music licensing fundamentals
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 1
Welcome to the official launch of the 14 day long course, Music Licensing Fundamentals. I hope you're excited to get started. I've put a lot of thought and effort into this program, and my goal over the next 14 days is to give you all the information, tools and resources you need to succeed in licensing your music.
Every day, for the next 14 days, I'll be posting a different lesson, assignment and video tutorial. On some days, the lesson and video tutorial will overlap, and on other days they won't. My goal is to present all of the information to you in a way that isn't overwhelming and will allow you to move forward, one step at a time, each day, throughout the 14 day long program. I suggest having 30 to 60 minutes each day to devote to going through all the information I present and submitting your tracks. But, you can always go back and catch up if you miss a day or two, and all of the information can be reviewed at your convenience right here, from this page.
With that said, let's get started!
Today's Lesson - Study The Market:
One of the keys to licensing music successfully is to have a good grasp on the wide variety of music that actually gets licensed. You need to study the "market" as you would in any other industry to be competitive. A lot of artists are simply making the music they make, with little or no thought to licensing, and then shopping it around here and there, after the fact. After their music is already made. This isn't necessarily wrong. You could license music this way. But taking this approach leaves a lot to luck. Maybe you're writing music that works for licensing, maybe you're not. By studying and really paying attention to music that is being used on a regular basis, you'll get a much clearer idea of what the demands of the music licensing marketplace are and where your music fits in.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to start really paying attention to music that is used in tv shows, films, commercials and so on. The next movie or TV show you watch, I want you to really focus on the songs that are being used. Notice what songs are used and how they're used. Notice the relationship between the dialog and the lyrics of songs. Notice how the style connects with the period and atmosphere of the scene. Notice how the mood of the music relates to the overall story and theme of the show, movie or commercial you're watching. Get a sense for how it all fits together. Could you see your music being used in this way? Do you have music ready to go that would work in a variety of situations? The first step in succeeding in the licensing industry, is really understanding what kind of music gets licensed and why. Don't just make music and then throw it against the wall, hoping it will stick somewhere. This is a craft. Approach it this way and you'll have much more success.
Related: Also, be sure to check out the tracks we've posted in the music licensing reference library.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is about how to prepare your tracks for licensing opportunities and the different types of files you'll need when you start pitching your tracks.
Welcome to the official launch of the 14 day long course, Music Licensing Fundamentals. I hope you're excited to get started. I've put a lot of thought and effort into this program, and my goal over the next 14 days is to give you all the information, tools and resources you need to succeed in licensing your music.
Every day, for the next 14 days, I'll be posting a different lesson, assignment and video tutorial. On some days, the lesson and video tutorial will overlap, and on other days they won't. My goal is to present all of the information to you in a way that isn't overwhelming and will allow you to move forward, one step at a time, each day, throughout the 14 day long program. I suggest having 30 to 60 minutes each day to devote to going through all the information I present and submitting your tracks. But, you can always go back and catch up if you miss a day or two, and all of the information can be reviewed at your convenience right here, from this page.
With that said, let's get started!
Today's Lesson - Study The Market:
One of the keys to licensing music successfully is to have a good grasp on the wide variety of music that actually gets licensed. You need to study the "market" as you would in any other industry to be competitive. A lot of artists are simply making the music they make, with little or no thought to licensing, and then shopping it around here and there, after the fact. After their music is already made. This isn't necessarily wrong. You could license music this way. But taking this approach leaves a lot to luck. Maybe you're writing music that works for licensing, maybe you're not. By studying and really paying attention to music that is being used on a regular basis, you'll get a much clearer idea of what the demands of the music licensing marketplace are and where your music fits in.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to start really paying attention to music that is used in tv shows, films, commercials and so on. The next movie or TV show you watch, I want you to really focus on the songs that are being used. Notice what songs are used and how they're used. Notice the relationship between the dialog and the lyrics of songs. Notice how the style connects with the period and atmosphere of the scene. Notice how the mood of the music relates to the overall story and theme of the show, movie or commercial you're watching. Get a sense for how it all fits together. Could you see your music being used in this way? Do you have music ready to go that would work in a variety of situations? The first step in succeeding in the licensing industry, is really understanding what kind of music gets licensed and why. Don't just make music and then throw it against the wall, hoping it will stick somewhere. This is a craft. Approach it this way and you'll have much more success.
Related: Also, be sure to check out the tracks we've posted in the music licensing reference library.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is about how to prepare your tracks for licensing opportunities and the different types of files you'll need when you start pitching your tracks.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 2
Today's Lesson - Researching Companies:
I've interviewed over 100 people working in the music licensing industry over the last several years. I've interviewed publishers, supervisors and owners and founders of music libraries. When you talk to this many people working in the same industry, certain recurring themes and patterns come up over and over. One of these themes, is that very few musicians take the time to really research and get to know the companies they're reaching out to, when trying to get their music licensed. Most musicians are just randomly contacting companies, submitting there music to anyone and everyone. I've heard from multiple publishers and supervisors that this is a real issue. Most people working in this industry are inundated with submissions and they simply don't have time to listen to everything that is sent to them. If you're not submitting music that is relevant and you're not demonstrating that you've researched the company you're sending your music to, there's a good chance your music won't be heard.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is two-fold. One is to simply spend time researching the companies you are trying to work with. Go to their website, read their bio, listen to the artists they work with, do a google search and find out as much as you can about them. Look at past projects they've worked on, search for upcoming projects when possible. In short, try to learn as much as you can about each company you want to work with prior to submitting your music. Then, when you do reach out, let them know why you think your music is a good fit. Indicate what projects you think your music would be a good match for. If this isn't possible, let them know what it is about your music stylistically that is a good match for their company. In other words, let them know you've taken the time to learn about their company and you want to help them with their needs. Remember, this is a service oriented business. You are in the business of helping people meet their musical needs.
