Submitting to libraries while seeking publishing a mistake?

[GreggB]

Hello,

My writing partner and I have got a collection of high quality songs together that we’ve been recording for the past couple of years. I’m currently gathering publishing contacts to approach. I’m also interested in submitting to music libraries, however reading the policy of AudioSparks it seems like they require a perpetual use of the songs. Does this mean that if we get a publisher interested, then they will pull the deal when they find out AudioSparks has a perpetual license on a recording of the songs?

Thanks for any help,

GreggB

[Art Munson]

Does this mean that if we get a publisher interested, then they will pull the deal when they find out AudioSparks has a perpetual license on a recording of the songs?

Most likely. You want to leave those songs totally unencumbered.

[MichaelL]

Does this mean that if we get a publisher interested, then they will pull the deal when they find out AudioSparks has a perpetual license on a recording of the songs?

The problem with this approach is that you are looking for a library, or libraries, to be place holders until something better comes along, which really isn’t fair to the libraries involved.

If your music has the juice to get a big deal, then shoot the moon and go for it before you have to go pulling tracks out of libraries. Then, if nothing comes of it you can put your tracks into long-term agreements without losing sleep wondering what might have been.

In the meantime, consider producing some music for libraries rather than thinking of them as your second choice.

[LAwriter]

The worst possible thing you could tell a publisher is….” oh you want them? GREAT!!! Oh, uh, ummm, I have to remove them from the music libraries they’re in first……”

Choose one of the other, not both.

[MuscoSound]

+1

[GreggB]

Thanks very much for the advice all above!

[Happy Ears]

Make 1.5-2.00 min instrumental edits and use those for libraries then save the full length vocal version for the publishers. In 6-7 years when the vocal versions are starting to sound dated and still haven’t gone anywhere you can add those as well 🙂

[guscave]

Make 1.5-2.00 min instrumental edits and use those for libraries then save the full length vocal version for the publishers.

I wouldn’t do this if you’re seriously considering pitching your songs to major publishers. They will want the rights to the “full” song. Just because you’re giving a library 2 min worth of a 4 min song doesn’t change the copyrights that are involved. This can appear to the publisher as if you’re trying to pull a fast one on them and ruin whatever relationship you are trying to establish with them.

You can however use a few tracks like drums and bass from your original song and re-create a few “NEW” tracks for libraries, but leave the original as is.

[Advice]

STRONGLY agree with what Gus said here. If you put a 1.5-2.0 minute instrumental mix in a non-exclusive library, you cannot put any version of it, with or without vocal, in an exclusive library. That would be a definite contract violation.

The instrumental underlying a vocal is part of the same song copyright. And also keep in mind that libraries will give the music sup versions with and without vocal and during final editing sometimes they only end up using the instrumental, or mostly that. They are inseparable.

Advice

[MichaelL]

Guscave and Advice are correct. Edits and alt mixes are derivative versions of the underlying work. Not a good idea.

[Jeremy B.]

If you’re looking for the best music libraries available I highly suggest you checkout Music of the Sea, Inc. and Epic Music LA. They’ve placed songs on Scary Movie V, Fast and Furious, Kill Bill, American Idol, Fox Sports, The CW, MTV, ESPN, CSI, Hollywood Access, Showtime, UFC, National Geographic, Subway, Hooters, Playstation, 7/11, Old Navy, and more.

There are some major artists affiliated with both libraries and they have some of their music signed to them as well.

If you think you have what it takes, check them out!

[mojorising]

If you’re looking for the best music libraries available I highly suggest you checkout Music of the Sea, Inc. and Epic Music LA

Hi Jeremy B. I was curious to know if you have first hand experience with Music of the Sea? Its not often that someone directly recommends a library here on MLR so I checked them out and noticed they charge $25 per song submission. This usually would make me run away, but maybe they just do it to reduce the amount of submissions they get?

[Art Munson]

Hi Jeremy B. I was curious to know if you have first hand experience with Music of the Sea? Its not often that someone directly recommends a library here on MLR so I checked them out and noticed they charge $25 per song submission.

Pay to play? I would stay away from them.

[MichaelL]

They’ve placed songs on Scary Movie V, Fast and Furious, Kill Bill, American Idol, Fox Sports, The CW, MTV, ESPN, CSI, Hollywood Access, Showtime, UFC, National Geographic, Subway, Hooters, Playstation, 7/11, Old Navy, and more.

For you?

[Advice]

Hmmmmm….. Jeremy’s post sounds like an advertisement to me. When you couple the post with the fact that at least one of those companies charges for submissions, it’s suspicious.

I hope I’m wrong.

[Author]

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