Excellent advice. I just got in my first exclusive library. Standard deal. I'm an old guy with a day job who has been working as a lone wolf in niche genres for decades. Didn't know anything about the sync world until a couple years ago when my wife said my music sounds like some of the music used in the TV shows she watches. About submissions practices: I carefully researched libraries and made a list. Each submission was tailored to the library's wants. All that takes time. Because of family matters, I was only able to submit to 12 libraries over 5 months in 2023. 3 rejects, 8 no response, 1 deal so far. The deal arrived 6 months after I submitted. I'm happy with that batting average. I use DISCO for my playlists.
I find it very interesting that most youtubers who talk about sync don't talk about this info like you do. I appreciate your honesty and upfront knowledge about this industry. Much love and respect 🙏🏾
finally someone who shares the actual truth. this is someone I would definitely trust and sign up, if they have a course on sync licensing and sync music production
I want to get started with sync licensing. Thanks for this video, I'm gonna keep watching and do more research to get into this. Hopefully my music will get picked up
This year I possibly will experience this sort of Number spike. Realizing for the last 2 years I consistently confirmed many Exclusive submissions. It's all about the Commitment process 💯🤙🏾🤙🏾🥂🍾
Already have about 100+ TV placements from about 20 songs I submitted in 2019. However…. My job requires 11 hours of my day so I have nothing to give music a lot of time. I plan to retire in 2-1/2 years so I can get back in and continue making money to accentuate my retirement income. So my plan is to write some new music and practice my craft over the next couple of years then start submitting to the industry. Lots of good advice in this video.
Thanks for this. It's really useful and really interesting and actually really eye-opening. I was recommended this video by RU-vid because earlier today I watched a video on the same subject by another RU-vidr which at the end of the day was 55 minute advertisement for his course on this subject. I think now that he was really full of ****. He was making out that it was easy to make five figures per sync licence and that anybody could do it and essentially that it was easy and what you're saying here is far more aligned with what I've seen on this subject elsewhere ie it can be done but like anything in the world of music it takes a huge amount of effort to get to the point where you can do it as your sole full-time occupation.
Yeah a lot of people who talk about this stuff will say anything to get people to buy their course. Most of them don't make a living doing sync (hence why they need to do courses). If you do trailer music you can get 5 figure placements, but that is a very competitive space. Otherwise, a large catalog is key! I believe in sharing the truth and keeping things relevant/up to date when I talk about this stuff. And unlike most other RU-vidrs, I actually still write and record lots of sync music. Best of luck with everything!
Yes all good and you reminded me I should more diversify among exclusive libraries. Got to look into some new / good ones with more sub publsihers in Europe.@@randymcgraveymusic
This is great information thank you for sharing your knowledge. I do have a question when you’re referring to tracks. Are you referring to full songs or shorter just music pieces also, what is the typical time in length for a track to submit?
Both can work. If you have a finished album of one style that is unpublished, then try that. Otherwise, if you have spare tracks in multiple genres, you can send a playlist of that. I just wouldn't send stuff that is already with another library.
Hey Randy! Thanks for being so genuine. It's very hard to find honest info for sync. Is it safe to use addictive drums and similar software to program your own drumbeats via midi for original songs? I always process the drums as well which alters the sound.
Thanks for the informative video. For being solely a beat maker is entering this space possible? Do you need actual songs with an artist or can instrumentals be placed?
Great video! Sync licensing is all new to me... I'm getting ready to get back into making music after a Long hiatus . I was wondering what is your process after you make and mix a song? Do you have to copyright before sending it to these exclusive libraries or is it automatically copyright.? Also was wondering, how are people able to make music on RU-vid and not worry about people stealing from them? I'm so confused when it comes to that. Thanks in advance.
Thanks! And my process is usually to do 10 tracks in one style, then start pitching them to libraries as an album. No need to copyright the tracks, because the exclusive libraries do that. And for the question about RU-vid, check out this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xMmc4ve6stU.htmlsi=fL1ppDfxswjK_1H3
Thanks for the support! And I mostly have just googled EQ cheat sheets, compression guides and whatnot. They are from a variety of sources because they usually offer different perspectives. Now I have a lot of go-to presets on my DAW.
appreciate the knowledge. I make most of my stuff in GarageBand for now, guessing loopy stuff isn’t prime for these services. My most complete track is “the atmosphere” as dāwens on Apple music. Do you release your track before you submit, or do they handle that? I use distrokid now, sorry for the questions but just starting this journey. thanks for sharing👊🏻
Thanks! And I don't put my library music on Spotify. It would be more trouble than it's worth I think. But lots of exclusive libraries do put the music on Spotify for you anyway.