Part two of today's assignment, is to watch today's video tutorial, about how and why to approach music like a business. This video features an excerpt from an interview I did with Joel Feinberg of DeWolfe Music. Warning: Joel uses some pretty harsh language in getting his point across!
Today's Lesson - Researching Companies:
I've interviewed over 100 people working in the music licensing industry over the last several years. I've interviewed publishers, supervisors and owners and founders of music libraries. When you talk to this many people working in the same industry, certain recurring themes and patterns come up over and over. One of these themes, is that very few musicians take the time to really research and get to know the companies they're reaching out to, when trying to get their music licensed. Most musicians are just randomly contacting companies, submitting there music to anyone and everyone. I've heard from multiple publishers and supervisors that this is a real issue. Most people working in this industry are inundated with submissions and they simply don't have time to listen to everything that is sent to them. If you're not submitting music that is relevant and you're not demonstrating that you've researched the company you're sending your music to, there's a good chance your music won't be heard.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is two-fold. One is to simply spend time researching the companies you are trying to work with. Go to their website, read their bio, listen to the artists they work with, do a google search and find out as much as you can about them. Look at past projects they've worked on, search for upcoming projects when possible. In short, try to learn as much as you can about each company you want to work with prior to submitting your music. Then, when you do reach out, let them know why you think your music is a good fit. Indicate what projects you think your music would be a good match for. If this isn't possible, let them know what it is about your music stylistically that is a good match for their company. In other words, let them know you've taken the time to learn about their company and you want to help them with their needs. Remember, this is a service oriented business. You are in the business of helping people meet their musical needs.
Part two of today's assignment, is to watch today's video tutorial, about how and why to approach music like a business. This video features an excerpt from an interview I did with Joel Feinberg of DeWolfe Music. Warning: Joel uses some pretty harsh language in getting his point across!
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 3
Today's Lesson - Professionalism:
I think it's safe to say that most artists, when they go about trying to get their music licensed, are primarily focused on themselves. They're focused on their music and trying to meet their goals. This is completely understandable and it makes total sense. You make music and you're passionate about it and you're passionate about your goal of hearing your music in TV and Films. So, of course you're going to be focused on your music and your goals. However, if you're trying to license your music through different music licensing companies (libraries, publishers, supervisors, etc) it's not just about you and your music. If you're trying to work with someone else professionally, you have to also be aware of the goals and needs of those you're trying to work with. What are their needs and how can you serve them? How can you make their lives easier? How can you help them do their job and help them achieve their goals. When you start to make this shift and keep this in mind in every email exchange, conversation and interaction you have with people in this business, you'll start to make a lot more headway. You'll also start to see more clearly why perhaps you haven't had as much success as you would have liked in the past, if you've only been focused on your music and achieving your own goals.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is an extension of yesterday's assignment. Yesterday I talked about how it's important to research companies and demonstrate you've done a little homework before blindly submitting your music to anyone who will listen. This demonstrates you're not just focused on your goals, but that you're also interested in helping others meet their goals. Along the same lines, think about other ways you can demonstrate you are professional and going to be easy to work with. Publishers and Supervisors are looking for musicians who are going to be easy to work with and efficient. One way to demonstrate this is by anticipating the different types of needs of those in the business and having different edits and versions of your tracks ready to go (See the video from Day 1 for more on this topic). Another thing you can do is make a showreel featuring some of your best tracks alongside some of your placements, if you have them, and if not just using stock video footage or other footage that works to accompany your music. Doing things like this will help you stand out from your competition and demonstrate that you're professional and take your craft seriously.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is a 30 minute video presentation about how to create an effective showreel, featuring producer Gary Gray.
