people on this site and many are happy to share their wisdom. So, if you are a newbie (or not), and have a question, try leaving it here.

Of course many questions have already been answered here. First try searching in the search bar in the upper right hand corner. Also Google is your friend! I have found one of the best ways to search a site is use site specific criteria at Google’s web site. In other words, to search for a specific keyword, say “contracts”, type it in at Google like this “contracts site:musiclibraryreport.com”. Do not use the quotes.

If you still can’t find your answer then leave a comment here and someone will most likely come to your rescue!

1,260 thoughts on “Newbie Questions”

  2. I am looking for reliable data regarding the production music sector revenues, as well as revenues for some of the bigger players. Market data would be fine… Any ideas?

      • Yes, I need figures for annual income for the library music sector as a whole. Is it a Billion dollar sector? 100’s of millions? Also, annual revenues for some of the bigger players would help. I need it for a presentation.

  3. At AudioSparx we are seeking to work with composers who are actually “composing” new music rather than spending 50%-70% of their time uploading, tagging, and tracking sales at competing sites, which tends to dilute the value of your catalogue. With digital fingerprinting moving to the forefront, your 100s or 1000s of identical tracks may ultimately become problematic – especially as libraries discover which composers are doing this on a regular basis.

    Since both quality and quantity count if you want to be successful in the licensing business, our “Top Sellers” tend to be composers who are selective in where they place their music. If you are re-titling your tracks to be in 20 to 40 libraries, keeping track of titles that will number into the 100s or 1000s will sap your energy and waste your considerable talents, keeping you from concentrating on the creation of BETTER MUSIC which, in the long run, could make you considerably MORE MONEY for your talents than your chasing after those quick $19.95-$39.95 sales…

    We know everyone has to make a living but please consider the long term possibilities of strengthening your brand, rather than the short term quick buck you can make on the AudioSparx list of prohibited lowball sites – which we feel is a race to the bottom for composers who participate.

    Many composers are seeing the benefits of taking tracks exclusively to a site rather than spreading their tracks around – it can pay off by freeing up your time to study trends and step up your compositional game… Remember, many larger studios are licensing only “Exclusive” tracks, and many of these opportunities create back end PRO for our composers.

    Cheers and have a GREAT weekend,
    Barbie

    http://www.audiosparx.com/

    PS We just got one of our artist’s romantic ballet tracks (which is an “Exclusive” track to AudioSparx”) into the first minute of the exciting, over-the-top 43-minute Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2011, which just aired Tuesday, with an audience of 10.4 million viewers. Check out the very first song, which is our composer’s track — then things get wild with Kanye, Jay-Z, Maroon 5, and Nicki Minaj…

    http://www.cbs.com/shows/victorias_secret/video/

    • >We just got one of our artist’s…into the first minute of the exciting, over-the-top 43-minute Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2011, which just aired Tuesday, with an audience of 10.4 million viewers.<

      Is it rude to ask what the sync/master fee was? Just ignore the question if it is. 🙂

    • I can definitely agree with that. Chasing libraries becomes a burden after a while. I did that for a long time. I finally realized that many of the companies I tried to work with were not doing much business.

      • I generally agree but I do think you have to explore other libraries to find those few libraries that will do well for you. I’ve lost count on the ones I have tried. I start with maybe 10-30 tracks and see how they do over the course of a year. Most of them fail to do much but out of this process I have four or five that sell consistently and/or place the music on TV shows consistently for back end PRO money. This has evolved over the last five years or so and the income is gradually increasing. Just my process and it may not be right for everyone.

    • Okay Barbie, you know I love you but this one statement “concentrating on the creation of BETTER MUSIC which, in the long run, could make you considerably MORE MONEY” is something that always drives me a little nuts. These kinds of statements have come up before and I always respond. 🙂 Who gets to define “better music”? The music business is replete with stories of songwriters and composers who are stunned when a piece of music they consider to be some of their worst work goes on to be one of their biggest money makers. In my small way I have seen it happen to some of my own. Music that I would not consider to be my finest effort have generated, and continue to generate, a nice income stream. It’s all in the ear of the beholder!

