[devilhoned]

Well I have signed a non-exclusive contract with a music library with one song being put forward  for film and music placements. What do you think I should do next?  Aim for publishing company contract,agent,just wait and see if this song gets placed?

[Boydie]

@devilhoned

Firstly, Congratz - this is a great achievement and a significant step

The worst thing you can do is “just wait to see if the song gets placed”

The best thing you can do is just forget about the song being put forward and carry on writing and submitting more tracks

You have received some confirmation that you are on the right track so just keep writing and submitting

If you have a big enough body of work (assuming you are writing library type tracks) then you can approach publishers and libraries etc. but if you have had some success with your current method I would personally advise ramping up efforts here first and submit more songs

[shadowfax]

Interesting that this subject should pop up at this moment..I'm being asked to sign a perpetual non-exclusive agreement by a library...does this mean they have it for ever and I couldn't remove the song ever?

@Boydie

@devilhoned

[Boydie]

I'm being asked to sign a perpetual non-exclusive agreement by a library...does this mean they have it for ever and I couldn't remove the song ever?

@shadowfax

Yes, that is exactly what they mean

To be fair, music libraries invest in building up bodies or work and circulating hard drives etc. to music supervisors

The last thing they want is to do all of this work and then have a song "pull out" so the perpetual license is an easy way to administer this

If they are offering a non-exclusive agreement you can still use it for other purposes (but check the splits)

You really need to almost get rid of any emotional attachment to songs when writing for libraries - write it, send it, sign it, and forget it - and then get on with writing the next batch!!!

It sounds really callous but that is how most treat it - and the ones that do really well are the ones that think like this but still produce tracks that sound like they have their heart & soul in it

[shadowfax]

@Boydie ..thanks for the answer Paul, I'm assuming the splits is how much they would get and how much I would get..yeah? I'm not emotionally attached to any songs so no problem there.

[Boydie]

I'm assuming the splits is how much they would get and how much I would get

Yes - but specifically, if you are in a non-exclusive agreement and then sign the song with someone else, who later places the song - you need to be clear on the expectations of the original publisher/library

There could be some "discussions" if the original library had touted your song before the other library to the same music supervisor and would therefore feel entitled to a split

It is always best to explore these scenarios up front before signing on the dotted line

[shadowfax]

@Boydie  I've got songs with a few library's and gotta admit I'm a bit reckless when it comes to signing stuff, reckon I'll deal with it if there is any success..which of course is extremely unlikely   more chance of winning the lottery and i don't even play it..LOL

[Boydie]

@shadowfax

I completely agree with your strategy!!! - good luck 

[shadowfax]

@Boydie ..Hi, I've just received confirmation of three songs being accepted by Audiosparks library, this is the wrong time to ask I know..LOL after signing a perpetual agreement..LOL but do you know anything about these guys, or had any good/bad experience with them?

[devilhoned]

Hi

Sorry to be late back to a thread I started,but I`m doing as Boydie advised and just writing another batch of songs.

This music library I`ve just signed with say they have none of my publishing but 25% with another company, leaving me with 25% so splits already happening. I`m certainly adding `just signed a contract with a music library` to my submissions email and feel I can focus more on companies that are similar to this one, and just feel generally more confident.
And congrats Shadowfax ---heard of that company, they have good feedback on a website I was on today, mind you there a few with similar sounding names.
I haven`t heard of perpetual agreements. This guy mentioned 3 years.

[shadowfax]

Hi

Sorry to be late back to a thread I started,but I`m doing as Boydie advised and just writing another batch of songs.

This music library I`ve just signed with say they have none of my publishing but 25% with another company, leaving me with 25% so splits already happening. I`m certainly adding `just signed a contract with a music library` to my submissions email and feel I can focus more on companies that are similar to this one, and just feel generally more confident.
And congrats Shadowfax ---heard of that company, they have good feedback on a website I was on today, mind you there a few with similar sounding names.
I haven`t heard of perpetual agreements. This guy mentioned 3 years.

Yeah, the perpetual thing made think hard so I changed it to non-perpetual, (had 30 days before I had no chance to change it)

I was worried they were just looking to tie the songs to them forever..which they were trying to do I s'pose..

@devilhoned

[devilhoned]

Hi

My contract has a 30-day `change your mind` period too,but it has no mention of it being forever. The clue is the word `license`--you license it to them for a period. Giving it them forever is selling it.
Audio Sparx is new to me,but looks good,they have a section where they tell you what they are looking for very spe cifically. Looks worth a punt.

[Boydie]

@devilhoned

That is not correct - you can have a perpetual licence that does not expire (similar to some software packagaes that you may think you "own" but you simply have a licence to use it forever)

When you licence a song you retain the songwriters share of any royalties and can retain control of how it is used

Selling a song would imply you give up all rights to a song

It is confusing but there are subtle differences

[devilhoned]

Boydie,

You`re right. They need to keep your song in their library--anything singed has to be for an open-ended period--a tv placement could be for a season or 40 years depending on its success. The Eastenders theme is a big earner for somebody but could just as easily been a one season job.  I don`t know if the writer of the song has control over its use--he/she doesn't like the show`s politics after 20 years--basically they`re just using your song and that`s it. You get paid.

Some music libraries do want control over where else you shop the song though you can understand that--you don`t want the same piece of music in a porn film AND ad aimed at children.

I think a good deal of these contracts do look out for the writers.

[Boydie]

@devilhoned

Yeah - writing for libraries/tv is definitely a specific market and although you still need to put the same love, emotion and energy in to writing even a 30sec instrumental piece to be competitive as you would an emotional “song” - you almost need to just “fire and forget” and move on to the next one!