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LA Writer,
I think 2 of the best things I have ever purchased for my studio was Acoustical treatment and an LA-2A 🙂
I don’t really agree with the comment about needing 1000 ‘amazing’ tracks (let’s just call them competitive with the top 10% of library music)… I certainly don’t have that many – maybe 100 what you’d consider really good ones? And those tracks, along with a mountain of ‘OK’ ones, pay my mortgage in the LA area. I imagine 1000 amazing tracks would easily make you seven figures, if the tracks were in the right hands!
Thanks Mark,
Having a passion for music and working a “Day job” to pay the mortgage is very frustrating. I always wanted to do music full time. Although I am impressed by a 2000 quality track count, I am very glad to hear that a few hundred catchy and useful tracks can help a career prosper.
. I on the other take pleasure in the challenge of writing other genres for TV/Film. grew up listening to most of them and my favorites keep changing. My main thing is blues, rock and singer/songwriter stuff on the commercial side (not on my soundcloud page but it is on spotify). . . but i just cant see writing a 1000 of those on this side of the biz, 100 maybe, so i feel the need to diversify and separate my passion from the business side…
Absolutely. Diversity is the name of the game.
Although I am not a seasoned pro like some of the guys on this thread, I have enough experience in the Lib business to see what my contacts want and have too much of.
Being a session drummer for many years, I was fortunate enough to to get immersed in Straight Ahead Jazz, Funk, Latin, Metal,. You name it. These musical styles are not impossible to learn. Just listen, listen, listen. One of my music mentors once told me ” You are what you heard”. Although I do a lot of Epic/Action Orchestra, I am always up to writing a Bossa Nova, Hard Bop, Oakland Soul or Samba track. Libraries will eat up a good track in these genres.
@danny, I do not have a soundcloud account. Just do some research on where to find high bar music libraries and you’ll be in good shape. We can not post those links here as it is against MLR’s rules. We also don’t post links to our music on a public forum as it’s inappropriate. Ask some colleagues and I am sure someone will point you in the right direction of quality “high bar” production music.
Hmm. I have seen plenty of SC links to tracks on this forum. Did not know it was against the rules.
I am not sure you are understanding what LA Writer is saying. While it may seem like stating “amazing” is being boastful about his own music, he’s not bragging at all. He’s communicating a message about what’s important (to succeed) based on his 3 or 4 decades of experience working in the music business. If you don’t get it, keep grinding and working until you do, as we had to.
What LA is saying is perfectly clear and I do not feel that he is being boastful by any means.
Most of the MLR participants are quite insightful and eager to learn from the experienced. If I was on an oil painting forum and heard about some great paintings, I’m sure there would be some pics posted.
I am not trying to be rude and don’t take it the wrong way. It’s just a little odd how we were told about excellence throughout this whole thread with nothing tangible to help convey the message 🙂
LA Writer and Music 1234,
What do you guys think about the ever growing group of Sups who ONLY want Exclusive ques? It seems like this is a growing trend. Sure we can tell them no and they will just get Exclusive tracks from the 40,000 other composers that are down with their model.
Sorry for the quote mixup. For some reason I can not edit my post immediately after posting it on a Mac.
It’s quite possible that front end will replace back end as the main source of writing income in the very near future. And if you are signed exclusively, with a small up front buyout fee – or WORSE – NO fee –
LA Writer,
I am taking a guess that you are a very seasoned writer that has business contacts that may span decades. As for guys like me, who have a few years under their belt of Production Music, where are these libraries that offer front end? That was a rhetorical question of course. Perhaps you have extended contracts from these Libs back from the glory days but these days, it’s very hard to find any Libs with front end payments.
I’m positive if I was a known name in the industry, I would be able to command front end as part of a deal.
I find my situation similar to Alan, whereby my TV cues rarely sell on NE/RF libraries. Almost all of my music is Cinematic mood setting ques rather than actual “Songs”. My Epic Orchestras are an exception.