      I do agree that selling on the low ball sites is a detriment, especially those $5 sites. As for the exclusive, non-exclusive issue: For me, I just have not that much success with the exclusive model. I wish I did as it would make my life easier!

      • I agree Art. You certainly never know what is or isn’t going to sell. I have been very surprised at what has and has not sold over the short period of time I have been doing this. i have one track called “Surf & Turf” that I wrote early on almost as a novelty, but I have gotten more sales out of that track than any others thus far. You never know.

        • Art, frankly, we never know what will sell each day — but, in general, a review of a number of our top sellers indicates they upload an average of three to seven new tracks a month (some with dozens of variations), and our long term clients often sort by “Recently Added” in their goal to find the hottest new music for their projects.

          A composer enhances their potential earnings by creating on a regular basis new music in various genres. While almost every period of music will sell, our best selling tracks are most often those that have a hot title, or new sound or new twist on music that has a contemporary, almost timeless sense of style — whether it’s a sound-alike, a parody, a rom-com track, chilling horror music or a pounding action thriller…

          Each composer must try whatever works — certainly it remains a numbers game, but positive results are happening here every day.

          Barbie

          PS to Gary – Your best-selling track “Surf & Turf” has a fun, attention-grabbing, smile-inducing title. The title alone entices the clients to take a listen (Step One in getting a Sale!). We continue raving about keeping your titles hyper appropriate to show a client exactly what the music will sound like. It saves them so much time, and the pay-off can be immense for the composers.

          • Barbie,

            I am a “newbie”to the library world, but I just want to chime in and say that I have immense respect for you for being here, answering questions and posting your knowledge. I only have a few tracks with AudioSparx so far (yet no sales), but I am looking forward to a long and prosperous career with you.

            (I know it sounds like sucking up, but the “Song Title Tip” helped me. Give me some slack.) 🙂

          • Hi Barbie,

            I have no issues with what you are saying. The statement I was referring to was “concentrating on the creation of BETTER MUSIC..”. No composer is setting out to write bad music. I believe we all write the best music we can and will improve over time. The definition of “better music” is only determined by the person laying down the $$$. The are the final arbiter.

    • I feel compelled to chime in here. I’m one of those that is barred from submitting music to AudioSparx because I have 7 tracks with Rumblefish. Rumblefish was the first library that I pursued and their business model looked different when I signed with them. I since gained experience and some savvy and will no longer submit music to them or anyone else that is in the “race to the bottom” category. Over the last couple of years I’ve actually been fortunate enough to get quite a few cues broadcast and most of my placements have been directly through production companies and exclusives. I went to the AudioSparx website recently with hopes of giving it a try but was disappointed and honestly a little shocked to find out that I am forbidden. It feels to me like AudioSparx is taking out its frustrations with the marketplace and other libraries on the composer and I think that this is unfortunate. I can understand not wanting the same music as *those* libraries but banning someone’s entire catalog ahead of time simply because they may have made a poor choice seems heavy handed and misdirected to me. If I’m missing something hopefully someone can set me straight…

        • Nope. That’s not what I said. I’ve never interacted with AudioSparx. According to their website, at least as I’m understanding it, I am forbidden from submitting music to them because I have music with one of their “blacklisted” competitors. That’s what my previous post is about.

          • Hi Kiwi,

            So, if you have a lot of tracks that you think would do well at AudioSparx, remove your tracks from Rumblefish. Don’t they have a way to do that?

            Unfortunately, Crucial has partnered with Rumblefish (gotta do something with all those tracks) and people who didn’t place track in Rumblefish now have them there.

            I gets really complicated when you deal with a lot of libraries and have no control over your tracks.

            _Michael

            • We regret there are composers out there who are currently not eligible to participate here at AudioSparx by virtue of an existing relationship with one or more blacklisted sites. However, we thought long and hard before setting up the policy relating to the list of impermissible sites.

