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So I assume you work in your own studio and bill them based on your hours? Do they generally have a rough idea on how many hours you will need? By “project rates” do you mean per song, per album, etc?
Yes. My own studio. I charge $0.00,per hour for studio time, and between $65-80 per hour for my engineering. That makes sure people don’t try to get me for cheaper because they are providing a studio. I had to cut that off early on as everyone started putting in their own studio’s. Plus, it cuts way down on the commute times which can be brutal in LA/So Cal. All of a sudden, when they figured out they can’t get me for 1/2 price when working in their studio, and when they realized my studio was significantly superior in many ways, they are back – wanting to work at my place instead of theirs – or their brother in laws.
I’ll generally talk through the budget with a client, the deliverables and the estimated idea of how long it will take, but I make it clear that it could easily come in higher – or lower. There are SO may variables in how a project is delivered, how much editing is needed, how well it’s recorded, if there is tuning involved, if there’s a dozen takes to sift through and make comps out of, etc. that it’s impossible to quote “project” rate without SOMEone getting the short end of the stick. An hourly is fair – and if they trust you, it should be no problem. My clients are generally long time clients / associates who trust me. Or people who have been referred by long time clients. Developing trust – both musically and budget-wise – is key.
And yes, by project rates I mean anything that’s not hourly. When people look for project rates they are looking for one of two things or both :
1. A way to cap the budget where they can afford it.
2. A way to get you to do it for cheaper than your hourly would cost them.I understand the first and will work with them in helping them understand why it takes so long : 1., they didn’t choose the final takes, they didn’t tune vocals, they didn’t comp the orchestra takes, etc.. and 2. The quality of the recordings themselves, and 3. the complexity of their deliveribles, etc.. Once they understand that, it’s generally fairly smooth sailing. That and I hold communication as KEY in the process. I always give them running updates both budget wise and production wise so they can see where the time is going, and whether or not they can try to do things that will help cut down the budget and make things go faster.
As for #2 – trying to get me for cheaper than my hourly would cost them, well….those are the clients I don’t want to work with. Occasionally I’ll give someone 37 hours of time for 32 hours of payment, but my HOURLY never changes. Once you take that step, you’re sliding on a slippery slope….
In my experience (LA) once you set your rates, you rarely get to raise them. At least short term. It also paints who you are and your relative value to those you are quoting. That’s something quite important if you plan on working with this company again.
To a company that big, they will not blink if you come in high. They may not like it, but they will be used to hearing/seeing those sorts of rates.
Personally, I’d start high, and possibly negotiate down on some sort of quid pro quo deal. I charge between $65-80 per hour. No project rates.
Nah….I re-wrote it. 🙂 Merry Christmas Art!
Yes. All of the above.
But I only use risers in electronic or trailer=esque music. Otherwise there are many longstanding musical traditions of how to do exactly that – get the music louder and/or more intense.
Open filters
Raise volumes
Automate some elements down and others up
Add in another element / instrument
Move the voicings up as you culminate the crescendo
More vibrato
Or just play the dam instrument louder.
and on and on…..Whatever works works.
Dayum. Lost another good post….. didn’t even have any swearing in it. Or any “fake” swearing. 🙂
Anyway, for those who are offended by my #8 above, who think that I’m an ancient dinosaur, here’s a pic of Andrew’s “ITB MIXING” studio.
If you want to sound different than everyone else – and you should – no better way to get then than to get OUT of your laptop…
Just saying’….
I would never advise someone to “quit their day job” to write production music for a living. For a variety of reasons :
1. Streaming. At this point, we can’t 100% quantify how it will affect back end royalties. If it goes as it’s looking today, expect back end to drop to about 1% of what cable/network pay. That’s terrifying and enough to stop anyone from quitting their job in search of “pennies on the sidewalk”.
2. Production music is like the other legs of the music industry – budgets are dropping, competition is rising. The industry – although growing – is unhealthy. Not a good place to invest your time unless you are already in the thick of it and connected. There are far easier ways to earn a living.
3. Artificial Intelligence is on the horizon. There are already software music composition programs. For a lot of the placements that “library” music gets today, in the future. they will be AI pieces.
4. To touch a bit further on #2 – there is a race to the bottom. This is not good for any money making industry. It hurts everyone from the top to the bottom, but it ESPECIALLY hurts those who are just getting their breaks and starting out.
Now….
As for what I’d tell you to DO if you’re going to start doing it, and won’t take “don’t do it” for an answer…. 🙂 In no particular order :
1. Come to terms with Non-Ex and Ex paradigms in your own mind, and make your decision how to asset allocate your writing between the two. Many experienced writers (myself included) are veering away from Exclusive placements. (I’ll not clutter your thread with the reasons why here. There are other threads on this site and others that cover it nicely.) Once that is done….
2. If you write exclusive – get PAID for the buyout. Do not give it away. I won’t think of it unless I’m making $1000+ per track with expenses over the top of that. Yes, there are libraries that pay that or more. No one is going to broadcast who they are. They are all listed on this site. Well, maybe not all of them, but the ones I know are.
3. Mix up your investments – cause that’s what your music is – an investment. Write what’s popular, write what’s being used on TV and commercials, write what’s “evergreen” if it’s at all possible, write what’s in your heart, and write against what everyone else is doing. Mix it up. Do not write 500 hip hop pieces. You’ll only be competing against yourself. Write what will pay you up front, write what will generate backend.
