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There are other things to worry about in this industry before we even start considering AI a possible future threat.
YES! Like getting some “International Laws in place!”
1) Guidelines that “completely separate Consumer usage from Professional Usage”.
2) Mandatory Cue Sheet filing!
3) Uniform, or MUCH better guidelines with regards to Statutory Rates for Television & Film
4) Mandatory bonuses for Streaming content, that give US payments or “tiered rate increases” once any media receives certain amounts of views, (not wording this right, but you get what I mean)and SO MUCH more!!
**ALSO** I get a lot of “what is the real difference between Lower/Mid Tier and The Top-Tier Libraries?”
The Top Tier goes after that money, and cue sheets get filed!! They have VERY aggressive teams in place, and they watch like Hawks!!For sure, that’s exactly what I suspect as well. But… as BeatSlinger noted, that ‘construction set music’ – or any very loop based genre for that matter – makes up a huge amount of what’s on TV and is probably easily replicable by a basic AI or even clever set of code. Once someone has that figured out, the clock will be ticking on practically every other genre
There’s still to me a couple of things that are needing to be mentioned.
AI/Artificial Intelligence, at this time and for quite some time will be “mainly” used for “taking information about what you need: Algorithms, Mood, Genre, and other information” Then, searching databases/meta/tagging to find material with your (for lack of better words) requirements & preferences. This has already been in place for a good few years, and we bought into this by doing and/or agreeing to metadata/tagging, etc.If it is something that will start “generating actual compositions from data received. No time soon would this fly in the professional markets, and would be probably geared towards consumer-based media & non-professional usage”.
Now, THE REAL threat for “Standard” Production Music Composers that is looming, and gaining FAST. Is the HUGE migration of Singer-Songwriter/Artist Producers that are running from the record side of the business (that is just about officially dead) They are now bringing in a TON of “Pay-Per-Use/Made for Media/Pre-cleared & ready to license Albums”. No computer will be able to touch Singer/Songwriters.
As well, unless you know something I don’t “AI-composers can’t do complex Custom-Music, 1 Off’s, and Singer-Songwriter”.
If you get eaten up by a computer-generated cue(s) it means you were holding on to this industry by threads anyway..
It’s A Pretty Piece!
Couple/few things that caught me were.* The Piano and the Cello are you major issue. Piano (I like how it feels, kind of moody but) could brighten just a hair around 1.5k to 3k. being careful not to get “brittle”
* The Cello is “floating around” by either panning effect, or the “throw” of the reverb. Cello’s don’t float.
*There is “to me” a Lower-Mids “Tubby” thing going. You’ll get a lot more clarity rolling out some of those.
* Possibly positioning the Cello slightly right (because it comes in first) and the lower-mid woodwinds (that get introduced later) slightly left. will give you the separation you need to clear that “center isle” a bit and let the piano and melody line come thru.Where they might make inroads is in the bottom rung of generic loop based, construction set music, but that doesn’t pay anyway.
I’m not standing up for anyone, or any specific genre. But, to say that a “major part of Pop-Culture & Modern TV/Media doesn’t pay anyway?”
The major factor to something making money in this industry is what library/catalog it is in, and how good their team is at licensing/selling your products.
I personally know 6 Figure a year Composers/Writers doing Loop-based music.
Interesting discussion. I know which library Beatslinger is referring to as well. Beatslinger: do you have material with them? How do you know if it leads to other libraries?
I am with a small but very efficient network of Composers/Writers & Producers.
Rather than go into detail about which Libraries I am in. I will say this.. “I am with several better Boutiques & High-End/Top-Tier Libraries, and have music with great agencies”, For me, each Library connection/addition has brought me further along in my career.
As well, once you get to a certain level, you pretty much know who is, and..
As for Leading to bigger & better, this is much like a game of Chess. Isn’t this whole thing about getting further along in Our Careers, and making strategic moves to do so?
I have done this a good number of times.
Here is what “I did”
Had enough of both parts to complete just about any types of Cue/Edit/Scene, etc. First part would be my main composition (somewhere around 90 seconds to 2 minutes)
Then “I would place a clear/clean break” (Shortening the reverb so there’s not a long pause between the components)
and then doing the tempo change for about another minute.
“Normally” the no-no would be going up a 1/2 step/whole step, or key changes..
How long should I give them to respond before I submit that same music to another library?
Consider Yourself “A Business”. Would You in business sit around, and wait for another company to get back to you to keep moving with business?
**HUGE MISCONCEPTION** Companies “usually” don’t get mad at you for finding suitable homes for “Your Hard work & efforts” before they have an opportunity to get back to you. The only thing they will :”usually” hold a grudge, or mute you is if you have been pushy, negative, and disrespectful in your correspondence.