              For Kiwi, please note that you may contact Rumblefish and request they take down your music, and they will do that for you. Once all your tracks are removed from that site (or any other impermissible sites), please visit AudioSparx again, and apply to our site so we can listen to your music and consider representing you.

              We greatly respect music composers and artists, and our policy guards against the race-to-the-bottom pricing mentality that deflates the music industry in general. We consistently develop new ways to feature your tracks to enhance your sales, and have been rewarded with a lot of loyal composers and tens of thousands of great, innovative music tracks. Our clients, in turn, recognize your talents and are willing to pay a fair price when they license a track from AudioSparx for their commercials, movies, documentaries, etc.

              We just want to see composers paid properly for their hard work and talent – and that goal guides our decisions here.

              Barbie

            • Actually, I was unable to get a response from Rumblefish the last time I tried which was over a year ago so I don’t know that I’ll have an easy time of getting them to pull the tracks. I’ll try again, probably starting with a phone call instead of email. The funny thing for me at this point is that I wrote off those tracks, and the situation, as a mistake and a learning experience and it’s weird to me that AudioSparx can’t do the same thing. I suppose I find AudioSparx policy of blacklisting composers as offensive in a different way as the low-ball tactics of the other libraries in question. That’s my problem though, not theirs. Of course they’re welcome to run their business as they see fit and with half a million tracks at their disposal I’m sure they’ll do fine without mine.

              • ” with half a million tracks at their disposal….”

                That is an important issue (the needle in a haystack situation), but not one that would have me putting tracks in 20 different libraries. In reality no matter where you go, in the big picture (of all library tracks in the market) you’re just a snowflake in a blizzard. That said, I’d rather take Barbie’s advice and market effectively in a few.

                If you stick around here long enough, you’ll get an idea which royalty free sites are worth the effort.

                Good luck,

                Michael

                • Michael, Yeah, I hear you… I’m definitely not advocating spreading the same music all over the place. Right now I’m in 4 non-exclusives (2 of which I only have a few tracks with) and around 10 exclusives and I’ve placed a bunch of stuff directly. The latter is by far the most fun and lucrative. As far as Royalty-Free, I haven’t done it, only considered it. My preference is to get paid up front. There are pitfalls to exclusives that don’t pay up front (sitting on tracks, etc) but it’s still my second favorite mode because I feel that it keeps the value of the music higher in the long run. The key for me is to be as prolific as possible so that I don’t get too attached to the compositions and to keep looking for opportunities that fall in line with my skills and output… Thanks to all for an interesting discussion!

                  • “The key for me is to be as prolific as possible so that I don’t get too attached to the compositions and to keep looking for opportunities that fall in line with my skills and output…”

                    That should really be the key for everyone. Good outlook.

                    Best,

                    Michael

                  • I’d like to submit for some up front money but I hate the idea of maybe never hearing from them when I could be shopping it elsewhere. I don’t have enough tracks to tie up with one library yet but I like MichaelL’s idea of being as prolific as possible.
                    The only exclusives I have are two cues with Supatunes where they sit. I’m not sorry since they may get picked up, but I can’t help but think I could have multiplied my chances with some non-exclusives.

                  • I don’t mean to sound rude, but I do not see why Audiosparx should even matter to you. You sound as if you are already successful getting your music into other libraries.

                    Audiosparx is a good library. Some say that they are great. But they may not be good for YOU. Be thankful for what you have and stop worrying about one company’s arbitrary policy. You are already a success in my eyes!

                    You even have placed songs on your own. That alone doubles your royalty income if you are also registered as the publisher for those songs. You said that placing tracks yourself is more fun and lucrative, so why gripe about not being able to get tracks into a library that already has a “half a million tracks at their disposal”?

                    P.S. Feel free to tell us how you got the opportunities to place your songs directly!

                    • “I don’t mean to sound rude, but I do not see why Audiosparx should even matter to you. You sound as if you are already successful getting your music into other libraries.”