4. Use real instruments. Don’t use the same sounds and loops everyone else is. Make yourself unique. Make it YOU.
5. Write every day. EVERY day. For 8+ hours. 12 is better. 16 and you can start gaining some traction.
6. Do not write off “dumb”, they are not paying enough non-ex libraries. These are the ones that make me the most money. Their “deals” on paper suck. The back end makes up for it. Do your homework, and your due diligence. GET CONNECTED in the industry.
7. Attend the PMA and/or other writers seminars / conventions.
8. Get your sonic game together. You have to compete. If you turn in 2D ITB mixes, you will sound like everyone else. Learn how to engineer, mix, master and BUY THE ANALOG GEAR that will take you the next level. Yes, I know everyone says that ITB is fine. Yes, I know Andrew Scheps mixes “ITB” now. Have you seen a pic of his studio. LOL It’s got enough ANALOG gear in it to choke the average size home depot. Get OUT of the box and make your mixes better. Make you music sound different.
9. Use real instruments. Did I mention that already? Whatever…. I’ll say it again if I did. Why use a shaker loop when you can grab a $10 shaker and put some life back into the music? All the real recorded instruments put LIFE back into the music. AI can’t do this. Guys in their bedroom on a laptop don’t do this. The goal is to be different than everyone else. DO IT!
10. I could keep going, but this post will probably not show up anyway cause it’s too long. 🙂 That should give you enough to think about.
I agree Mark, but have a few thoughts on the specifics :
If anyone’s wondering why more libraries are insisting on exclusivity / ownership, content ID is one of a handful of reasons
Understood, and makes perfect sense. If they want the exclusivity, they will need to buy it upfront though. To give away exclusivity of master and copyright without proper and significant compensation is the ultimate example of desperation and/or ignorance IMO. So many guys who do not understand the implications of giving away the farm will learn soon enough. In the meantime, clients and libraries and licking their chops in eager anticipation of the realization of PT Barnam’s most famous quote.
along with clients freaking out over re-titling
If the clients don’t like re-titling, they are more than happy to request custom music written for them at a fair price. You know, just like the old days.
clients wanting a cut of re-titled publishing
That’s fine too, they can talk to my publisher and let the publisher decide.
library owners wanting a potential buy-out retirement).
Yeah, no doubt. Again, money up front talks. And not $100-300. Add another zero to the first number and we can begin talks. Otherwise, no exclusive for them.
Money talks, and the BS of this industry can take a long walk off a short pier. The creme will rise to the top, and those unaware of what they are doing and giving away will fade into obscurity as they will be forced to take on day jobs due to their poor decisions.
This is more important now than ever since I´m being asked for exclusives all the time, which is bad, cause it locks my songs in a certain library.
Being exclusive is not necessarily bad – unless your music is a bad fit for the library, or the library is not well connected and placing it regularly. THEN, yes, it’s bad. Personally, I’m not placing exclusive anymore unless one or more of the following is met :
1. The music is so easy I can write 3-5 a day.
2. The upfront is substantial ($1000+USD per tune)
3. I have a solid, long term relationship with the company and know that my music is requested and going into a show(s) immediately.Otherwise, being exclusive is too limiting in a market that’s expanding and changing exponentially every year.
I don´t think my PRO is doing badly, it´s just the usage shows up so late.
I thought ASCAP was the go to PRO for the US.
A year is not late. It’s pretty much the norm. Look at it this way, after a few years, you can not work for a year and still get paid. 🙂
As for ASCAP being the “go to”???? IMO, it’s at the bottom of the pile. I’d hazard to guess most library composers would tend to agree, but I could be wrong.
Also, I feel certain companies have VERY outdated ways of tabulating our monies in their favor, or in favor of “Bigger Fish that they are courting..”
True words…..
A musicologist is what you need to determine “how close” and “how egregious” your potential quote is. An attorney is what you need to determine what action you should follow once you find out the above information.
Writer dude needs a vacation. About a 5 year one I think.
More than just a touch of hyperbole in that article. 🙂
Still, I think a good read for those starting out or “considering” library music.
PS – this particular company sells it’s licenses via subscription for between $0.10 and $0.20 cents a track.
Nothing to add except to express bafflement as to why anyone would allow a library to sell their music in this way.
IN my case it was an existing library that I had worked for moving music that was already legitimately signed over to them non-exclusively INTO one of these subscription models libraries without permission. It was obvious to me that this was a sleazy move on their part, and that it would definitely hurt my other non-exclusive placements. After discussing our contract, I told them they did not have permission. That ended our relationship – permanently. It seems they are heavily weighting this new subscription model in their business plan.
Luckily, this library has not shown up in the MLR listings, and I don’t even want to mention it’s name as giving it any exposure is dangerous IMO. If it ever shows up here, I will no doubt give it a scathing review. 🙂
No worries here. I figured if I could say it in front of my wife and not get a scowl, it must not be profanity. LOL Wrong I guess….. 🙂
I can guarantee you that I had no profanity in the post.
[edit] Oh, I guess is said pixxed off. didn’t know that was considered profanity. Sorry…. 🙂