IMO I believe that every Exclusive Lib should pay a fee but WE are the ones that set the standard.
The exclusives I decided to stay with, often register with my PRO in a week and use brief music within a few weeks on TV.
One of the Libs send out briefs for actual TV shows.
This is the reason why Exclusives work for me. I may not get an upfront fee but my back end far exceeds Non-Ex Libs.
Mark Petrie,
I really enjoy your music.
Can you possibly tell us what your average track count is for one of your pieces? The reason I ask is that I am wondering if it makes sense to utilize my time to work on a HUGE sounding piece before I have the proper channels to market it. I have a “Day job” and trying to balance ques with a few Exclusive libraries.
I totally agree with you Slinger.
I have spoken to a few Music Supervisors and these particular guys say that simplicity is the key in most que music. They don’t care if you play guitar like SVR or orchestrate like Mozart.
Chuck,
I don’t know if you were answering me or another person.
From my own experience, I can put out a very anxious, compelling, Investigative Tension piece in 2-3 hours. I would not even consider sending it out unless it is good enough for Investigation Discovery, CSI, etc. My point was that some ques don’t require the dexterity and time as a trailer or Epic Orchestral piece can require.
“Quality” is a word very open to interpretation in this business, as I mentioned at the end of my last post, the one minute, whole note, D minor chord. Was that “Quality” as long as it evoked emotion?
Just some hypotheticals to think about.
Where do you draw the line between quality and the simplicity that the libraries need?
For instance, I have some Epic Orchestral ques that some people say reminds them of Franz Liszt or Mozart, but in reality, those ques would be too busy for production work. They would interfere with dialogue. (Unless they were written to spec or used as theme songs).
OTOH I have Investigative Tension and Dramady EDM pieces that took me an hour or two to write. By my own standards, the only thing “Quality” about these tracks are the recording production. (Edit) – I will not send them out to a Lib unless I feel they will play their role in evoking emotion. Libraries tend to eat up these ques because that’s what’s hot right now.
I have been paying attention to the production ques on hot, new TV shows. Some of these ques are a D minor chord held for one minute on a Multi-Voiced synth. Is that quality?
I agree Daniel! Thats why I have never signed my songs for a performance free model. I’m sure you know this, but most of the Royalty Free sites still require that cue sheets are filed for anything broadcast
Yes Mojo. The “Royalty free” Phrase confuses a lot of people. They do require users to fill out a que sheet for broadcast.
From my experience, some people STILL do no fill out que sheets when they are supposed to, making it very difficult to track down placements and royalty income.
But the library I’m referring to allows the artist to chose, and they put a big button on their website for clients to chose PRO or non PRO so it really puts people like me who will not do the performance free at a disadvantage.
I think that library still requires a que sheet for a non PRO member. It’s confusing but the PRO doesn’t mean your performance rights. It means the professional upgrade. (More exposure, etc). I may be wrong but I think I know who you are talking about.
Think of it this way.If this were the case, more people should be choosing people WITHOUT the PRO tag because they don’t want to pay royalties.
Although I agree with LAwriter that all composers should be educated on what gets backend and what doesn’t, I think the biggest problem we have with these Non-PRO deals is the PRECEDENT we are setting.
By signing these deals with more and more libraries, we are showing that it’s ok to not collect backend on our tracks. We are our own worst enemy. If we keep on signing these deals, all libraries may follow this model in the future because it may become norm.
Why would a client buy a track where they have to worry about filling out cue sheets when they could just use libraries that don’t require that?
Pretty soon, major networks will be browsing these libraries so they don’t have to pay royalties. Just picture your track showing up in 40 re-runs of The Kardashians and the network owes you nothing.
This is the reason why I turned down the new Pump contract. I don’t want to get 40 bucks for my track being used in a High School video. I would rather take my chances with libraries that are PRO. Who knows when some goofy track you did 3 years ago appears in a primetime commercial and is aired for 3 years?