                      Synth. at the risk of being accused of setting myself up as an “oracle.” The music business is a very fickle business. For the most part, you have to do a lot of things to make a living. I write for television AND I write library music. I know session players that have toured the world behind huge artists, and film composers, who teach to get a regular pay check. For many, if not most, top library music writers, the library part of their work is a supplement to other work.

                      What I have said here before is that you need to look at your catalog as an investment portfolio, which means that you need to balance your “investment.” I don’t look at royalty free libraries as a source of backend money. In reality, the vast majority of their “placements” will be with non-broadcast customers for which there is no backend.

                      BUT…libraries, like AudioSparx provide another, different, revenue stream, mostly from upfront licenses. For an example of a successful composer, who thinks that libraries like AudioSparx matter, check out Jason Livesey. He writes for film & TV. He and his brother also have a live act. AND he’s in AudioSparx and Music Loops.

                      There are many levels of library music users. They run the gamut from the trailer company that’s going to lay out $20,000 for a license, to a corporation that wants to spend $200 for a sound-alike for a sales meeting, to a kid that wants to spend $2.00 to get a track for his youtube video. Yes, libraries like AudioSparx and Music Loops are not in the 20K license category, but they are not at the rock bottom either. They service a viable clientele,

                      So…libraries, like AudioSparx and Music Loops, matter because they fill a niche in the market. Balance the portfolio Synth..short term income while you’re waiting for backend money

                      All the best,

                      Michael

                    • Well said Michael. Pretty much sums up why I’ve looked at royalty free libraries and why I’ll continue to look for diverse opportunities. My “day job” is producing and engineering recordings for other people. I’ve also done many other things in music. Sometimes for the money, sometimes for the “glory” and fun, and sometimes, when I’m real real lucky, for all of the above at once. A very few years ago I backed into production music by being at the right place at the right time and becoming acquainted with someone at a production house through my role as a recording engineer. One thing led to another and the next thing I know I’ve got a couple of tracks in a show. Then shortly after that I’m actually contributing on a regular basis. Somewhere along the line I became aware of these things called “music libraries” and realized that I ought to get some music into a few of them as well. It’s been a lot of fun and hard work too. Turns out I actually *love* doing it. I feel very fortunate and I am indeed very very grateful for any and all opportunities. By the same token I also know that “luck” is basically maintaining a good attitude and persevering regardless of what happens and being there, present and accounted for, when opportunity arrives. I have admiration and respect for anyone who hangs with music for the long haul whether it’s a full time gig or something on the side. For me the rewards are unparalleled but there are certainly challenges along the way, especially these days in a world that changes so rapidly…

                    • Hey MichaelL, thanks for the advice. You have been in the game for a long time and I could learn a few things from someone with your skill set, experience, and intellect.

                      How about you finally give us a link to some of your music. That would do wonders for some of us younger and inexperienced people here. Can’t wait to hear your catalog!

                    • Hey Synth,

                      There may come a time when I post a link. I tried to post a sample (albeit 12 years old) to show a variety of library writing styles, but someone missed the fact that it WAS 12 years old, so I took it down.

                      You need to look at the big picture. First, there are a lot of writers who are far more talented and successful than I am…tons of them. Remember, that I got out of the business 11 years ago to become a lawyer. I’ve only been back in the business for a few years. I came back with the intent of following the same path that all of you are on, BUT, by “being in the right place at the right time” and by a shear twist of fate I ended up writing for five television shows. Doing that, along with handling the publishing administration takes up 90% of my time. I’m still a relative newbie when it comes to “today’s” library business. So, I’m trying to assimilate my past experience, with my legal experience and all of the new business models, which takes up the rest of my time.

                      I think what Kiwi, Michael Nicholas and I have been saying is that there is no road map. We all come from different backgrounds. Kiwi was / is a recording engineer. Michael Nicholas went to Berklee and owns a studio. Denis Woods was in the record business. Erwin (50 Styles) has a commercial music business. Art has an amazing resume as a session player. I was literally born into the film business. I grew up on sound stages and in recording studios. By the time I was 12, I had a mentor who was a really good film composer.

