License your music today! Music licensing is a billion
business, with endless opportunities to place music. Every company, or business
uses music in some form or fashion. If you are flexible, organized, and patient
it can be very rewarding.
WHAT'S HOT
Here are some vital steps to licensing music.
1. Quality recordings are paramount.
These are not the good old days when an artist could say, I
didn't have access to a professional recording studio, because today, if you
have a computer, tablet, and even some cell phones, you can create quality
recordings. Demos don't work anymore, and the competition is stiff, so you have
to bring your 'A' game. Top notch productions, and top notch recordings will
generate multiple opportunities for your music. Bring it!
2. Own 100% of your masters.
If you do not own the music you are recording, then you
essentially have music that can not be licensed. A lot of Hip Hop guys like to
go on soundclick and download free beats with voice tags (uugh). They record
vocals over these beats and put the songs on mixtapes, but the songs can not be
sold, or licensed because the artist does not own the rights to music. Music
supervisors and record labels will almost always pass these type of recordings
up. Go exclusive, and own 100% of your
masters!
3. Get affiliated with a P. R. O. ( ASCAP - BMI - SESAC)
If you and your music are not registered, you will not be
paid for any public performances of your music. Your P. R. O. collects the
money your music generates, then sends out a check to you on a quarterly basis.
each country has it's own P. R. O., and it's absolutely imperative that you
join one.
4. Good song titles, and alternate versions are key.
The more attractive or catchy your song titles are, the more
compelled your listener will be to listen to them. "01 Track 01" is
not compelling at all, but "Skyscrapers, and Cocktails" may grab your
attention. Alternate versions give music supervisors and music editors more
flexibility, so having a vocal version,
a radio edit, an instrumental, a bass and drum mix, and a drums only mix, will
make you a music supervisors best friend.
5. Learn the business.
Legal representation is always the best thing, but it is
better to get a grasp of things for yourself, in other words, you won't have to pay an attorney
$500.00 per hour to read a contract for a placement that may not even earn you
$500.00 in a year. Most of the licensing agreements you get will be
non-exclusive with a 50/50 split across the board, pretty standard
these days. Most companies don't even have time to rip off artist, because they
are doing so well being on the up and up, it doesn't make any sense to cheat
the artist. Not to say that it does not
happen, you should still be sure to read everything, that way,
at least you will know whats going on.
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