Don’t say no, just have another set of tracks in case the previous ones are taken.
Correct! When I was looking for libraries, I would get in touch with “several” that were on my short-list, and see who got back to me. If it was one of “My Dream Libraries” I would go ahead and do the deal. If someone else got back, and showed interest. Just let them know that “You have even better material”, and that you would love to submit for their review..
“Most” of the better libraries just wanted to see “What You’re made of, and if you have the skillset & sound they need”. Unless the music fits right into albums that they have slated for productions, they will let you know what they need from you.
Also, once again I cannot stress this enough. People, they need US even more than You need them. Stop living in the fantasy, putting them on these pedestals; and Take Your Power(s) Back!!
They pay 25% of all sync and mechanical licensing revenue. In addition, 50% of all direct performance revenue. And of course the 100% writers share.
Sounds like this Library that is based in Texas, and one of the owners has the initials S.M.
If it is them, take the deal. They get a TON of work, and it will lead to bigger Libraries.
“Just my opinion”. Sometimes you have you have to play 2-3 steps ahead..
Trust me, You’re just feeling the “Jitters & Shakes” because You submitted to a “High-End Library”, and (don’t do this) “You are basing how good your skills are, and if you are High End Material on this/these responses. Let me de-mystify this for you if I might.
They are “just people”, and just like anything else they have their OWN specific agendas & current needs..
Don’t sit around and wait for their response. Keep moving, keep working, and again DON’T sit around. I submitted things in 2016, and they just got back to me recently (AND had the nerve to ask if the material I submitted was still available..LOLOL)
“Usually”, if you haven’t heard back from them by 6 months, they are probably not interested..
“When I was looking for Libraries”, I would circle back around about a year later, and submit new material. By that time I had other things going, and was able to give a (polite & non-braggy) update on advancements and My bigger placements that I had gotten.
Good Luck to You!!
Also, I would send a link to a “Specially Curated Playlist” and name it after them/their company. So, I could see why they came to the site, had a listen, and what they were 4 listening to. Sometimes, they are literally so busy, and back-logged that hot can take months.
**BIG POINT** They will say they are always looking for “Everything”, but they all know what albums they are slated to produce. If you don’t hear back, most of the time it means they are only looking for specific things at that time..
So, do you think the main income source for the average composer nowadays is performance royalties or sync fees? I’ve been reading everywhere that PROs are paying less and less.
When I first got into this forum, I used to think “Wow, they are really playing it close to the vest”. They must not really want to divulge the “Pots of Gold”. But, now I realize more and more there really is no formula, let alone any sense in how to structure your personal success story. Just so I can be transparent. I made a lot of really strong moves since being on The MLR. But where most have said they had good luck/fortune in RF sites. To date, I literally am STILL under a $1,000. in sales..
I think library income these days is only a part of the puzzle; at least for the large percentage of writers. It needs to be augmented with other sources. I song-write for the educational market, write articles and do the occasional live gig. Others teach.
Custom Composing, Non-Recoupable’s, and Licenses for Films have been my best payouts “so far”..
If you want to do it I would go for both writing credit and payment. These things can turn into a nightmare very fast, at least in my experience.
Glad that someone was able to give a result. At the end of the day, anything that you put time & energy towards is “Business”.
The older I get, the more I am looking towards having less regret, and bitterness towards others. It just about always can be avoided when people are upfront & honest.
Those that know me here, know that I “work towards” giving honest advice, and candor from “proven results”.
All I can say is this. “You want Bigger Fish, You use Bigger Bait”.
BEATSLINGER I am glad it has not been a problem for you but I would feel uncomfortable naming other ibraries,
As with just about any “Job”. You/I are measured by “Our Work History, and Our Resumé”. Being in better Boutiques & Top Tier Libraries “can” mean that your work already meets certain criteria, and that you have made some headway/advancements in your career.
Also, there are Companies & Catalogs that are by “Invitation Only”. This can only be done by your body of work, and a strong work history.
I wouldn’t list *libraries* – definitely not! However, mentioning some of your actual Film/TV placements is a good idea.
Being in Top-Tier Libraries, and mentioning them in my emails & correspondence did not hamper me from getting into “more Top-Tier Libraries”.
Just my couple of Peso’s. I think as long as your email/messages & correspondence with them is polite, to the point, and not overly braggy. I don’t think there is anything wrong with giving them a brief history of your work. To me, it lets them know that you are capable of turning in product.
FYI, I would not list any “junk” libraries. If you have a couple of Top-Tier & better Boutiques, and a few good placements. List them..