Today's Lesson - Professionalism:
I think it's safe to say that most artists, when they go about trying to get their music licensed, are primarily focused on themselves. They're focused on their music and trying to meet their goals. This is completely understandable and it makes total sense. You make music and you're passionate about it and you're passionate about your goal of hearing your music in TV and Films. So, of course you're going to be focused on your music and your goals. However, if you're trying to license your music through different music licensing companies (libraries, publishers, supervisors, etc) it's not just about you and your music. If you're trying to work with someone else professionally, you have to also be aware of the goals and needs of those you're trying to work with. What are their needs and how can you serve them? How can you make their lives easier? How can you help them do their job and help them achieve their goals. When you start to make this shift and keep this in mind in every email exchange, conversation and interaction you have with people in this business, you'll start to make a lot more headway. You'll also start to see more clearly why perhaps you haven't had as much success as you would have liked in the past, if you've only been focused on your music and achieving your own goals.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is an extension of yesterday's assignment. Yesterday I talked about how it's important to research companies and demonstrate you've done a little homework before blindly submitting your music to anyone who will listen. This demonstrates you're not just focused on your goals, but that you're also interested in helping others meet their goals. Along the same lines, think about other ways you can demonstrate you are professional and going to be easy to work with. Publishers and Supervisors are looking for musicians who are going to be easy to work with and efficient. One way to demonstrate this is by anticipating the different types of needs of those in the business and having different edits and versions of your tracks ready to go (See the video from Day 1 for more on this topic). Another thing you can do is make a showreel featuring some of your best tracks alongside some of your placements, if you have them, and if not just using stock video footage or other footage that works to accompany your music. Doing things like this will help you stand out from your competition and demonstrate that you're professional and take your craft seriously.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is a 30 minute video presentation about how to create an effective showreel, featuring producer Gary Gray.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 4
Today's lesson - Production Quality:
Music production is an important component of getting your music licensed. If you have amazing songs that work great for licensing, but they're not adequately produced for licensing, you won't be able to license them. It's that simple. Your songs need to be ready to go, as is. Knowing this, it's important that you take the time to objectively assess whether your songs are ready to go, production wise. Now music production isn't an exact science. It's somewhat subjective, even among music publishers and supervisors. Different people have different tastes and preferences. It's unlikely that you'll ever please everyone. But with that said, a lot of music that is being submitted to music licensing companies, simply isn't "good enough" production wise. Make sure you're not one of these artists. Take the time to really study the market, get a feel for the production quality of music that is being consistently licensed and make sure your music is on the same level, in terms of the quality of music production. Getting your production quality up to speed might involve improving your own production skills, if you produce your own music, or it might involve working with an outside producer. Whatever the case, make sure you know the quality you're shooting for and do whatever you have to do to get there.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to study the production quality of music that is being licensed and determine whether or not your tracks meet this standard. There are a few different ways to do this, the easiest is to probably simply check out music libraries websites and listen to the artists they work with. Many publishers and libraries will feature music they work with right on their website. Spend some time really getting to know the market and what music is being licensed where. On day one, I asked you to research and listen to music that's being licensed to get a feel for what kind of music is licensed. Today I want you to research and listen to music and specifically focus on the music production. If you listen to enough music that is being licensed, you'll see there is actually a wide variety, in terms of production quality. Some tv shows and placements have lower standards than others. Typically the more lucrative the placement, the more stringent the standards are in terms of production quality. Make sure your tracks at least meet the minimum standards necessary for music licensing, before you start shopping them around.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is about what I like to think of as the "Three Pillars Of Music Licensing". I think there are three main areas you need to master when it comes to successfully licensing your music. They are: songwriting/composition, production and marketing. Check out the video for more.
Today's lesson - Production Quality:
Music production is an important component of getting your music licensed. If you have amazing songs that work great for licensing, but they're not adequately produced for licensing, you won't be able to license them. It's that simple. Your songs need to be ready to go, as is. Knowing this, it's important that you take the time to objectively assess whether your songs are ready to go, production wise. Now music production isn't an exact science. It's somewhat subjective, even among music publishers and supervisors. Different people have different tastes and preferences. It's unlikely that you'll ever please everyone. But with that said, a lot of music that is being submitted to music licensing companies, simply isn't "good enough" production wise. Make sure you're not one of these artists. Take the time to really study the market, get a feel for the production quality of music that is being consistently licensed and make sure your music is on the same level, in terms of the quality of music production. Getting your production quality up to speed might involve improving your own production skills, if you produce your own music, or it might involve working with an outside producer. Whatever the case, make sure you know the quality you're shooting for and do whatever you have to do to get there.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to study the production quality of music that is being licensed and determine whether or not your tracks meet this standard. There are a few different ways to do this, the easiest is to probably simply check out music libraries websites and listen to the artists they work with. Many publishers and libraries will feature music they work with right on their website. Spend some time really getting to know the market and what music is being licensed where. On day one, I asked you to research and listen to music that's being licensed to get a feel for what kind of music is licensed. Today I want you to research and listen to music and specifically focus on the music production. If you listen to enough music that is being licensed, you'll see there is actually a wide variety, in terms of production quality. Some tv shows and placements have lower standards than others. Typically the more lucrative the placement, the more stringent the standards are in terms of production quality. Make sure your tracks at least meet the minimum standards necessary for music licensing, before you start shopping them around.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is about what I like to think of as the "Three Pillars Of Music Licensing". I think there are three main areas you need to master when it comes to successfully licensing your music. They are: songwriting/composition, production and marketing. Check out the video for more.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 5
Today's Lesson - Music Licensing Is A Long Term Endeavor:
Music Licensing is a long term endeavor. It normally takes time to get things rolling. It's not often that an artist decides to start licensing their music and is met with success right out of the gate. Of course there are exceptions and anything is possible. But in general, in my experience of working with hundreds of songwriters, it takes time to build momentum in music licensing. It's important that you're aware of this going into things. It can take years to build up your catalog, create connections and get things going to the point where you're making substantial income. Keep this in mind as you're getting started. Be persistent, but also patient.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is really an ongoing assignment. It's a mindset and habit that you need to cultivate. You need to get in the habit of pitching your music on a daily basis. You need to get in the habit of writing and recording new music on a regular basis. You need to get in the habit of developing new contacts and connections in the industry. There are things you can do every single day, to move your career forward. This program make it easy, because I'm giving you leads and videos to watch. You have everything laid out for you. But what else can you do today, right now, that would move your career forward? What phone call could you make? What email could you send? Is there somewhere you could send your music that you've been holding off on? Get in the habit of taking action, every single day. Today's assignment is to pick one new thing, in addition to today's leads, that you can do today that will potentially move your career forward. Maybe you can submit your music to an additional lead by going through the contact info included in the bonus material. Maybe you can spend some time researching new companies you could submit your music to. Maybe you can spend some time recording new material. It's up to you, but pick one extra thing to do today and do it!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is about how to stay motivated when you're first starting out in the licensing industry. It can be challenging to stay motivated in the beginning and in this video I break down my strategy for staying motivated and positive.
