Royalty Free Libraries. Should You? Who's Right?

[Desire_Inspires]

Oh, no problem. I am not really concerned about a troll post. I just want to hear success stories from the composers of music in RF libraries.

[Mark]

I personally am very proud of the quality of our 168 composers on ML. Not sure which sites you are referring to DI when you are saying that you are hearing bad music but the good RF sites that I know of pick and choose the composers they represent very carefully.
You must be referring to the sites that accept anybody and everybody into their database just to have tons of quantity at the expense of quality.

[MichaelL]

I personally am very proud of the quality of our 168 composers on ML. Not sure which sites you are referring to DI when you are saying that you are hearing bad music but the good RF sites that I know of pick and choose the composers they represent very carefully.

To expand on Mark’s statement, composers who take the RF model seriously are equally careful in choosing the sites through which they sell music.

[woodsdenis]

For Pro Composer

“The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion AND have others listen to it.

The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!”
? Brian Cox

[Art Munson]

“Anybody out there care to share your success stories from RF libraries?”

First you have to define “success”. DI, what is your definition of success in the RF library world?

[MichaelL]

I just want to hear success stories from the composers of music in RF libraries.

Sure DI. RF libraries are the best vehicle for getting my music to its intended users, which are mostly not broadcast users.

Succeses for me:

1) licensing a cue to a documentary film maker in New Zealand, licensing a cue for a feature film produced in Ireland, licensing a cue to the Special Olympics, licensing a cue for a game…

All of the above paid more than :15 of BG music in many broadcast placements.

2) The freedom to compose what I want.

[Desire_Inspires]

First you have to define “success”. DI, what is your definition of success in the RF library world?

Okay.

Is anyone making a minimum of $2,000 a month from RF libraries? That can include one company or a number of companies.

Also, does anyone who meets the above criteria also make money from backend royalties from placements that came from RF sales?

Thanks for sharing.

[House]

This is probably a stupid question but what does MCPS stand for? I am unfamiliar with the acronym.

thanks

[Michael Nickolas]

I don’t meet the $2000 per month criteria, but recently I had an RF track used in a feature film (“Hector and the Search for Happiness” starring Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, and Christopher Plummer). My track is on the cue sheet so I will see backend including international theaters, HBO and etc. No domestic theaters of course.

It would have been nice to collect a bigger license fee than what an RF sale brings, but if that is the way the business is now at least the placement went to me.

[Art Munson]

Is anyone making a minimum of $2,000 a month from RF libraries? That can include one company or a number of companies.

Also, does anyone who meets the above criteria also make money from backend royalties from placements that came from RF sales?

I’m just shy of $1k per month (and growing) across 4 RF libraries. And yes I do make some backend royalties from RF sales.

[Mark]

The top percentage of our composers make that and more.
Again, it really depends on how talented and prolific you are as an artist DI.

As much as I hate to I would have to agree with PROcomposer on this point. If you are just slapping down loops and patches that other people have created into your DAW simply to create a song to make money with no creative input from your soul and no real musical instruments (at least one, once in a while) then you are not going to have success, in any type of library.

The glut of talentless, loop-based hip hop and urban tracks is just mind blowing at this point.
(In My Experience)

The newest and most popular genre I am seeing is ambient post rock. Great and original stuff that works in lots of situations and includes real people playing real instruments.

BTW, what is your main instrument DI? What actual musical instrument have you dedicated your life to?

[Desire_Inspires]

Succeses for me:

1) licensing a cue to a documentary film maker in New Zealand, licensing a cue for a feature film produced in Ireland, licensing a cue to the Special Olympics, licensing a cue for a game…

All of the above paid more than :15 of BG music in many broadcast placements.

2) The freedom to compose what I want.

Thanks, ML.

I guess my question for you is did you find the exclusive PRO library model to offer less money? Offer less creative freedom? Limit your ability to work with certain clients?

I have heard of composers in exclusive PRO libraries making five-figures or more a year from each album. But this could be from albums that were released years or decades ago. A lot has changed in the last ten years in regards to music libraries.

[MichaelL]

The glut of talentless,loop-based hip hop and urban tracks is just mind blowing at this point.
(In My Experience)

I think “glut” is the operative word here. I purposely try to avoid crowded genres, like hip hop, or genres that anyone can use Garage Band for to cobble together a cue.

This business is a bit of a paradox. Television is filled with gratis licensed music that almost anyone with a DAW can crank out. So, IMO getting free placements may not be the best measure of your music’s worth.

But…in the RF world someone actually has to reach into their pocket and part with money to buy your cue (not talking about $1.99 libraries). In many cases, the buyer is a small business owner for whom that money literally comes from their bottom-line.

Whether a person, or company, is actually willing to PAY for your music, says a lot about what a composer is producing.

[Mark]

But…in the RF world someone actually has to reach into their pocket and part with money to buy your cue (not talking about $1.99 libraries).

You hit the nail right between the eyes with that statement my friend.

[MichaelL]

I guess my question for you is did you find the exclusive PRO library model to offer less money? Offer less creative freedom? Limit your ability to work with certain clients?

I have heard of composers in exclusive PRO libraries making five-figures or more a year from each album. But this could be from albums that were released years or decades ago. A lot has changed in the last ten years in regards to music libraries.

Yeah…and there’s a few pop stars making millions of dollars per year, while the majority of musicians are playing in bars for beer money.

I think there’s a mythology that being in an exclusive library somehow automatically results in a ton of backend money. A few might make the kind of money that you’re talking about. Most do not.
In many cases, the upfront money might be all the you ever see.

Upfront money from exclusives is now more or less a thing of the past. Some offer as low as $150 per cue. At that price point, it doesn’t make a lot of sense…unless there’s significant backend potential (which no one can guarantee).

As far as creative freedom goes, I’ve had freedom within the parameters of the briefs I was given. The libraries trust my judgment. I’ve never had my ability to work with other clients limited.

I’ve made a conscious decision to go RF, based upon the type of music that I compose, the amount of music in my catalog, and RF libraries’ ability to get my music to its intended users. I can’t say it any more clearly than that.

[Author]

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