DOn't know why this should be a trade secret…..

[ChuckMott]

You want a good measure of quality for your production music. Start here. Decide for yourself if your music is quality enough to hit the bar the libraries mentioned here set.

http://pmamusic.com/2017-mark-award-winners/

Do it as a sense of pride because you consider yourself a craftsperson (see what I did there?). You want big placements , start aiming for this bar. Be honest with yourself where you need work and where you are falling short and work tirelessly to overcoming your shortcomings and/or don’t be afraid to collaborate with someone who fills in the gaps skillwise.

And yes you may notice that some composers in these libraries also have music in (gasp) royalty free libraries,. Some quite a bit of music. The world is your oyster, it is up to you to shuck it.

That is all. Thank you and you’re welcome.

[MichaelL]

Nice post Chuck. Not sure what you mean by “trade secret.”

Andy Mark (The Mark Award) was friend. He gave many composers a boost in this business, including me.

Among other things, back in the 80’s or early 90’s he started a royalty free library, which is now distributed by a PMA library. (the RF library is no longer in production).

No one that I’ve encountered at the PMA ever said to me that RF libraries were a problem. In fact, it was through a royalty free library that I met Andy.

[LAwriter]

No one that I’ve encountered at the PMA ever said to me that RF libraries were a problem.

There are libraries – especially in the higher end – that will not work with you if you write for RF libraries. Flat out. Confirmed and verified, I heard it straight from the horses mouth, but I’ve seen it in print as well.

That’s where psuedonyms come in handy. 🙂

[MichaelL]

I heard it straight from the horses mouth, but I’ve seen it in print as well.

Guess we were talking to different horses. 😀

[Music1234]

There you all go again calling it “royalty free”. It makes no sense. It’s a dated term that has no meaning. There is no such thing as “royalty free”.
There is such thing as PERFORMANCE royalty free, but not royalty free.

Every time someone licenses a track on a stock music marketplace the composer is paid a royalty. I just want to remind everyone of that.

It’s really time to refer to these markets as “Stock Music Licensing” markets. People buy music from me all the time on those markets and I earn royalties from those sales. My 1099’s say “Royalties Earned”. I sometimes go on and collect performance royalties from my PRO if the music is on an advertising campaign.

Stop using the term “royalty free”..It’s dated, false, misleading, incorrect, overtly stupid, and even confusing for buyers and sellers.

I do not have a problem with “Performance Royalty Free”.

[BEATSLINGER]

WOW! Could this be possible to be excluded from Library consideration due to having content in “PRF” Libraries?

I am with some very high end exclusives, and I have never heard of this. Could this possibly be just something that is on a case by case basis?

Also, there are many libraries, would this even matter if a “select hand full are not accepting RF Library contributors?”

I would love to know what companies are on this list!

[Music1234]

Beatslinger, just keep your mouth quiet and don’t ever tell a library owner any information that is none of their business.

ownership=flexibility=no library owners business=successs=in control of your own destiny=happiness

[BEATSLINGER]

Music1234. I believe what you are saying to be the truth!

Sounds more like an excuse that someone would use, rather than being a legitimate business practice.

If your Music/Cues/Tracks are really good, your doors and opportunities open greatly regardless of your participation in multiple ways to earn revenue.

Is there an “PRF” Police, that scour all the Stock Music Sites just to see if you are personally there?

I think I will just say no, and only answer incriminating questions after I’ve made your company some serious bread!! Hahahaha

[ChuckMott]

Trade secret in the sense that people mention high end libraries, but noone mentions which, probably rightfully because they don’t their favorite library getting flooded wit competing, or just plain bad, music. There is at least one on there I would like to target , but I really want to make sure what I would write would be up to snuff before I submit. I can’t think of a term other then to say, maybe a better term is stock music libraries. But then again they all stock music, right? Royalty free in the sense you are not going to see much in back end, usually because they don’t farm out to television.One library (label?) on that list stands out as having several nominations and listening to stuff on their site, another stand out feature is their uniqueness.So I think of it as a term for a library that doesn’t seek out placements that pay back end. We know there are some nice exceptions.

[ChuckMott]

I was thinking about writing a bunch to see what sort of music they were in need of, just for the sake of research, but the kind of music they take is somewhat obvious if you listen through their catalog. Being a member doesn’t make you a top tier library (although maybe being distributed by Warner Chapel does) just like being a member doesn’t make me Hans Zimmer, but there are some great libraries that are members.

[ChuckMott]

Even with great music, I have no idea how difficult it would be to get in with one of those libraries. Better to approach with an album’s worth of quality stuff, I am thinking, or echoing ….

[BEATSLINGER]

Honestly, I don’t play my cards close to my chest. I have been more than happy to share names.

One of the companies I am with is Universal/UPPM. I got in through my deal with BUG, that turned into BMG; that turned into Universal. Also, being with SESAC, and a PMA member has helped out quite considerably!!

Art, I hope that didn’t go off topic, or become an advertisement. I just gear a lot that no-one mentions companies that they are having success with. I am an independent composer, are not advertising; and in no way am I recommending. Just simply answering the question, and telling “a part/fraction of my story..”

[Author]

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