Today's Lesson - Music Licensing Is A Long Term Endeavor:
Music Licensing is a long term endeavor. It normally takes time to get things rolling. It's not often that an artist decides to start licensing their music and is met with success right out of the gate. Of course there are exceptions and anything is possible. But in general, in my experience of working with hundreds of songwriters, it takes time to build momentum in music licensing. It's important that you're aware of this going into things. It can take years to build up your catalog, create connections and get things going to the point where you're making substantial income. Keep this in mind as you're getting started. Be persistent, but also patient.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is really an ongoing assignment. It's a mindset and habit that you need to cultivate. You need to get in the habit of pitching your music on a daily basis. You need to get in the habit of writing and recording new music on a regular basis. You need to get in the habit of developing new contacts and connections in the industry. There are things you can do every single day, to move your career forward. This program make it easy, because I'm giving you leads and videos to watch. You have everything laid out for you. But what else can you do today, right now, that would move your career forward? What phone call could you make? What email could you send? Is there somewhere you could send your music that you've been holding off on? Get in the habit of taking action, every single day. Today's assignment is to pick one new thing, in addition to today's leads, that you can do today that will potentially move your career forward. Maybe you can submit your music to an additional lead by going through the contact info included in the bonus material. Maybe you can spend some time researching new companies you could submit your music to. Maybe you can spend some time recording new material. It's up to you, but pick one extra thing to do today and do it!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is about how to stay motivated when you're first starting out in the licensing industry. It can be challenging to stay motivated in the beginning and in this video I break down my strategy for staying motivated and positive.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 6
Today's Lesson - Focus On What You Can Control:
Success in music licensing is part luck and part hard work. My favorite expression about luck is that luck is "when preparation and opportunity meet". You can't really control when luck comes your way. You might get a lucky break tomorrow or you might work hard for months and seem to not be able to catch a break. There's an element of luck and timing that's outside of your control when it comes to music licensing. However, the one thing you can control is the work you put into licensing and the effort you put forth. Focus on the thing you can actually control and change. Do you need to write and record more songs to increase your odds of being successful? Do that. Do you need to cultivate more relationships and connections in the industry? Focus on that. Focus on the things you can actually control and you'll start to get more and more "lucky" breaks.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to watch a recent webinar I recorded with guitarist and composer Dario Forzato. This webinar was recorded live and made available exclusively to members of How To License Your Music Premium. The webinar is an hour long and Dario goes into detail regarding the mindset and work ethic you need to succeed in music licensing. Dario is based out of LA and has seen a huge amount of success licensing his music in tv and films over the last few years, with hundreds of credits to his resume. Check out the webinar below!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Webinar with guitarist/composer Dario Forzato.
Today's Lesson - Focus On What You Can Control:
Success in music licensing is part luck and part hard work. My favorite expression about luck is that luck is "when preparation and opportunity meet". You can't really control when luck comes your way. You might get a lucky break tomorrow or you might work hard for months and seem to not be able to catch a break. There's an element of luck and timing that's outside of your control when it comes to music licensing. However, the one thing you can control is the work you put into licensing and the effort you put forth. Focus on the thing you can actually control and change. Do you need to write and record more songs to increase your odds of being successful? Do that. Do you need to cultivate more relationships and connections in the industry? Focus on that. Focus on the things you can actually control and you'll start to get more and more "lucky" breaks.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to watch a recent webinar I recorded with guitarist and composer Dario Forzato. This webinar was recorded live and made available exclusively to members of How To License Your Music Premium. The webinar is an hour long and Dario goes into detail regarding the mindset and work ethic you need to succeed in music licensing. Dario is based out of LA and has seen a huge amount of success licensing his music in tv and films over the last few years, with hundreds of credits to his resume. Check out the webinar below!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Webinar with guitarist/composer Dario Forzato.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 7
Today's Lesson - Subject Matter And Lyrics:
Today's lesson applies to those of you who write music with lyrics and vocals. One of the keys to success in music licensing is really understanding how music is used in the context of licensing. When it comes to songs with vocals, there is almost always a connection between the lyrics of the song being used and whatever is happening in the tv show, film or scene in which the song is placed. Songs tend to play a supporting role in the context of tv and film. Music is used to enhance the scene in which it is used. Knowing this, start to think about themes and story lines that typically come up in tv shows, films and so on. Would your music work in a broad range of situations? Do you naturally write songs that would work for tv and films? Or are your lyrics obscure and about themes that don't normally arise in typical stories, tv shows, films and so on? The more universal your lyrics the better, when it comes to licensing.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to watch a film or a series, it can be anything really, and pay close attention to the lyrics in the songs that are being used. Notice how the lyrics connect to the theme of the show or film. There is almost always a connection between the lyrics and what's happening in the scene in which a song is being used. Start to really pay attention to this connection and imagine yourself as the music supervisor. Does their song selection make sense? Would you have picked a different song? Do you have music that would have worked as well or even better? The more you can put yourself in the shoes of music supervisors and really understand how and why they pick the songs they do, the better you'll be able to anticipate their needs and write music that works in the context of licensing.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is about the subject matter of songs used in TV and Films.
