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In fact, no writer should ever sign a cue over exclusively.
I’d tweak this advice a little.
I totally understand where you’re coming from, but the reality of music licensing, especially at the top level, doesn’t allow for libraries that can’t vouch 100% for all their music being pre-cleared.
It’s wise to be very careful with who you give music to exclusively. Many cattle call type libraries can have perfectly good music languish unused in their huge catalogs.
However, if you want to work with libraries that can command five figure license fees, you almost always need to be willing to sign over your music to them exclusively. These libraries have built up a reputation in the business for having rock solid pre-cleared music. They can only guarantee that by being the sole library pitching their music.
Taking a stand against exclusivity will protect you from bad deals with lower level libraries, but will also prevent you from moving up from RF and reality TV focused libraries.
They run around $800 for a desk with a keyboard stand.
There’s a GREAT glossary, here, it’s behind a pay wall, but it’d be worth it to anyone unsure about the terminology surrounding higher end libraries, to pay a one time fee to see this article:
https://www.soundonsound.com/music-business/all-about-library-music-part-10
LAWriter got it. Just FYI, in case you were wondering if I used the wrong log in – we’re not the same person : )
In fact, although we agree about most things, I’m not sure if fighting for more than $1000 is good advice here. Those kind of fees are reserved for composers that libraries are desperate to have write for them. Not likely to happen if you’re just starting out.I’ve worked with about 30 – 40 libraries, and the vast majority of deals follow a basic rule: upfront fee = no licensing. There are several large – the largest really – libraries that do this type of deal all the time.
It is a bit of a sucker’s deal, as the licensing can last years, if not decades. But, depending on the fee – and your financial situation, it can be an acceptable trade off. I still do the occasional deal like this if the fee is really good, like $1000 or more per track and I know the library will push the music hard for TV airtime.
I actually really liked the demos, and thought the samples weren’t that bad at all. What’s happening, to my ear, is you’re writing music more like a mock up – like how it should be written for live players, not for the samples to sound their best.
The mix isn’t too bad either, lots of nice low end, and the drums particularly are nice and full.
Now if we’re comparing these demos to the expectations of trailer music, then yes there’s a long way to go – particularly in emotional arc. But if this is designed for TV, like reality shows and history documentaries, it’s not far off the mark.
I’d suggest just looking for ways to inject more intensity, gravitas, emotion into the tracks.
This starts with the all important climactic ending, the most valued part of any piece of production music, especially orchestral tracks. Structure your whole piece around hitting the highest level of intensity right at the end, building up as you go. Some productions (news themes etc) need to be at a more of a steady level of intensity, but the biggest devourer (probably not a word) of production music is reality TV, and they LOVE / require a build up to a solid ending.
And don’t take a big step back! Iceland is more than ok. The library music business has opened up to anyone with a fast internet connection and basic ability to find things on the web. Pretty much all the information you need is on YouTube. Immerse yourself in the sound of modern film music and trailer music. It’s important to know what is expected today, but again, you’re not far off at all.
Haha Alan! I’d love to help out. Just a bit busy at the moment.
I think you pretty much nailed it in your long earlier post. Also, Emmett Cooke did a great job in his eBook, with his glossary.
I’ve also noticed that libraries are blurring the lines a little, like you guys said.
For example, some trailer music companies, once super protective of their premium catalog, are now allowing use of their music for royalty free level fees, for very limited use, like monetizing a video for $50.
Also, more and more libraries want the music exclusively. So you can have a RF site that has learned the value of owning their catalog. A couple of years ago, a RF library that goes by the name P___ B__ was bought for mid eight figures because the entire catalog was exclusive. Owning, building up and then selling a library could be a solid business / retirement model.
There are a handful of royalty free sites that are exclusive, that come to mind.
Additionally, a lot of the non-ex ones offer a better share of the sales, should you give them the music exclusively.
Sought after mixers in LA charge $600 – $1000 per track, at least in the trailer music world.
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.
I’m 100% on the same page as you LA Writer.
I think we all need to make a stand for better deals while we’re still in the pre-AI years of the music library business.
From what I’ve seen (purely anecdotal) there is less fraud / false claims, but more ‘greed claims’ or ‘dumbass claims’ than ever (that’s a technical term for composers or libraries enrolling non-ex tracks in content ID by mistake).
If anyone’s wondering why more libraries are insisting on exclusivity / ownership, content ID is one of a handful of reasons (along with clients freaking out over re-titling, clients wanting a cut of re-titled publishing, library owners wanting a potential buy-out retirement).
get libraries like CineBrass for the realism, but if you want power and aggression, double the horns with trombones and put the horns through this bad boy:
It sounds like a well mixed combination of nice pads, and cool reverb effects from something like Valhalla Shimmer.
Isn’t this guy great?! I’m a big fan.
B within reason, focusing on the most used genres on TV (don’t send them something obscure just because they don’t have it)
The Big 10 network has been my biggest earner to date, one season, with one track used numerous times. I’m with ASCAP.
Lucky you Chuck! Sounds like you had some music caught in a survey. When that happens, we get a nice pay out.