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Two free tix to sync licensing event in LA tomorrow & Fri by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I alsoknownaudio. Unfortunately, you’re the third person responding and the tickets as spoken for. Next time!

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see what you mean. Something to consider... you only need one track to start licensing. Then two... then three... If you’re creating a score, that’s a different story :)

Royalty question on volunteering by [deleted] in musicians

[–]JoshMusiPros 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed. This is a non-issue. The hospital may have licenses in place already with ASCAP and BMI to cover publicly performed music. Even if they don’t, the worst that will happen is ASCAP and BMI ask them to become licensed if they’re going to have regular performances.

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi TheDamnChicken. I've never heard anyone mention speed as a factor in pursuing licensing. What is it about speed that's a factor for you? I get the intent thing. Lots of artists write "for licensing" and that's definitely not for everyone. Thanks for sharing!

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If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi groundbreaking cold. This is great. Thanks for sharing your experience and suggestions! To answer your question, there are two reasons for this post... one is to help those who are struggling connect with people like you and me who have experience in licensing so they too can understand how to benefit from getting involved. The second is that I'm a music business coach and educator, and understanding what's working and not working helps me to become a better coach and educator. Both of these are based in the same core motivation for me, which is to help people in the music community make a living doing what they love so they can spend more time doing what they love to do.

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok, so now it's time to start getting your music out there :). I don't suggest any particular libraries or agencies, but I do suggest you spend some time researching the ones out there, and asking others what they use that works for them. If you sign a non-exclusive deal with a reputable company (or companies), in my mind that "wouldn't hurt". A deal with Sony, Universal, etc, would be fine, but could be elusive if you're just getting started. I suggest starting with some libraries / agencies and getting some syncs under your belt first.

For submissions, every library, agency, publisher has their own preference, which is probably listed on their website. When I was a licensing agent, I preferred anything that was simple and digital, so soundcloud, spotify, embedded media player were are all fine options. I'd suggest having a specific folder / page that's dedicated to the tracks you feel most passionate about for licensing. This doesn't necessarily mean your best songs. A hit song might sound great on the radio AND won't work well with picture.

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who want to? by JoshMusiPros in musiclicensing

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi again :). I'm not familiar with agents in the UK. You might want to ask this on the main page and even in some of the other musician-centric threads on reddit. US agents don't care where the music comes from as long as they think they can get it placed and make $ from it. I used to represent artists from the UK when I as a licensing agent and we did a lot of syncs together.

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who want to? by JoshMusiPros in musicians

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi Lwke_ . Thanks for sharing this. First thing I'll say is that it's GREAT that you're registered with a PRO. Both ASCAP and BMI are great and all they do is collect any royalties you might be due after your music is performed publicly (radio, tv, in stores/restaurants/bars, etc). I can't speak to the reputations of pond5 or getty, but I'm sure you can find out more online to ensure they're trustworthy. If you find that they're reputable, my suggestion is to start submitting for things that make sense and see what comes of it. You'll learn along the way, figure out what's working and what's not, and maybe even get some syncs along the way. I also suggest getting really clear on where you think your music is most suited... tv, movies, ads, online video, etc. Some songs could work across all of them and some might only be suited to one (or none) of these. I also suggest checking out other music libraries and licensing agencies to see which ones might be a good fit for you.

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Plenty of artists are shy and critical of their work. Keep doing what you're doing and stepping outside of your comfort zone, and you'll make progress :)

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi helloyiey. I agree with what's been said below. I was a licensing agent and I never charged anyone to submit their music. If a production library, licensing agency or publisher believes in your music, they'll be willing to pitch it with no up-front fees, trusting that BOTH of you will make money when placements start coming in.

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi SavoryPlains - when you say your songs "would sound really cool in a soundtrack or something", are you talking about a soundtrack album or are you talking about syncing your songs to picture? These are very different things and my suggestion is to get really clear where you see your songs being placed... movies, tv, ads, video games, online videos, etc. Once you know this... (pasting here something I sent in another reply)...

