[Danny]

I just got an email from them and came here to see if this was being discussed. I tend to agree with soundspot — it sounds like a bad deal for music composers/producers.

[Danny]

Thank you friends. A lot of this confirms what I was already thinking so it’s nice to see my thoughts validated by others in the industry.

[Danny]

Thanks guys for the thoughtful responses. I have a better understanding now of how the copyright works in terms of exclusive licensing.

The only question that remains is whether it’s worth it to sign with this library/publisher when there is no upfront/buyout fee and no share of the license fee(s) — the only income for me is the writer’s share of the royalties. I know each situation is different, so I know it’s not fair to recommend one way or the other without knowing all the details, but in general, what are your opinions on this type of deal? (Let’s say they are well known for getting lots of cable placements.)

[Danny]

Thanks composer. That makes sense.

One follow-up question: If I don’t have a lot of tracks that could be signed exclusively right away, would it still be okay to submit to an exclusive library on the basis that I would be providing new tracks to them moving forward? Or should I wait until I have at least a certain amount of tracks that are ready to sign before submitting? (If so, what’s a reasonable amount?)

Thanks!

[Danny]

I have used artwork from Deviant Art. There are thousands of artists. Some brilliant artists post their work on the site. Up and comers and established artists. A lot of the artists use the creative commons license and also do commission work.

I have been checking out artwork on Deviant Art, and there is some really great original artwork on there! This seems perfect. How do you go about checking if an artwork is covered by Creative Commons or available for licensing otherwise?

[Danny]

Thank you so much for sharing this data! While I know everyone’s experiences will differ, actual examples like this are still amazingly helpful. And my situation is probably more similar to yours than not, as I am doing this part-time at the moment and hoping to eventually transition to full-time with it, even if it takes 10 or 20 years to get there. Speaking for myself, your story is definitely encouraging… in the sense that it further validates the concept that staying persistent will start to pay off in the long run.

A few questions:

Do you also create edits and/or variations? If so, are those all counted separately or as one track in these numbers?

How many libraries are you currently in at the end of Year 5 (excl. and non-excl.)?

Thanks!

[Danny]

By using products from these companies, you get to help out another artist.

This is what I like most about this idea.

[Danny]

I was wondering about this too. I’ve seen some composers use really nice images for each of their tracks when posting them to Soundcloud, YouTube, or other social media. I know some composers who have commissioned these types of artwork, but I imagine there are lots out there that just take images off the web without permission.

Are stock image sites a good option for this?

[Danny]

Being a Mac user, I’m using Mark Lewis’s method in iMovie, and it’s actually very fast and easy.

One question: What is the purpose of creating a test account?

[Danny]

Thank you all for the input so far. Ultimately, my time is better spent producing new tracks. There’s no question about that.

I guess the question is: Should I leave the tracks there or pull them out so they are not in too many places? (Considering I do get them pulled, which I will need to confirm. Also, talking specifically about non-exclusives in this instance.)

Could it become a problem having some of my tracks in too many libraries?

[Danny]

Why would you submit to libraries that don’t license your styles very much…on the chance that you’ll get a few licenses?

I definitely agree with this sentiment. For the future, I will be evaluating what styles they do best a lot more closely. Not that I didn’t do this before, but I will do it even more. I know the libraries I’m currently in do license the styles I write in, but maybe some are not their strength.

It comes down to knowing what the purpose of your music is.
What do you write?

The styles I get the most satisfaction out of writing are the more cinematic cues — from epic action to more solemn dramatic, often with hybrid elements. I also enjoy writing hard rock tunes and those happy commercial-type tracks. I’ve tried my hand at other styles, but those are the ones I would like to focus on.

The latter styles all seem to do well in the RF model, but the cinematic stuff not so much. I’ve started sending a few of my better cinematic tracks to some exclusives, but haven’t gotten any bites yet. I guess it’s still early in the game, as I only have a handful of those out there.

As you probably already know, you can listen to some libraries best sellers and write to those libraries in that style. But use it to inspire your own creativity, don’t blatantly knock off another track.

I’ve started trying this, so we’ll see how it goes. I actually like doing this sort of thing, as long as it’s genres that suit my writing style. For example, I don’t much enjoy trying to do those U2/Coldplay-style tracks, but I don’t mind at all the happy TV commercial-style stuff.

[Danny]

Thanks for the input!

That brought up another question: What if some of the libraries I’m in do not license as much of the styles I write in — Should I stop submitting new tracks to those libraries?

[Danny]

I love Dropbox for storing files online and sharing with others, but I don’t think of it or the other services you listed as true “online backup” services. If you are just copying project folders, it could work. But from what I understand, none of those provide automated, incremental backing up.

Personally, I would go with something like Carbonite or Mozy. The company I work for during the day offers a solution based on Mozy, and it runs pretty seamlessly.

In fact, I should probably look into this myself, to echo the responses to Chuck’s question, for better redundancy. I use two external HDDs for backups, but online would be nice if something fries ALL my hardware. I think most charge $5-10 a month, and I guess you could think of that as an add-on to homeowner’s/renter’s insurance. If you have a fire, they will probably replace your gear, but they can’t replace your files, which are just as valuable, if not more.

[Danny]

I love that movie. Perfectly executed from top to bottom. One of the best “music movies” ever.

This is a great idea, and I may try this myself with guitar and bass. One thing I will mention that I learned recently via one library’s page: if you’re planning on using a sampled instrument, make sure the EULA allows for tracks of isolated instruments.

[Author]

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