Today's Lesson - Subject Matter And Lyrics:
Today's lesson applies to those of you who write music with lyrics and vocals. One of the keys to success in music licensing is really understanding how music is used in the context of licensing. When it comes to songs with vocals, there is almost always a connection between the lyrics of the song being used and whatever is happening in the tv show, film or scene in which the song is placed. Songs tend to play a supporting role in the context of tv and film. Music is used to enhance the scene in which it is used. Knowing this, start to think about themes and story lines that typically come up in tv shows, films and so on. Would your music work in a broad range of situations? Do you naturally write songs that would work for tv and films? Or are your lyrics obscure and about themes that don't normally arise in typical stories, tv shows, films and so on? The more universal your lyrics the better, when it comes to licensing.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to watch a film or a series, it can be anything really, and pay close attention to the lyrics in the songs that are being used. Notice how the lyrics connect to the theme of the show or film. There is almost always a connection between the lyrics and what's happening in the scene in which a song is being used. Start to really pay attention to this connection and imagine yourself as the music supervisor. Does their song selection make sense? Would you have picked a different song? Do you have music that would have worked as well or even better? The more you can put yourself in the shoes of music supervisors and really understand how and why they pick the songs they do, the better you'll be able to anticipate their needs and write music that works in the context of licensing.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is about the subject matter of songs used in TV and Films.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 8
Today's Lesson - Instrumental Mixes:
When submitting your vocal tracks to music libraries and publishers, if accepted, you will almost invariably be asked to supply instrumental mixes of your tracks. The reason you'll be asked for the instrumental versions, is that you are effectively doubling your chances of having your track used, when you also have an instrumental version. Instead of only being able to pitch to opportunities where a vocal version with lyrics is needed, your publisher or library will also be able to pitch to projects and opportunities where instrumental music is needed. Of course simply taking out a vocal track in a song with lyrics isn't exactly the same as writing instrumental music and instrumental cues. But you'd be surprised the number of different opportunities that open up for you when you also have instrumental versions of your songs. For example, I wrote a vocal track several years ago, that due to a falling out with the vocalist I was working with, I never ended up finishing. On a whim, I submitted the instrumental version to my publisher. This track has ended up getting more placements and uses than any other single track I've ever written. It was completely unexpected, but the instrumental version has been placed hundreds of times in a variety of sports shows and sports related programs. Check out the track, Up To You, below.
Today's Lesson - Instrumental Mixes:
When submitting your vocal tracks to music libraries and publishers, if accepted, you will almost invariably be asked to supply instrumental mixes of your tracks. The reason you'll be asked for the instrumental versions, is that you are effectively doubling your chances of having your track used, when you also have an instrumental version. Instead of only being able to pitch to opportunities where a vocal version with lyrics is needed, your publisher or library will also be able to pitch to projects and opportunities where instrumental music is needed. Of course simply taking out a vocal track in a song with lyrics isn't exactly the same as writing instrumental music and instrumental cues. But you'd be surprised the number of different opportunities that open up for you when you also have instrumental versions of your songs. For example, I wrote a vocal track several years ago, that due to a falling out with the vocalist I was working with, I never ended up finishing. On a whim, I submitted the instrumental version to my publisher. This track has ended up getting more placements and uses than any other single track I've ever written. It was completely unexpected, but the instrumental version has been placed hundreds of times in a variety of sports shows and sports related programs. Check out the track, Up To You, below.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to start making instrumental versions of your tracks, if you haven't already. You can simply make mixes without the vocals for your vocal tracks and have these ready to go, when pitching your music. Secondly, beyond simply having instrumental version of your tracks to submit alongside your vocal versions, you'll also be able to pitch your instrumental tracks to companies that only work with instrumental music. I discovered this by accident recently when I sent 7 vocal tracks to a company that specializes in instrumental music. They accepted five of my tracks, but they only wanted instrumental versions. I ended up adding two more instrumental cues that I had written for a total of seven tracks. All because I had instrumental versions ready to go!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is an 80 minute course about how to specifically write instrumental cues for television, featuring composer Eddie Grey. This webinar/course is just a small sample of the sort of content that is included for members of How To License Your Music Premium.