I started working with an exclusive library recently. The royalty splits are standard (I keep the whole writer's share), but they keep the all of the sync fees, unless its a brief for a specific project that was not able to be fulfilled by the current library. So for the general library briefs, I don't take any of the sync fee. Is this a bad deal?
Yeah that is a bad deal. Why should they keep all the sync fees when you wrote the music? Some libraries earn me $500+ each quarter in sync fees. Work with libraries that give you the splits you deserve!
Thanks for this info, straightforward and simple. I have detections on TuneSat but my PRO has not sent any cue sheets or statements. I’ve gotten over 100 placements in a year, how long does it take your PRO to send you data when you see it on TuneSat?
Congrats on getting so many placements! The PROs usually pay about 9 months after the initial air date. Though sometimes it can take a lot longer if cue sheets are filed late.
Thank you Randy. I've been blessed with placements with Disney, abc, a&e, hbo, vh1, mtv, Lionsgate films and more. Even though I'm seasoned you have provided knowledge that is valuable for everyone. John Covert BMI
You're welcome! And no, I only really release my "artist" music to Spotify. Exclusive libraries most likely won't take the music if it is on streaming services. For non-exclusive music, you can do it if you want, but it might end up costing more than it earns. Exclusive libraries assign ISRCs to the songs for you. But for my typical non-exclusive library music, the tracks don't usually have ISRCs.
I don't typically share how much I make, but it was in the 5 figures last year. Also bear in mind that lots of those 450 placements will pay this year, or even later.
I make Techno, House, Lo-Fi + Boom Bap Hip-Hop... etc. How should I go about things if some of my tunes do include loops/samples etc? Sometimes it's part of creating an authentic sound.
You shouldn't use any pre-made loops or uncleared samples. Libraries won't touch that stuff because there is a lot of risk that a loop will get false detections, or worse, they could get sued for uncleared samples. If you plan to sync music, you should create your own sounds.
I'm not scared of it. It might replace the royalty free stuff, but that isn't worth much money anyway. TV shows and big clients will want tracks that they can trust and that are copyrighted.
Yes, really good advice. A question I have which I've never seen answered on any of these sync videos is: how often does the library or customer come back with a request for a change to a piece and at short notice? This is a concern for me as I might not be able to work to a deadline.
Good question. Briefs always have deadlines, they could be due in months, weeks, or even the same day. Sometimes the library will request revisions before accepting the tracks. Once the tracks are accepted, you usually submit all necessary edits and stems. Once the music goes live, you probably won't have to make any revisions, since they will have everything they need. If you are working with a client personally, they might request revisions, but those situations vary depending on their timeline. Hope this helps!
@@randymcgraveymusic Thanks, Randy, for such a prompt and helpful reply. Sadly, not really what I wanted to hear, and my suspicions of that being the case drove me to the easy access libraries like Pond5 when I first tried this a few years ago, with correspondingly minimal returns - $8.62 to date!
I hear ya. The non-exclusive stuff is more appealing to most newcomers, but exclusive libraries are where the tv placements and bigger payments are. If you'd be willing to try it, I think you'd have better success than Pond5.
Hey Randy, thanks for the info. I recently joined a TV Sync library whose clients are mostly based in america with minor international recognition. The deal seems decent. But Is it normal that they asked for a work-for-hire contract for 3 of my tracks? Cheers thanks:)
Does unpublished mean not on streaming services like Spotify etc.. So are you ever allowed to put your music on streaming services before you submit to sync or after you get chosen for a sync placement?
If working with exclusive libraries you most likely won't be able to put the music on streaming, as they will have full publishing control. If the library is non exclusive then you can do it. Check eith the library when in doubt.
For exclusive libraries, definitely not, they will do that. For non-exclusive stuff you can, but the costs will add up quickly. I personally only copyright my "artist" music.