                      You can’t recreate the different experiences that each of us has had. If you want to listen to successful writers, start with guys you know from here, like Erwin Steijlen and Denis Woods on AudioSparx, Check out Art’s website and Michael Nicholas’ website.
                      Here’s another writer that has a good handle on things http://johnmazzei.com/.
                      I’m somewhat old school, so one of my favorite writers is Donn Wilkerson. http://donnwilkerson.com/The_Music_Of_Donn_Wilkerson/Welcome.html

                      I suggest that you look for writers who you like, who write the kind of music that you write, and see if you can find out what path they followed.

                      Go with your strengths Synth. You’ve got passion and ambition.

                      Best of luck.

                      Michael

  4. I’ve heard of people retitling their tracks for different types of catalogs because some catalogs have much lower prices than others. Would anybody be kind enough to share with us your list (if you have one) of which Catalogs you use the “retitled” name for and which Catalogs you use the “original title” for? 🙂

    Thanks!
    Matt

    • A list like that wouldn’t really make much sense as composers would most likely treat each library, differently, than another composer. I would say that I use re-titles for royalty free sites.

      • Awesome, thanks so much Art! Would you recommend signing up for many royalty free sites with the retitled versions or should I limit it to just a couple? I’ve heard there are certain libraries that will not accept your music if it is represented in certain other libraries. From your experience, is there any truth to that?

        • Hard to answer that as I’m not sure myself. I tend to spread things around a bit but others (more successful than I would probably disagree).

          Yes it’s true that some libraries don’t want music associated with libraries selling music for next to nothing.

        • Audiosparx has a black list of libraries so to speak having to do with that issue that they prefer not to deal with you if the same cues you submit to them are at those certain libraries.

  5. Hey!

    Now I wouldn’t say that I’m a total newbie but I’ve only had two placements so far.
    I have tracks on, MusicSupervisor, Music Dealers, Pump Audio, Action Media Music and one exclusive.

    Now I’d like to know.

    There seem to be many libraries out there but as far as I can tell many of them are very small and not very active.

    So who are the most active libraries?

    I write songs as an artist mostly in singer/songwriter, folk, rock, alternative rock. I figure my music would probably have the best chance in film/tv-series.

    What libraries are best for those of us that doesn’t write “library” or “production”-music.

    Thanks
    Chris

    • Unfortunately there is no “one size fits all”. One person’s success with a particular library will not necessarily translate to another person having the same success. It’s a long slog and takes patience and persistence!

  6. This is gonna sound really stupid but, Iv been asked by a library not to change key during a song. I dont want to ask them what they mean for fear of sounding very uninformed. What does changing key mean? Does that mean that I cant change my notes too much? If my song’s baseline note changes from say A to D every 4 bars does that mean the songs key is changing?

    • Hyteria:
      Not a stupid question at all. The simplest way to explain changing keys in a song is taking the same chord progression, and melody you have used in the song and putting it in another key. In other words if the chord changes in your song are C-F-Dm-G, and you put them up a step, they would then be D-G-Em-A. That would be a key change.

      This is also called modulation. Everything stays the same, but in a different key.
      Does that make sense?? Hope that helped.

      • Thanks Gary.yeah it sense. So if im simply just changing the baseline notes underneath my melody that doesn’t mean a keychange. For example if my (rather poor) melody was just A A A A A A A and my baseline underneath was say A D A D A F G A. The baseline is not creating any key change. only if I changed the melody As to Cs and the baseline notes to correspond with the new C melody that would be a keychange? Or am I misunderstanding?

      • Sounds to me like they don’t want any modulations so they can make any edit they feel like. It wouldn’t really work if they took 10 seconds from the beginning in C, then pasted in the final hit of the song after a modulation!

        • Interestingly I’ve been doing some material with exactly that brief : don’t change the key. It does make it easier to chop up for editors.

        • Yes, that’s the reason you don’t modulate in film/TV music- at least not the “heightening” kind where the last chorus goes up a key such as from C to D. They cut and paste edit and might want to use something early in the track followed with a piece from the end (such as the button ending).