Today's assignment is to start making instrumental versions of your tracks, if you haven't already. You can simply make mixes without the vocals for your vocal tracks and have these ready to go, when pitching your music. Secondly, beyond simply having instrumental version of your tracks to submit alongside your vocal versions, you'll also be able to pitch your instrumental tracks to companies that only work with instrumental music. I discovered this by accident recently when I sent 7 vocal tracks to a company that specializes in instrumental music. They accepted five of my tracks, but they only wanted instrumental versions. I ended up adding two more instrumental cues that I had written for a total of seven tracks. All because I had instrumental versions ready to go!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is an 80 minute course about how to specifically write instrumental cues for television, featuring composer Eddie Grey. This webinar/course is just a small sample of the sort of content that is included for members of How To License Your Music Premium.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 9
Today's Lesson - Styles Of Music:
The style of music you create, will, to a large part, dictate the types of placements your music will work for. For example, if you write music that is reminiscent of classic rock music from the 60s and 70s, your music will work best for movies or tv shows set in that time period or in movies or tv shows who have older character that listen to music from that era. This is a generalization of course, there are always exceptions, but typically the music used will stylistically represent the era the show or film is set in. For example, last night I watched the film The Hangover with my girlfriend, who had never seen the film, and I paid close attention to the music throughout the film. The movie is obviously a lighthearted comedy set in the present day (when it was released) and the main characters are fun loving, carefree, slightly older friends that are out to have a good time in Las Vegas. The soundtrack reflects this storyline and its characters, and mainly consists of Hip Hop, Urban an Dance music. It's the sort of music you would expect to hear in a movie about a group of friends that are partying in Vegas. When you're writing music that you hope to license, it's import to keep in mind how the style of music you create will affect your potential placement opportunities. If you're writing music that sounds dated and is not contemporary this will likely limit your placement opportunities. If you're writing music that sounds like it's from the 20s or 30s, then it will most likely only work in films or shows set in that time period. A question my publisher often asks me when I pitch her new music is where I would see the song or songs being used. At first the question through me off, but it's a good thought experiment when writing new material. It's important to think about where and how each song or composition you create could potentially be used.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to start paying attention to the style of music used in different shows and films. The next time you watch a movie, notice the style of music used and notice the connection between not just the lyrics, but also the style of music and the overall story-line and when and where the movie is taking place. The more you start to notice the link between the style of songs that are licensed and how and why they are used, the better you'll understand where your music could potentially fit into things.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is about, you guessed it, Styles of music in the context of music licensing.
Today's Lesson - Styles Of Music:
The style of music you create, will, to a large part, dictate the types of placements your music will work for. For example, if you write music that is reminiscent of classic rock music from the 60s and 70s, your music will work best for movies or tv shows set in that time period or in movies or tv shows who have older character that listen to music from that era. This is a generalization of course, there are always exceptions, but typically the music used will stylistically represent the era the show or film is set in. For example, last night I watched the film The Hangover with my girlfriend, who had never seen the film, and I paid close attention to the music throughout the film. The movie is obviously a lighthearted comedy set in the present day (when it was released) and the main characters are fun loving, carefree, slightly older friends that are out to have a good time in Las Vegas. The soundtrack reflects this storyline and its characters, and mainly consists of Hip Hop, Urban an Dance music. It's the sort of music you would expect to hear in a movie about a group of friends that are partying in Vegas. When you're writing music that you hope to license, it's import to keep in mind how the style of music you create will affect your potential placement opportunities. If you're writing music that sounds dated and is not contemporary this will likely limit your placement opportunities. If you're writing music that sounds like it's from the 20s or 30s, then it will most likely only work in films or shows set in that time period. A question my publisher often asks me when I pitch her new music is where I would see the song or songs being used. At first the question through me off, but it's a good thought experiment when writing new material. It's important to think about where and how each song or composition you create could potentially be used.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to start paying attention to the style of music used in different shows and films. The next time you watch a movie, notice the style of music used and notice the connection between not just the lyrics, but also the style of music and the overall story-line and when and where the movie is taking place. The more you start to notice the link between the style of songs that are licensed and how and why they are used, the better you'll understand where your music could potentially fit into things.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial is about, you guessed it, Styles of music in the context of music licensing.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 10
Today's Lesson - Metadata:
Today let’s talk about the really fun and stimulating topic of metadata. I hope you catch my sarcasm. It might not be a fun and exciting topic, but when it comes to licensing your music, it is important. So, what is “metadata”? Metadata refers to the data and information that describes your tracks. It contains information like artist name, song name, album name, genre, who your songs sound like and so on. It’s the sort of descriptive data that helps potential clients find your tracks and it also tells publishers and supervisors who you are, how to contact you and so on.
There’s basically two different types of metadata. The first kind of metadata is the information you embed into your tracks property fields so that when people play your tracks in media players like Itunes or Windows Media Player they’ll know the song name, who the artist is, how to contact you and so on. This is something everyone who is trying to license their music should do by default, for every song you start pitching.
To tag your tracks, so that the metadata is embedded into your file, simply right click on the track, open the details tab, and enter as much information as possible. You can fill out fields for artist name, album name, genre, bpm, publisher info, your website and so on. The more you can fill out the better. Make it as easy as possible for people listening to and screening your music to find you.
