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IMO – a long-standing career in this biz (if it’s even possible starting out now) relies heavily on personal relationships at the point of publishing. Not with end users. Again IMO, social media is not the place to develop personal publishing relationships. In their office, on the phone, in the studio is how you develop personal relationships in this biz that last.
Just a question.. How many of us are in contact with their libraries, execs, and sales teams/staff. Just to say hi, check in, and see how they are doing?
I cannot explain how many times that has been the difference between someone telling me about upcoming projects, and that I was glad that I got in touch to remind them that I am available. This is a business of selling, cultivating relationships, and follow-ups & follow-thru..
Hi there.
Art, can I drop a quick link to a website that I think could help with this?
This website has helped a bunch of people.Here is a dose of reality BEATSLINGER:
There are WAY more than Him that jumped on this bandwagon. In addition, just the massive amount of advertisement, and attention “making music for TV & Film” got in general. Set a LOT of this bottom-feeding in motion..
As well, commentary like this makes me glad I never responded to requests to “so-called” pick my brain.. 😉
I joined this site because I’m trying to pick a good library to host my music and try to get it on TV and film. I’m having trouble figuring out the best way to use this site! What I was hoping to be able to do was find the best music library to use based on my style/genre
Hi there Notsamstucky. I came to this site as well to find out information, and check reviews on libraries and companies too.
I don’t know if this will help you, but this did help me.
On the Right Hand side of your screen. Right underneath where it says “Join Now”. You will see a link that says “Access Music Libraries”. I went from A to Z, and read about EVERY library and every review. It really helped me to make some very informed decisions!
Pay close attention to the reviews before 2015 There is a LOT of great candor in them!!
Good Luck!
Forget about “make it in TV Licensing Scams” that is not what this thread is about. We’re discussing “Changing Trends”.
I don’t know what you’re talking about. Yes, these “make it in TV & film music schemes”, the mass advertising of them, and social media itself are KEY factors in bringing a TON of VERY desperate fishermen to these small but once sustaining fishing holes.
Seeing the mass influx of “so-called” composers & writers has been like chumming open ocean waters. This has brought out predatory companies, and those looking to make a quick meal off of the remaining carcass.
I see everyday a new composer speaking about finally getting their first placement; and being overjoyed that it is appearing on a MTV, Real Housewives franchise, or Love & Hip Hop show.
Imagine now having fishing holes SO crowded that people are desperate to take home a “bait fish”. Where there were easily 10 placements a week. “Some/many” are seeing 1 to 2 every couple of weeks.
If this isn’t a part of the problems with the current trends. I don’t know what is..
Also, yes there are some great fishing holes left. They are being HIGHLY protected too!
We don’t get into paid services. One shouldn’t have to “pay to play”.
Not in the music library business anyway..
I keep thinking somewhere a H**ker has clutched Her Bosom and Gasped..
How so Beatslinger? I’m not really even investing my time into pursuing music library placements anymore – other than when the right situation knocks on my door.
Not sure what to say, because I know you always have something going; and you know how to play your cards close to your vest..
I will say this though. There are some “Great Fishing Holes still left” and they are not necessarily Libraries. Or, at least conventional ones..
At least 95% of my catalog is NOT in those categories, and it’s STILL like trying to stop a volcano with a toothpick. LOL
You are one of the people I KNOW can weather the current “small but annoying” storm.
No offense, you are still thinking with an old mindset though..
I shifted focus away from just about everything I did in the past. I took a break from the studio and didn’t submit anything anywhere. For me it was just too discouraging working so hard for literal pennies. Streaming pennies, Pond5 pennies, reality show pennies. I hit a plateau years ago and it seems and all music creation income is on the decline. When I got back to the studio I started working on songs that I’m happy to create, regardless of the income they might generate.
I’m not sure if people are noticing. But the bottleneck in the traffic is happening in the same areas. There seems to be a LOT of “You can make it in music licensing for TV” schemes, and they are using the SAME roads, and the same “exhausted” list of libraries and companies to peddle the possibility of placements. As soon as you think outside of the “fast food variety placements” you will find yourself not being caught in this stagnant pool..
I said about 4 years ago if you are trying to compete with modern musics (Trap/EDM/Pop, etc) You are literally trying to stop a volcano from erupting using a toothpick. Look into Your Goody Bags, and find musics that are marketable, while not trying to compete with current trends.
There’s a LOT of money still out here. The thing is “Getting in where you fit in!!”
Also, not bagging on the product, but bagging on the “mentality”. If you are thinking with the mindset of using a cracked Version of “SL Studio” and using a bunch of free plugins & software. Expect a $5 placement..
Hi I have instrumental cues sitting in music libraries that are just sitting there can i submit those cues to another library if they are exclusive?
thanks,RonUnfortunately, a part of this business is getting to know what libraries are graveyards and/or misrepresented themselves; and which ones are actually getting legitimate placements.
More than likely if you did not see a clause in your contract/agreement where the tracks/cues/songs can revert back to you after a period of time. There pretty-much is nothing you can do..
Also, did you check to see if you can place the tracks on your own as long as you do not put them into another library?
In most cases, I do albums of production music with a specific style that fits a specific catalogue but, for universal and BMG for example, you only find a super generic email address for submissions and as hard as you search on the web there are no label emails.
When you go to the websites there will be a submission email. It really works, and trust me if they have something currently and/or upcoming slated that it will fit. Or if it is something they they need. They will get back to you.
Most are using “Disco” now. Make sure to leave a personalized message; and really keep it “short, to the point, humble, and positive”.
Good luck to you!!
This thread is titled ‘Full time composers – Share your stories’ and yet it seems to have been hijacked once again by people complaining about the current state of the industry and how it’s all going downhill and whose fault it is.. There are so many places on these forums where one can read these complaints – it’s a shame some seem to think it needs to happen here as well
If this was in reference to what I posted. Yes, I currently do music full time. As well, I mentioned I now make more money than ever while I have decreased my output by about 80%..
Hello to all.
I have been doing production music since 2004, seen some great libraries come and go, and now seeing what has become of this once thriving revenue stream; it has made me completely re-think how I do business. One BIG thing I have found out is that this really is about your relationships, and not about how many “cues” you have in libraries. After making my rounds to pretty-much all of the so-call top tier libraries. I took this “pandemic opportunity” to refocus, re-brand, and “lose my production music, and production music library identity”. I have literally spent the last year or so only focusing on specific types of projects, library music that has a non-recoupable budget attached, and dissecting my music and (hopefully) finding what it is really good for.Seems like I landed on a few things. For many years my output was about 125 to 150 cues/tracks a year. I am now making several times the money while only having an output of about 30 to 50 pieces a year currently..
Grateful that even though I am self-taught. I am an actual musician, and have several “Change-ups”. In addition, I am extremely grateful that I learned to navigate these treacherous waters; and not getting caught in the current “production music bottle-neck that is taking place somewhere around the B.S Libraries/Scams, Lower-tier, and Mid-Tier”..
I would try to get to the bottom of this rather than get a shock some months down the road.
Being honest, and now that I know there really is still some money in this industry. 4 figure checks are pretty regular occurrence. I wouldn’t worry too much about it..
I would also advise you to just cash large checks and not ask any questions at all.
As the kids say.. “That Part!”