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I was a winner at the “EAST Turnip Film Festival”
😉
Mark makes an excellent point. For *most* of us, in film/TV music (not necessarily for artists seeking label deals), a SC account may be all we need. I have my own domain and website but when it comes time to send a link to a library or sup, I use my SC page.
What libraries and sups usually want is the quickest and easiest way to hear the music. If they have to plow through too much to get to the relevant music links, it’s not worth it to them. SC makes that all easy.
Now, if you are seeking very high end work and have a track record to support that, I could see having your own website with a show reel as your resume.
MLR does have at top of each library section whether or not a library is a Royalty Free (RF) library or not. That alone is a lot of information (Not that more wouldn’t be better!)
Although this is an oversimplification, a great majority of music libraries fall into one of two categories: (1) RF (mostly non-broadcast, more indie projects, corporate videos, etc.) and (2) Conventional broadcast- TV shows and feature films. There also are some that specialize in film trailers.
The first thing one needs to know in order to choose the right libraries is what primary markets they serve. Again, an *oversimplification for discussion purposes* but libraries like JP and Scorekeepers do a lot of placements for cable TV background cues under blanket licenses. Higher end libraries such as Crucial Music are known for placing vocal songs in network TV shows and feature films. RF libraries such as Pond5 and Audiosparx have fewer broadcast clients and more smaller project, no PRO opps.
It’s important to get a feeling for where the music you make will fit best. As mentioned, listening to samples on various library sites is helpful. Some trial and error might be required.
And, in addition to understanding the markets, find out as much as you can about the placement track records of various libraries. Lots of people post here about their experiences, placements, etc. But always keep in mind that one person may have tons of sales or placements from Library A and another nada with the reverse being true for Library B.
Tony
Art, MLR’s owner and CFO (Chief Forum Officer) 😉 , doesn’t want specific libraries discussed in the forum section of the site. You’d have to sign up for a membership and then you can read & post in a specific section about each library including that one.Best
I think we need to separate 2 possible uses for social media for film/TV songwriters & composers…
(1) Using it directly as a way to reach out and and market ourselves. (e.g. using some or all of the tools provided)
(2) Having a good place to host music so we can send links when making contacts through more conventional means.
Not at all knocking social media as in #1. I’m sure some have found effective use for it that way. But I would venture to guess that a very large percentage of use for peeps like us falls under #2.
Jay, I agree that a SC page is essential. But is it mainly for #2 (bikini clad girls excepted)?
And please don’t shatter my illusions that Soundcloud User696969 doesn’t really like me and my music. She sends that message to everyone?? Those photos aren’t *personally* for me? Damn! 😛
Social media has worked wonders for me. Every time I upload a new track to Soundcloud, I get contacted by hot young ladies in bikinis who love me and my music. So who says social media doesn’t work??
😛
Friends don’t let friends read Desire Inspires’ posts.
HAHA! That was funny! 😀
Yeah…and I just ordered that new goat-bleating sample library for Kontakt!
Also, I hear that sample library uses a lot of RAM! 😛
Yeah…and I just ordered that new goat-bleating sample library for Kontakt!
I hear that library has some really baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad ass samples!
😉A few thoughts here…
Music sups are generally most interested in tracks for whatever their current project is. Blindly sending them tracks that may be excellent but not for their current needs is not all that effective (though you never know). Just talking probabilities here.
So if you can do some homework first and target your pitch more specifically it would help a lot.
As far as a link to your Soundcloud page goes, just be careful. Depending on what level of SC you are (free or one of the paid levels) and how you do this, what they see could vary. I think with the free SC, the latest track you uploaded appears first at your profile link. So, some rough cut thing you uploaded after you sent the link could be the first thing someone sees. The first paid level of SC, let’s you pin your top 5 tracks to the top. I believe the paid levels also allow you to create playlist links. If you do this, you want to be damn sure that the first track(s) they see are your best and what you want to pitch. Alternately, you could send a link to one specific track. Don’t send multiple links though since that could be annoying.
Overall, if you try this once with a sup and are not an overbearing pain in the ass (e.g. if you don’t hear back, let it go), nothing to lose. Be sure your music is truly top notch (I know that’s subjective).
Good luck!
Another question I have is what are the chances you could really get caught and financially damaged by signing some songs exclusively with a company, even though you actually have it in other NE libraries?
Absolutely, unequivocally, NEVER EVER do that! It is a breach of contract and even if you never got caught, you’d still be doing something highly unethical (at the least!). Would you want someone to sign a contract with YOU and violate it? How would you feel if you signed a contract with a library, they promised something in that contract, and then just decided to ignore that?
I’m submitting to “DI Free Music”… :p
DI, I’m razzing you 😛 because that QFM thing is obviously a parody. It’s the Weird Al Yankovic of music libraries. I hope you didn’t stay up all night putting 100 tracks together for uploading!
That’s better. Now, I’ve seen it all.
HAHA… So how many tracks did you submit, DI? 😛
Sad part is some desperate composers are probably contacting them to sign up, and others are thinking “Man that’s some really good music, for free!”
I know one MLR participant who probably already signed up thinking how it could lead to bigger and better things such as a staff writer position that pays nothing. HAHAHA 😛 (joke!)
Just to be clear, there are 2 different scenarios that come up…
(1) A library (or other party) asks you to write custom music for them to spec and wants a percentage of the Writer’s share.
(2) A library is pitching a production that wants the entire publisher’s share and now asks if you would be willing to split the Writer’s share for non custom/spec cues you put in the library.
The scenarios are similar but not exactly the same. I think the thread was talking more about #1.
Not thrilled with either scenario, but as others have said, every situation has to be evaluated individually based on the pros and cons. Clearly, there are situations whereby giving up some Writer’s share can open doors for you that couldn’t be opened otherwise.
I think if we learn anything in this business it’s that there are no absolutes.