You might be thinking, but why do I need to do this if I’m going to email someone my tracks. Won’t they know it’s from me if they get an email from me? Well, they might. But what if someone downloads your tracks, forgets who it came from and goes back to the listen to your songs that are now on their hard drive six months later. As I’ve stated before, most publishers and supervisors are dealing with a very high volume of music. Things frequently get misplaced.
Tagging your tracks with the track’s metadata is sort of like the digital version of putting your contact information directly on your CD back when CDs were the norm. Some of you might be too young to remember this, but back when I was starting out in the music business many years ago, the norm when it came to trying to get gigs, license music and so on, was to send CDs out. It was important to have all your contact info clearly labeled on the CD. That way, if someone opened your package, took out your CD and had it lying on their car seat a few weeks later, they could easily figure out who the CD came from and how to get ahold of the artist if they liked it. It’s the same idea with tagging your tracks.
I frequently get files of music sent to me from clients for my music marketing company, Music Pitchers, with no artist name in the file. When I download files it goes into my download folder. I normally organize it right away and move the music into a corresponding folder that I have set up for each artist I work with. But, sometimes I get busy and I forget to do this. When there’s no name or no metadata in the tracks I have no idea who the music belongs to. I now make it very clear to all the artists I work with that they need to put their name in the file name of the files they send me and it’s no longer an issue. But if you’re pitching your music to someone new you want to make it as easy as possible for them to easily access as much information about your tracks as possible, so be sure to properly embed as much information as you can about your tracks into your track’s properties.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to make sure all your tracks and files have the relevant metadata embedded into your tracks. See above for details on how to do this.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is a video version of today's lesson and goes into a bit more detail on this topic.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 11
Today's Lesson - Growing Your Catalog:
The more tracks you have in your catalog, the more potential licensing opportunities you'll have tracks that are a good fit for. Makes sense right? Part of a long term strategy for making money via music licensing is to work towards growing a large catalog. With a few exceptions, most writers I know and work with that make substantial money in music licensing have large catalogs, of hundreds or even thousands of tracks. It takes time to get there, but part of the plan for becoming successful should involve regularly creating and recording new tracks that you can add to libraries that you work with and also pitch to new contacts. You should ideally be making new music every week. I know some writers who create a track a day. Depending on the style of music you're making, this isn't as difficult as it sounds, especially as you become more proficient at recording and producing your tracks. Regardless of the size of your catalog now, think about coming up with a recording schedule that you can stick to, in order to grow your catalog over time. Everyone is different, and how many tracks you're able to write and record will vary depending on your schedule and overall goals. I typically aim to write and record at least one new track a week. My plate is pretty full with several different projects at any given time, so this is what I find works for me. It's prolific enough that over the years I've been able to build up to hundreds of songs. But it's not so stressful that I get burnt out.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to come up with a recording and writing schedule that you can commit to. If you want music licensing to be a job, that pays you like a job, then you need to treat it like a job. You need to commit to this in the same way you would commit to any full time endeavor. Music licensing is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to get things rolling, but a crucial part of your overall success will be dependent on the quality and the size of your catalog of music. As you work towards building relationships, also work towards creating a great catalog of music that you can pitch to a variety of opportunities. Stick to what you can do best. But within the context of the kind of music you make, work towards making a lot of it, so when different opportunities are presented to you you'll be able to pitch music that is relevant. Think about how much time you can realistically devote to this right now and come up with a plan for executing. Can you record one song a week? Two? Three? Can you only do one song every two weeks? Determine what you actually have the time and motivation to do and start following through!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is about exclusive vs non exclusive contracts.
Today's Lesson - Growing Your Catalog:
The more tracks you have in your catalog, the more potential licensing opportunities you'll have tracks that are a good fit for. Makes sense right? Part of a long term strategy for making money via music licensing is to work towards growing a large catalog. With a few exceptions, most writers I know and work with that make substantial money in music licensing have large catalogs, of hundreds or even thousands of tracks. It takes time to get there, but part of the plan for becoming successful should involve regularly creating and recording new tracks that you can add to libraries that you work with and also pitch to new contacts. You should ideally be making new music every week. I know some writers who create a track a day. Depending on the style of music you're making, this isn't as difficult as it sounds, especially as you become more proficient at recording and producing your tracks. Regardless of the size of your catalog now, think about coming up with a recording schedule that you can stick to, in order to grow your catalog over time. Everyone is different, and how many tracks you're able to write and record will vary depending on your schedule and overall goals. I typically aim to write and record at least one new track a week. My plate is pretty full with several different projects at any given time, so this is what I find works for me. It's prolific enough that over the years I've been able to build up to hundreds of songs. But it's not so stressful that I get burnt out.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to come up with a recording and writing schedule that you can commit to. If you want music licensing to be a job, that pays you like a job, then you need to treat it like a job. You need to commit to this in the same way you would commit to any full time endeavor. Music licensing is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to get things rolling, but a crucial part of your overall success will be dependent on the quality and the size of your catalog of music. As you work towards building relationships, also work towards creating a great catalog of music that you can pitch to a variety of opportunities. Stick to what you can do best. But within the context of the kind of music you make, work towards making a lot of it, so when different opportunities are presented to you you'll be able to pitch music that is relevant. Think about how much time you can realistically devote to this right now and come up with a plan for executing. Can you record one song a week? Two? Three? Can you only do one song every two weeks? Determine what you actually have the time and motivation to do and start following through!
