The cost of releasing music

[kandr21400]

There’s CD Baby, TuneCore, and Distrokid, just to name a few. CD Baby and TuneCore charge fees to release per track and per album. Distrokid charges a yearly fee of 20 dollars for unlimited releases. Wouldn’t Distrokid be the way to go if you’re planning on submitting multiple tracks per week to music libraries?

[Art Munson]

Wouldn’t Distrokid be the way to go if you’re planning on submitting multiple tracks per week to music libraries?

I’m confused. Why would you need any service to submit tracks to a library?

[kandr21400]

I’m totally new to this…..I thought one would have to have information like UPC number, ISRC number, release date, etc. But based on what I’m starting to gather from your response, is, after someone composes a piece, whether it’s anywhere from 15 seconds to 3 minutes in length, you just submit it to the whichever libraries you researched, and chose?

[BEATSLINGER]

Good morning to all. Kandr21400, you are going to need to do a LOT of research, and studying to formulate a plan/strategy on how best to structure your business. The key word is “research”. I can’t speak for all, but trial and error/success is how a lot of us got to what ever position we are at, and each has a completely individual method/story. In other words.. “You’re gonna have to earn your stripes, and make your own relationships”. This forum has a WEALTH of knowledge, but it is all about taking the time to read, internet research, and see what will work best for you.

As well, Art Munson is very humble from what I am seeing; and so I will tell you. He has a E-book that is available that answers a TON of these questions.

Be well, and I wish you MUCHO success!!

[gigdude]

Hey Kandr21400, What CDbaby and the others you mention do is release your music to the public for CD’s, downloading and streaming. The music library/ publishing world is aiming at a different market/ function. You can do both. But I believe some of distribution companies may offer some type of sync arrangement but I would maybe avoid that cause it may conflict with what you might do with libraries. You can opt out of that and just get distribution I believe. The Libraries seek placements in TV, Flim, Advertising etc. Many here have music in both worlds. A lot of music written just for the license world may not be of much use for the cd world, such as tension beds, horror music, Dramedy score, Pounding Action Adventure bed etc. Keep reading and you will fomulate a plan. Of course you’re plan will have to keep changing cause the scene is constantly changing.

[kandr21400]

I’ve been doing extensive research every chance I get. I go to work all day, come home in the evenings, and I write, do homework (Full Sail University Music Production Online Bachelors program, and I graduated this past spring with my degree in Audio Production), practice bass, and market and promote the material I’ve composed already…for about 4-5 hours in the evenings, and most of the day Saturday, and Sunday. I’m constantly grinding. I’m already registered with CD Baby, Landr, and TuneCore. I’m already registered with BMI, and Sound Exchange. I have my releases worldwide on internet radio. I have my material on Soundcloud, YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, and a slew of other distribution partners. I entered contests with Indaba Music. I’m making connections on Music 2 Deal. I have “The Indie Bible” of which I read, and utilize, on a daily basis. I purchased and I read the e-book “Make Music?…Make Money!” which I purchased from this site. I’m just starting to get into Production music. I know a lot of people have paid their dues, and earned their stripes, and I wasn’t asking for any short cuts, or hook ups. I was just curious if people use Distrokid since it has unlimited releases for 20 dollars a year, or CD Baby or Tune Core. I’m assuming that you’re just not going to submit your music to music libraries without having them registered, and officially released. And I know if people are submitting tunes daily or weekly, releasing them through CD Baby, or TuneCore would cost a LOT. That’s all I was asking. I’ve been working in Information Technology for 20 years, and believe me, I paid my dues, and earned my stripes. But when new kids come in, I reach out and give them pointers and advice to help get them along the way. I don’t hold their hand, and coddle them, but since I’ve been around the block I answer questions just to get them over a hurdle here and there. Nobody is born knowing what they know, and somewhere along the way, everybody in every career reached out to someone with experience. If my winded response seems like I’m ticked….I AM. Too many times, as I go through these forums, and I see “newbies” seeing advice, I read a lot of “do your own research”…”people paid the dues”, etc. Nobody is looking for a free ride, just a little professional advice. I’ll say this…I’m glad that while I’m in school, my fellow classmates, and other students realize that we are ALL artists and we uplift each other. We realize that we’re all part of the entertainment family, and we do what we do to see everybody succeed.