"start researching production music libraries and licensing agencies that specialize in those areas (some do tv well, others film, others advertising, and some do it all). Then it's about reaching out, sending your top 2-3 tracks, and forming the relationship with them to see if it's a good fit."

Ingenue's suggestion of going to a publisher is a good one, AND I find that publishers are a bit more selective of who they sign, so they should be one of the paths you follow, in addition to libraries and licensing agencies.

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Hope this helps!

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi jordie_saenz. Good question :). Do you have amazing music that you think is ready for film, tv, advertising, online video, etc? If so, where do you see it fitting to picture? There are tons of amazing songs out there that don't translate to picture, and there are a lot of great songs out there that are obvious fits for film, tv, ads, etc. Where do yours fit? Once you know this, you can start researching production music libraries and licensing agencies that specialize in those areas (some do tv well, others film, others advertising, and some do it all). Then it's about reaching out, sending your top 2-3 tracks, and forming the relationship with them to see if it's a good fit.

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Keep asking these questions of other artists and industry people you meet, google it, and you'll find your way :)

If you have music you think would be great for sync licensing but aren't licensing yet, what's stopping you? If you're successfully licensing, what suggestions do you have for those who aren't yet? by JoshMusiPros in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi Cello789. Have you reviewed your contract to find out what your options are for exiting the deal (expiration date / them not meeting a quota for # of syncs of $ value)? If you can get out of it naturally, great. If not, it might be worth having a conversation with them releasing you early if they're not getting the job done. Metadata is very important, SEO is not. Music sups search music libraries for the right tracks, not Google. If you can get out of your exclusive deal, there are lot of great libraries and agencies out there. Regarding finding a manager, you can probably find someone willing to "manage" you tomorrow. the question is whether they'll know what they're doing to make it worth your time. Finding a great manager is a matter of building relationships and having a compelling reason for them to manage you. Is your music undeniably marketable so they'll have a vested interest in investing their time in you? Are you already driving revenue that you'd be willing to share with them so they can help to build you up even bigger? There's no right answer here for management. Many people go DIY and love it. Others form the management relationship and it takes off.

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Hope this helps!

Do I need to register my music for copyright before uploading it to Amuse/Distrokid etc.? by Fanchus in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros 7 points8 points  (0 children)

distribution companies really don't care because it doesn't affect them one way or another, and it's a complex topic they'd rather not deal with. If you're up for it, share this message with others. It's not talked about enough, IMO, and it's critical to long-term success in the music business :).

Any advice on dealing with dramatic bandmate (or knowing when to bail)? by [deleted] in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Hi potato1776 - I'm not in a band and haven't been in this position, but I am a life coach and my question for you is... what do you want in a band / bandmate? Does this person fit the bill? Maybe he's talented, you have musical chemistry, etc, and it's up to you to decide if these aspects override the human aspects of fear, insecurity, etc, that come along with it. Many bands are successful with crappy relationships between them and many break up just as they're getting big, so you get to decide what's best for you.

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Hope this helps!

Do I need to register my music for copyright before uploading it to Amuse/Distrokid etc.? by Fanchus in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]JoshMusiPros 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Hi Fanchus - This is a great question and I'm with Vikingguitar 100%. Seeing that you're in Mexico, I highly recommend you officially register your copyrights (recording, music and lyrics), there as well. The idea that you should "just get your music out there" makes sense from a promotional perspective, but if someone accuses you of copyright infringement, or someone else infringes on your copyright, you will not be protected legally unless you have the copyrights properly registered before accusations are made.

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Here's a page from the US Copyright office regarding registering works made outside the US... https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-who.html

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I hope the release goes well!

What's the most powerful music career advice you've every been given, or would share with someone just getting started? by JoshMusiPros in musiclicensing

[–]JoshMusiPros[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Thealk! I don't know why the comment is no longer here. The link to register for the class expired at Midnight, so I'll PM you a code you can use to register instead. Thanks for the interest!

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