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Great thread, very pertinent! II get endless requests for my sources also. My approach is that I share a couple of reputable leads that are easily discoverable and require honest work to succeed with. The hard won inside info I keep to myself!
Fervor Records is a big player in that market.
yes, I still very much believe in the non-ex model! I had a record number of syncs over 1k this year from 3 of my non-ex libraries and additional direct licenses as well. Those same tracks are also earning on background music services and rf sites. My exclusive libraries underperformed for me in 2018. I’m more of a songwriter than a track writer and I invest in creating alternate/instrumental covers of my best tunes. It’s a challenge to find an exclusive tv oriented library that is supportive of that old-fashioned publising model.
I really didn’t expect it, but I just had my best domestic quarter ever. A major movie placement that was in theaters a year and a half ago finally made it to HBO. About $700 this quarter for that placement (2 min run time). I collected on some PD tracks for the first time. They paid 10% of the regular rate. I’m amazed to get anything honestly! My reruns kept steady. After being down last period it’s good to be up again!
“Something like the Super Bowl would have no effect, other than it’s in prime time”
Michael L is almost right here! I had the good fortune of having one of my cues used twice in the 2013 Superbowl. The catch – it didn’t pay prime time – it clocks at Afternoon rate, which only pays 75%! Go figure!
This placement was through Music Dealers, who has been kicking in nicely for me this year. I kept half the publishing, which was paid out by ASCAP today. Here’s the breakdown on what it paid based on total writer’s share:
1st use) 10sec / Afternoon / Theme / no premium credits
payout: $282nd use) 25sec / Afternoon / Theme / no premium credits
payout $280The “theme” use helped, otherwise the payout would have been only $15/150. It’s pretty amazing the difference between the 25sec and 10sec payout, a factor of 10x. I’m disappointed that there were no premium credits, considering it’s the most watched event of the year. It actually paid less than a prime time show. Oh well. I was dreaming a little bigger and I’m sure my BMI friends would have seen a bigger payout on this. No complaints though, I get the writer’s share next month.
Beautiful! Thanks Glen, If your tracks are anything like your rhetoric, you’ll never be at a loss for clients! Well said.
I currently record live sessions in a studio i like. I do one and sometimes more recording sessions a month. I pick a theme or style for the session (based on my publisher requests or pitches i see on taxi etc) decide what musicians to hire, and spend 4-5 full days writing and arranging 6-8 tunes for the band. I usually have 3 or 4 additional compositions sitting around – things that have either never been recorded or can be re-interpreted in the style of the session i’m writing, which I to add to the session. I book my musicians on a work for hire / buyout basis. I spend a couple of days before the session polishing charts and putting together books. I book a 6 hour block and consistently get 8-10 good tracks out of a session.
I prioritize mixes based on existing deadlines. I usually mix at night. I end up with 8-10 new tracks a month. I’m moving across country, so my new challenge is to start finding new musicians and studios i have confidence in. I crammed 5 recording sessions into the last 2 months so i have a big backlog of mixes and administration to work on while i’m getting set up in my new hometown – Philadelphia.
@MichaelL, do you have any insights on which US PROs are more effective at detecting TV uses? Thanks.