[ChuckMott]

I’ve always looked at the business as analogous to the investing in stocks/bonds/etc., where they preach the power of diversification. You wouldn’t necessary put all your money in growth stocks (unless you like to gamble) rather you invest some in bonds, blue chip stocks (which would represent companies that have been around awhile), growth stocks etc. Hopefully as one segment slows down, you are earning from another to offset things. Unless your an A-list composer, most others composers I’ve looked at who are making money at this seem to go this route.

[ChuckMott]

I’m not not going to upload to RF sites that work, that would be silly at this point. I am going to probably close out RF sites that aren’t working in the very near future. Some libraries have caused me to set expectations that others haven’t lived up to – 2 to be exact. But I am not in a lot of them anyway. There is ne more I think I’d like to get into eventually other then that, I would have to see a good argument made for joining another. By the time I hit the five year point, if I haven’t made substantial progress in placing stuff in NE and Exc. libraries that work for me, I may then focus on RF sites, who knows.

[ChuckMott]

Since the stuff is out there and is a reflection of what I do and I have (I hope) gotten better over time especially in regards to production, mixing, picked up decent mastering software< doing that for select tracks would probably be time well spent.

[ChuckMott]

I wanted to add, this string stuff is wonderful, and it’s a priority for me to pick up a quality string/orchestal library, and have picked up an orchestral writing course a little while back. That said, there are a bunch of composers/artists who focus less on strings and there music is more electronic , even guitar-centric (guitar being my primary instrument). Explosions In The Sky has had a really good run, music from Jimmy Lavalle (AKA the Album Leaf), lots of singer/songwriter stuff (if that’s what you are into, as I was for quite a long time). A good synth, drum beats/loop programs , a bass, a guitar….can all go a long way.

[ChuckMott]

Thanks for the links Michael. Already added a bunch into Spotify playlist searches.

[ChuckMott]

After a year and a half uploading to them, I think I am going to at least look hard at the ones I’m keeping (RF sites). I would think a minimum 2 year commitment to see how others do, possibly as long as 3. See what works , switch it up. If none of them are take a long hard look at what I am doing :). Any other recommended strategies?

[ChuckMott]

A nice position to be in, really. You can maybe be one of those guys who just refuses to do the royalty thing, I am assuming if you start getting deals that are getting you those kinds of fees consistently enough , you might start looking gat the 50/50 $50 splits and form the opinion that it is really not worth your time. On the other hand, others are of the opinion diversification (kind of like a stock portfolio) is the key. I have to tell you, I have been following your stuff, and if I am right you have a relatively small collection of tracks, BUT your stuff is really pro sounding , and you seems to have accomplished already what composers are still looking for, which is finding a unique voice and I really believe the combination of those two things are what is putting you over. This series of posts you are putting up on this topic is real food for thought for the rest of us I think, in several ways. Thanks for posting.

[ChuckMott]

Good questions and I would also like to hear what others say about this. I think I would, for now, lean towards keeping stuff you are pitching here out of RF libraries. Even consider treat in them as exclusive (without actually going exclusive), or consider pitching them to similar level libraries. That isn’t saying send them your best stuff and send the rest to royalty free libraries, just, as Michael suggested, write stuff specifically for that library , you probably don’t want to be in a similar position again. Either way , you’re cruising.

[ChuckMott]

At the very least, if I need inspiration for what to write next for a particular library I do as suggested and listen to some high performing tracks/composers in libraries I’me in and usually find something I connect with. If I get bored with that usually killer tracks top 50 or KPM has some great sources of inspiration.

[ChuckMott]

I agree, thanks Rob and Michael for posting. Was just reading yesterday an article that for most musicians, according to these surveys they sent out, where composing music is one of a few income streams and takes up a relatively small piece of the income pie chart (like 10% of their income comes from music licensing) and that most still make most of their living as musicians the old school way – gigging, teaching, session work making up 3/4. I consider myself a half time musician and make a commitment to working on music 25 hours a week. Is still my passion after picking up my instrument 37 years ago. To be able to semi-retire a little early (my job could easily go part time whenever I made the choice to do so) and mainly work on music supplementing my income gigging and composing that would be a wonderful thing. I have taught music lessons in the past and honestly would rather do what I do now then teach (more dependable). My regret is that I started on this endeavor a little late (at age 50) , wish I would have done it 10 or 20 years earlier. I had attempted to eke out a living teaching and gigging, but wasn’t dependable enough for me. Got frustrated and returned to school. Am now finding that working the day job frees me from worrying about things like “How am I going to buy food this week 🙂 (but not really kidding) and lets me concentrate on music. I swear the best advice in the video is if you want to have more time to write music, reduce the expenses. Pay off the mortgage, , the student loans, the credit cards, the car, find a house that suits your needs but doesn’t overextend your budget. Very freeing , and based on my research (did I ever mention I am a social worker/counselor) people who are the happiest are the ones who have their basic needs met and are able to take that freedom and enjoy the things in life that they are most passionate about. I work with folks with disabilities all day long and I consistently remind them that – yes you’ve been dealt a blow (in becoming disabled ), but you may find the one light at the end of the tunnel is that you get enough income from your social security/disability to meet your basic needs and have a lifetime to consider yourself retired AND still have the freedom to pursue your passions. Sorry for the long-winded post but this is a topic right up my alley and something I am passionate about also.

[ChuckMott]

Yes, I sell at least as many edits to date as I do full tracks, especially stingers. am considering putting together some packages of just stingers also. I basically do the 15-30s-60s and beds, and sometimes loops. This last track I put up a “condensed version” version of the track,and some loops within. Now packaging everything altogether as a separate package, that is something I’d not considered.

[ChuckMott]

I assume you have come across that most of these RF where you do your own tagging have a batch tagging option so you don’t have to tag every one from scratch? Your sales are killing by the way. DO you have a link to any of your music you wouldn’t mind sharing? Is o.k. if not, not everyone here like to do that.

[ChuckMott]

Thanks for the link Michael. I’ve owned it for a month or so, great product.

[ChuckMott]

Thanks Eduardo. YEs the BPM approached I sort of abandoned because I didn’t like the idea of the changing the BPM and the feel of my track just to make it fit. On the other hand, sometimes , maybe, would lie to write 8 bars or whatever with that constraint, but not sure.

Eduardo I was wondering if you could comment on how that approach is working for you as far as coin that number of edits on a track to create those versions etc. I have seen done this done on some higher end library sites where there are as many as sixteen edits or more on a track. Are you finding that clients then go through and it increases the chance of getting picked up/used (I’m assuming that is the case and that is why you are doing it).

Coincidentally I am writing a track, that I think I will put up on my sound cloud page but today’s end, that is a good candidate for that sort of approach. This particular track has basically one theme but several variations as the track progresses and as background was my response to a library looking Explosions In The Sky sorts of material, which then led to me looking for a good quality delay – to make the story shorter, SoundToys Echoboy is all over this one and is one of the nicest delays I’ve had the pleasure of experimenting with. Track is called Fallout. Thanks Art and everyone else for the tips. Kubed thanks for those exacting tempos, that was the original question but equally glad to hear all the extended viewpoints on this stuff. Seems creating good and useable edits is it’s own art form that takes practice and experience (like everything else).

[ChuckMott]

And yes I can do the math but it doesn’t seem like 120 BPM and their subdivisions is always the answer for those dead stops…or is it? Seems I thought so, but in practice…

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