  7. I have a small collection of good electronic and instrumental material that I want to get into an exclusive library that will pay upfront for the masters. So far I’v have submitted it to KPM, De Wolfe, Megatrax, Universal, Audio Network, West One Music and im going to submit to Extra Chilli Music. Can anyone suggest what other libraries I should try? Iv had a couple of offers from exclusive libraries that dont pay upfront. Im in a dilemma for what to do with my music, Am I expecting too much by waiting for a good buyout deal? Im in a tight spot with money so maybe im being over cautios? Any help/advice would be much appciated!

    • Hi Hysteria,

      Many exclusives do not pay upfront. However, you should get a split of the sync fees in that case. Has that been offered?

      If you’ve been offered a sync fee split and you keep 100% of your writer’s share, it may be worth considering.

      Cheers,

      Michael

      • Thanks Michael. It’s 50/50 sync and 50/50 royalties share and no upfront fee. But they do seem to get regular tv syncs in the UK.

        • Meaning you get 50% of sync fees + 100% of writers, and they get 50% of sync fees + 100% of publishers?

          Edit: somewhere there’s a missing comment in this thread from Buzz Fizz (?).
          maybe they deleted it.

          • Yeah I think thats it. Im not good with contracts. they’re very confusing. They will own copyright of masters so the composers share is 50% and the publishers share 50% of the gross fees distributable by PRS.

        • On that basis alone, go for it. You’ll find in the current economy that very very few exclusives pay money up front per track. If you’re lucky you may get a recoupable production advance though.

          • Thanks Darkstar and Kiwi. Points noted. @ Kiwi , yeah im finding it very difficult trying to figure out wheather id be better off EX or non EX. Non ex is money in the bank slowly but surely, EX seems to be more of a gamble. @ Darkstar What is a recoupable production advance? I was thinking of asking for some kind of advance cos I wouldn’t want to hand 30 tracks over for possibly nowt.

            • Porudction advance, is an advance on your royalties. They give you XYZ pounds upfront, you pay it back from the mechancical royalties, or rather your publisher deducts what they adnaced before you get paid. Its generally to cover whatever expenses you incur in making an album, session players, equipment hire etc etc. Not easy to justify for a purely electronic album though.
              Exclusive is less of a gamnle than you might think. If you’re talking to one of the big UK exclusives with worldwide license partners, then thats the way I’d be going.

    • I always try to get a reversion clause and also a clause stating that the music will actually be released in some way. I’ve had exclusives sign tracks and then sit on them. If they haven’t paid for the track there’s no impetus for them to follow through if they don’t need to. Also, there are companies out there that will try to amass as much music as possible so that they can sell their entire catalogs some day, never intending to circulate all of the music that they sign. I think this cynical approach is rare but I know from experience that it happens.

      I’ve favored working with exclusives, even when they don’t pay upfront, as I feel that it keeps the value of the music higher but recent experiences and observations have got me swinging more and more toward working with non-exclusives. My $.02.

  8. One last question…

    When I’m registering work with ASCAP it says…

    “This work is music intended for use in a Commercial, Promo, Movie Trailer, Station ID, Short-Form Infomercial
    or Public Service Announcement.”

    Should I click this or leave it blank? Most of my stuff could be in commercials ‘or’ TV/Film/Video Games.

    Also it says “Date Registered with Copyright Office or click here if Pending”. How many of you register each and ever work? Do you just leave it pending until it is licensed or how do you go about that?

    and one last thing…it says “This work has a publisher.” should I leave that blank?

    Thank you.

  9. Is this excerpt from an anonymous(XXXXXXX) ML contract fair or completely BS??

    Also is it saying I need to create a publishing company with a PRO?