[Art Munson]

@kandr21400. With all due respect, paragraphs! It’s very tedious to try and read a post such as yours above. I gave up after a few lines but hey, I’m old! 🙂

[BEATSLINGER]

Hello to All! I am not here to start arguments, nor be accusatory. But, here is the real. “There is no Blue-print to this, and each road is individual”. Some Libraries that work for others are not looking for what I do; and vice versa. I work towards being very helpful with people, because I wish everyone to be successful. If you took it as something to be “Ticked” about; that is up to you.

God Bless.

Also, my goal this year was to get into three new/additional “exclusive libraries”. By just doing research here on MLR; not only did i get accepted into three libraries. I was able to find libraries that are specifically looking for what I do.

[kandr21400]

Okay…it seems things got out of hand. Let me try to start from the beginning. Maybe I didn’t express things correctly, and I’ll take full responsibility for that. I’m not trying to get on anybody’s bad side, and I want to work together. I apologize.

Okay….all I’m trying to ask is this ONE THING….and let me break it down. Let’s say I compose 5 “pieces”, “edits”, or whatever you want to call them, this week.

NOW…based on past experience, whenever I compose a “piece”, I go on CD Baby and/or Tunecore, register the work, pay the fees for the singles ($9.00 EACH) and then they get released, and I can do whatever marketing and promoting, or distribution, or whatever I want with them. But it cost me $9.00 EACH to release them. I have all of the rights, ownership, etc. for EACH piece. On CD Baby alone, I just paid $45.00 for those 5 pieces to be released.

NOW…let’s say those 5 “pieces” are 2 minutes each, and I want to submit them to whatever music library, and I successfully accomplish that. REMEMBER…they cost me $45.00.

Would it just be better to release them through Distrokid, since Distrokid has Unlimited releases for $20.00 a year, as opposed to paying $9.00 per release?

Based on the scenario I mentioned, going through Distrokid, it would not have cost me anything to release the 5 “pieces”, as opposed to $45.00 I paid through CD Baby. And PLEASE….PEOPLE….don’t say “you just answered your own question”. Just give me a straight up answer. Do you license your music through CD Baby, TuneCore, Distrokid, or whoever, before you submit them to music libraries?

OR…do I have to go through the aggregators AT ALL to submit music to music libraries?

And I, once agin, apologize for the previous rant. I’m not trying to offend anyone, or get on anyone’s bad side.

[BEATSLINGER]

Hello there my friend. I think that Art did say this correctly. You should not have to pay anything to get to “Reputable Music Libraries”. There are some “services” that will help you from a “consultancy stand-point” (that is how I got into the business, and knowing what I know now; they are lucky I haven’t hurt them.lol) but, you should not have to pay to submit.

I think that what you are really saying is “How do I protect myself, and make sure that what I am sending out to Libraries/Catalogs/Industry does not get plagiarized; or used without my permission”. This is where the research really comes in, and why MLR is such a wealth. The critiques, and reviews about the libraries have been pretty spot on!

I will give you a quick hint. Since you are just getting into the business; go towards Mid-Level Libraries. Get some placements under your belt, and then start putting together “CD’s” for exclusive/top tier libraries. This business has a LOT to do with your track record, and if they can build a story around you. That’s where I was referring to “The Stripes”. Unless you get a mentor, a consultant, or a Shark. You are gonna have to earn them by building a track record. What ever you do, don’t go with the shark!

[gtrwll]

Do you license your music through CD Baby, TuneCore, Distrokid, or whoever, before you submit them to music libraries?

No. Just go straight to the libraries.

[kandr21400]

“ding-ding-ding-ding”…….gtrwll, you just won the Grand prize. That’s the ultimate answer I was looking for. I’m sending you a Virginia ham for Christmas. No, I’m not, just kidding. So now I’ll go that route, AND take BEATSLINGERS advice and research how to protect my music from being ripped off, and protect myself from being cheated out of money. Thanks guys….EVERYBODY who provided input to this conversation.

[pianohombre]

Good luck! I think you are one the right path. I recommend staying away from pay to submit libraries and I agree with what BEATSLINGER said about going to mid-level libraries.

[FranklinV]

If you are looking to protect yourself I would suggest you copyright all tracks before you submit to libraries. Good luck!

[Author]

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