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video is about exclusive vs non exclusive contracts.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 12
Today's Lesson - Getting Paid:
There are two ways you get paid when licensing music. For many projects, there is an upfront sync fee for the rights to use your music. The amount of the sync fee varies greatly from project to project. It could be as low as several hundred dollars for a TV show to tens of thousands of dollars for a major ad campaign. The amount is based on many factors, including the budget of the show or production, the track being licensed and the company and/or person negotiating the sync fee on your behalf. For uses in television, a performance royalty is generated based on how the song is used. In general, the longer the usage and the more prominent a placement is, the more you'll get paid in performance royalties. I've had placements on TV that have earned as little as 20 dollars in performance royalties on the low end, and I've other placements that have generated as much as $2,500 dollars. There is a wide range of potential, depending on the track and the placement.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to watch the video below that further breaks down how you get paid when licensing music. One of the keys to generating an income from licensing is having a firm grasp on how the business works and the different ways in which you get paid. The better you understand the ins and outs of the business, the better you'll be able to navigate your way through the music licensing maze and make well informed decisions.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's Lesson - Getting Paid:
There are two ways you get paid when licensing music. For many projects, there is an upfront sync fee for the rights to use your music. The amount of the sync fee varies greatly from project to project. It could be as low as several hundred dollars for a TV show to tens of thousands of dollars for a major ad campaign. The amount is based on many factors, including the budget of the show or production, the track being licensed and the company and/or person negotiating the sync fee on your behalf. For uses in television, a performance royalty is generated based on how the song is used. In general, the longer the usage and the more prominent a placement is, the more you'll get paid in performance royalties. I've had placements on TV that have earned as little as 20 dollars in performance royalties on the low end, and I've other placements that have generated as much as $2,500 dollars. There is a wide range of potential, depending on the track and the placement.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to watch the video below that further breaks down how you get paid when licensing music. One of the keys to generating an income from licensing is having a firm grasp on how the business works and the different ways in which you get paid. The better you understand the ins and outs of the business, the better you'll be able to navigate your way through the music licensing maze and make well informed decisions.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 13
Today's Lesson - Using Reference Tracks:
One of the best ways to make sure you are creating tracks that work for licensing is to use reference tracks when writing and recording new tracks. A reference track is simply a track that has already been licensed somewhere. Some TV shows, for example, have a very distinct vibe and sound in terms of the tracks they tend to use. When writing for television, it's helpful to listen to reference tracks to make sure you are creating tracks that fit the vibe or mood of a particular show. Of course, if you're not writing for a specific show or project, which if often the case, this is a little harder to do. But, you can still use reference tracks to get inspiration for creating new tracks that you know will work in the context of tv in general.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to find a track that has been licensed elsewhere and write a similar track that is in the same vein. Don't just copy the track. But come up with something new and distinct that could stand on its own, but is close enough to the original track that you're confident it would work for licensing purposes.
You can listen to track in our music licensing reference library, or another great resource, is the website, Tunefind, that lists tracks that have been featured in various television shows.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial dives further into the topic of using reference tracks to license more music.
Today's Lesson - Using Reference Tracks:
One of the best ways to make sure you are creating tracks that work for licensing is to use reference tracks when writing and recording new tracks. A reference track is simply a track that has already been licensed somewhere. Some TV shows, for example, have a very distinct vibe and sound in terms of the tracks they tend to use. When writing for television, it's helpful to listen to reference tracks to make sure you are creating tracks that fit the vibe or mood of a particular show. Of course, if you're not writing for a specific show or project, which if often the case, this is a little harder to do. But, you can still use reference tracks to get inspiration for creating new tracks that you know will work in the context of tv in general.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to find a track that has been licensed elsewhere and write a similar track that is in the same vein. Don't just copy the track. But come up with something new and distinct that could stand on its own, but is close enough to the original track that you're confident it would work for licensing purposes.
You can listen to track in our music licensing reference library, or another great resource, is the website, Tunefind, that lists tracks that have been featured in various television shows.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial dives further into the topic of using reference tracks to license more music.
Music Licensing Fundamentals Day 14
Today's Lesson - Registering Your Tracks And Cue Sheets:
In order to get paid performance royalties when your songs are used in television, you need to be sure that your tracks are registered with your PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc). When tv shows license and use music, they submit something called cue sheets, that list what songs and artists are used in each episode, to the corresponding PROs. PR0s. PROs then in turn distribute performance royalties for each placement, based on how the song was used. The longer and more prominent the placement, the larger the performance royalty.
Today's Assignment:
Today's assignment is to make sure you've registered the tracks you are pitching with your Performing Rights Organization. It's important that your tracks are registered, before you start pitching signing them to different companies. You have to have your tracks registered in order to get paid for your placements. Check with your PRO's website for details on the registration process. It's pretty straightforward and only takes several minutes per track.
Today's Video Tutorial:
Today's video tutorial breaks down how cue sheets and performance royalties work.
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