Music agents vs RF sites

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 31 total)
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  • #18095
    ChuckMott
    Participant

    A nice position to be in, really. You can maybe be one of those guys who just refuses to do the royalty thing, I am assuming if you start getting deals that are getting you those kinds of fees consistently enough , you might start looking gat the 50/50 $50 splits and form the opinion that it is really not worth your time. On the other hand, others are of the opinion diversification (kind of like a stock portfolio) is the key. I have to tell you, I have been following your stuff, and if I am right you have a relatively small collection of tracks, BUT your stuff is really pro sounding , and you seems to have accomplished already what composers are still looking for, which is finding a unique voice and I really believe the combination of those two things are what is putting you over. This series of posts you are putting up on this topic is real food for thought for the rest of us I think, in several ways. Thanks for posting.

    #18097
    MichaelL
    Participant

    if this is ok to ask (Art) would AS be considered a lower tier RF? (or similar) ?

    Not IMO. They’re prices tend to be higher than many RF sites. I would think, “lower-tier RF “refers to micro-licensing sites, like those on AS “banned list.

    Depending on where you put the emphasis in the sentence, lower-tiered RF sites could mean all RF sites, but I don’t think so.

    #18098
    Jay
    Guest

    awesome…thanks Michael..spending the morning deleting RF stuff 🙂

    #18100
    MichaelL
    Participant

    awesome…thanks Michael..spending the morning deleting RF stuff 🙂

    Ironically, I’m doing the opposite. 😉

    #18102
    ChuckMott
    Participant

    After a year and a half uploading to them, I think I am going to at least look hard at the ones I’m keeping (RF sites). I would think a minimum 2 year commitment to see how others do, possibly as long as 3. See what works , switch it up. If none of them are take a long hard look at what I am doing :). Any other recommended strategies?

    #18104
    Art Munson
    Keymaster

    Ironically, I’m doing the opposite.

    +1.

    Not going to kill my RF stuff as I’m close to averaging $1k per month (that’s across 4 RF sites). What I am doing is re-mixing/re-editing and tweaking my older tracks. All new music is going to an exclusive library.

    #18106
    Art Munson
    Keymaster

    BTW I allot around 6 hours a week for the tweaking of older tracks.

    #18107
    ChuckMott
    Participant

    Since the stuff is out there and is a reflection of what I do and I have (I hope) gotten better over time especially in regards to production, mixing, picked up decent mastering software< doing that for select tracks would probably be time well spent.

    #18108
    MichaelL
    Participant

    Ironically, I’m doing the opposite.
    +1.

    Not going to kill my RF stuff as I’m close to averaging $1k per month (that’s across 4 RF sites). What I am doing is re-mixing/re-editing and tweaking my older tracks. All new music is going to an exclusive library.

    I’m following a variation on Art’s theme, except that I will continue to create music specifically for RF libraries. I see it as a viable format for access to a vast array of non-broadcast consumers, who far outnumber broadcast users.

    I believe that some music as best for RF and some that is better for exclusive.

    #18110
    Advice
    Participant

    I agree with Michael that the best approach is to have separate music catalogs for different markets, e.g. high end film/TV sync, RF, etc.

    That being said, **IF** you want to place the same track in these different markets (non-exclusive deals of course), you probably want different titles and artist names (use a pseudonym on RF) for each usage to strongly minimize the odds of this happening. I’ve heard of folks doing that.

    #18111
    Art Munson
    Keymaster

    you probably want different titles and artist names (use a pseudonym on RF) for each usage to strongly minimize the odds of this happening. I’ve heard of folks doing that.

    I don’t know. I tried that for awhile but didn’t see much of a difference so I stopped. YMMV though!

    #18112
    ChuckMott
    Participant

    I’m not not going to upload to RF sites that work, that would be silly at this point. I am going to probably close out RF sites that aren’t working in the very near future. Some libraries have caused me to set expectations that others haven’t lived up to – 2 to be exact. But I am not in a lot of them anyway. There is ne more I think I’d like to get into eventually other then that, I would have to see a good argument made for joining another. By the time I hit the five year point, if I haven’t made substantial progress in placing stuff in NE and Exc. libraries that work for me, I may then focus on RF sites, who knows.

    #18113
    Advice
    Participant

    First, Congrats Kubed on the deal. You are lucky that it didn’t all fall apart and it went through at the right price!

    Being in RF libraries, to itself, can’t hurt you IMHO. It’s a market segment like anything else. But competing against yourself with such a wide price difference could (as you found out) be a problem.

    We would think that in most cases, a sup considering a $3000 sync deal to use your track wouldn’t also be looking at lower budget RF libraries. That’s usually true– these folks generally don’t have time for that or care to bother. However, something as simple as Google-ing your name can turn up all sorts of stuff. So a sup could Google you for other reasons and all of a sudden stumble on a $3K track being offered somewhere for $49.

    I have not followed this advice completely myself but that is where the whole unique title and pseudonym could come in to play.

    Or, as Michael said… If you are really concerned, don’t mix your apples and bananas to begin with.

    #18118
    Jay
    Guest

    Ironically, I’m doing the opposite. 😉

    I write indie rock/folk/pop songs etc. and my stuff just doesn’t sell in the RF market…but I do real well w/TV and indie film placements/sat radio…I always felt I was cheapening what I do being in RF sites but never really thought it could hurt until now…1 more site to clean up and I’m RF free 🙂

    #18120
    MichaelL
    Participant

    I write indie rock/folk/pop songs etc. and my stuff just doesn’t sell in the RF market…but I do real well w/TV and indie film placements/sat radio

    A perfect example of music doing well in one arena and not the other.
    I don’t do indie rock/folk/pop. My catalog mostly comes from music composed, over the years, for non-boradcast clients and is tailored for their needs. I wouldn’t waste my time trying to market it through broadcast-oriented libraries…the opposite of what is a good choice for you!

    Best of luck!

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 31 total)
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