    2. Administration Fee: Splits a Collection. With respect to the Retitled Works. XXXXXXXX shall be entitled to collect 100% of the license fees paid by clients of the Library, and 100% of the publisher’s share of performance royalites piad by the applicable performing rights organizations (each, a “PRO). Licensor shall be responsible for contracting with a PRO to receive the writers share of performance royalities collecting the writer’s share, and creating a publishing company with that PRO.
    B. Splits. With respect to the Retitled Works:

    (i) Direct Fees. XXXXX shall remit to Licensor 35% of direct fees received;
    (ii)Performance Royalties publishers’ share. XXXXXX shall remit to Licensor 25% of publishers share of performance royalties collected; and
    (iii) Performance Royalites (Writers Share). As between XXXXXX and Licensor, Licensor shall be entitles to retain 100% of the writer’s share of performance royalites.

    Blanket Licencese. XXXXXXX willl collect 100% of Blanket License fees and 100% of the publishers share of performance royalities paid by PRO and will distribute performance royalties as set forth in 2(b)(ii) above, and Licensors will collect and retain 100% of the writers share of performance royalties. However notwith standing anything to the contrary, XXXXXX will distribute Blanket License fees within 30 days following the expiration of each such license, as follows i 100% of the share payable to Licensors will be divided in the
    the number of titles in the Library as the date one wekk be fore check are issued.

    • Its is saying you will get out of a total PRO pot of 100%

      50% writers share
      +
      12.5% from the publisher (25% of 50%) is 12.5%

      It is a very long and convoluted way of saying you have a 62.5/37.5 split on all Performance royalties.

      In UK/Ireland you do not have to be a publisher member. In this scenario you would just sign a 62.5/37.5 deal with the publisher. Why you go through this convoluted and confusing way of calculating stateside contracts I dont know.

      • In the US however, you do need to be a publishing member to receive publishing royalties. It’s fairly easy (just go to the PRO websites to download the forms), and opens you up to double the royalties income.

        FYI the publisher PRO has to match the writer PRO, i.e. if you’re an ASCAP composer you need an ASCAP publisher.

  10. I hate to post in the noob section but this might be a noob question. If fact I know it is.

    For music libraries should you sign up for Writer ‘and’ Publisher at ASCAP?

    When you upload your music at some of these libraries it says…

    Writers……..Percent Ownership………..PRO

    Publishers…..Percent Ownership………..PRO

    I thought the PRO was the publisher? Should I sign up as a publisher?

    • This IS a noob question- nothing wrong with that and you posted it in the right place, IMO.

      A PRO is not a publisher. PROs (ASCAP, BMI, etc) are performance royalty organizations who COLLECT performance royalties (e.g. TV/Radio airplay, concerts, etc) and distribute them to writers and publishers.

      With music libraries, you should definitely join a PRO as a WRITER. Rarely do you need to also join as a publisher because most of the time, the library acts as the publisher and collects the publisher’s share of PRO income. (PRO income is split between the writer’s and publisher’s share- generally 50/50).

      *IF* you are marketing directly to music supervisors or working with libraries who do not share in PRO income and place music in vehicles where this matters (mainly TV), you might need your own publishing entity set up.

      I recommend you do some reading on the industry– Donald Passman’s book is a good one – http://www.donpassman.com/allabout.html

      Best
      🙂

    • If you sell music through some royalty free sites, like AudioSparx, you can retain the publisher’s share. So, you might want publishing company.

      Of course, if you publish other writers’ works, you will need a publishing company. I have one with ASCAP, and will also have at least one with BMI.

        • There’s always confusion about the meaning of “royalty-free”. More often than not, royalty-free in music libraries mean the client only has to pay the licensing fee one time and can use it multiple times. Doesn’t usually mean PRO royalty-free.

        • “Royalty free” just means the end user pays a one time fee for unlimited use. It does not preclude the possibility of the writer collecting PRO royalties if the use warrants it.

          So if an idependent film-maker, for example, buys your track on Audiosparx and then that film gets played on TV, in theory you would be entitled to PRO royalties. This would depend on the production folks filing the proper cue sheets with the PROs. One of the roles of a publisher is to keep an eye out to make sure cue sheets are properly filed. If you self-publish, you are the one who has to do that. I let AS be my publisher– they offer the option of using them as publisher or doing it yourself.

          I would guess that the large majority of placements off RF sites do not result in PRO earnings.

          🙂

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