Can you explain in a little more detail how the PRO registration process goes? Who is responsible for embedding the ISRC codes? How are the cue sheets updated?
For non-exclusive tracks, you will register your own tracks with your PRO. If you publish your non-exclusive tracks to Spotify and whatnot you will embed ISRCs to your music. If working with an exclusive library, they will handle the track registration and the ISRCs. Cue sheets are submitted by the tv shows and networks.
Here's a list I made a while back. It is a combination of non-exclusive and exclusive so you have to look into each one. www.randymcgraveymusic.com/post/blog-150-list-of-100-music-libraries
Hi Randy, great content and video. I signed with Jingle Punks a while back but don't seem to get any upfront sync fees, just quarterly royalties. Should I start shopping other exclusive libraries?
@MellostormMusic the "upfront fees" are typically paid quarterly Or biannually, so that is normal. And JP is a great library. Working with multiple libraries is a good thing, so I say yes!
Little late here, but how many tracks do you do a year? I work full time (at another job) and have been doing sync licensing for a couple years, we write to briefs, I do around 65 tracks a year, something like that
@@randymcgraveymusic thanks! I'm thinking I'll be more in the 75-100 range this year so on track. Writing specifically for briefs helps too, since I know lots of my stuff is getting used
when you say there might be royalty free loop, if you went to splice and used loops to build a song with a professional work for hire singer, so you own the copyright and whole song (until you upload to your sync library deal/contract), and then placed that song in a sync library, is that not cool that you started the song from a splice loop?
It's OK to start your ideas with Splice loops, but using the actual loop in your finished song can cause copyright issues and false detections on Tunesat/Soundmouse, etc. It is best to use only audio that you create.
What he said, your track might be flagged, blocked or the income might be sent to the person that claimed the loop before you when the company uploads your soundtracks. They ofte do this as an extra stream of income. I once saw an interview with a manager of sync and licensing and she said if they ever work with a composer and this happens they never work with that composer again. They don’t want the risk.
There are tons of music libraries, I'm in a few dozen myself. I don't like to give away names because people will spam the libraries, and it would make me look bad. Try doing a simple Google search to find some music libraries and look at their FAQs to see how to submit.
I’ve heard other sync people say to do niche music and not try to do 10 different genres. Isn’t that the strategy with growing a following on social media as well? Btw Is that a Boston or New England accent?
I don't agree with the "stick to one genre" mentality. I think you should stick to ones that you're good at, but try different stuff. If you only write one genre it will limit the type of placements you get. And if you keep writing the same stuff, you will need to find new libraries every time which gets increasingly difficult. One library isn't going to take 10 versions of the same album. Not to mention, you will get burned out writing the same stuff all the time. I speak from experience, as I write many styles. This is also different from building a social media following, as sync composers are behind the scenes. If there really are people out there only doing 1 style and making a living, then all the power to them! And yes I am originally from the Boston area (MA).
@@randymcgraveymusic Actually, my strength is in my diversity. I’m good at many genres so that’s a relief to hear. I suppose that makes sense since I will be submitting to many different libraries. So what you’re saying is to be selective about which type of music I submit to which library. Love the accent. I have an “old” Brooklyn, New York accent.
I haven't done too much of those styles so unfortunately I don't have any recommendations. But if you're stuff is really good quality you can always browse labels on BMG, Warner Chappell, etc.
@@randymcgraveymusic I submitted to all I could find that I thought would apply. can you recommend another way to find these hundreds or thousands besides just doing a search for music libraries?
450 unique placements, so sometimes multiple different tracks were used in the same show. But mostly it was different shows. I don't count re-airrings of the same show.
@@randymcgraveymusic Very solid well done. I did a theme and background for a Discovery series. Still waiting too see anything but will be interesting. Have you had any theme placements yet. I hear they pay 3x more
Thanks, and congrats on the theme placement! I haven't had any theme songs yet. But unfortunately, Discovery Channel is notorious for paying low royalties.
@@randymcgraveymusic Yeah I've seen $10 total for both writer and publisher share per minute on some forums, Have you seen similar ? The show was global so hopefully other countries pay more. The show was on some national TV stations too.
Tha international royalties will definitely help. And the only Discovery show I recall having music on is Moonshiners, which I haven't been paid for yet.
@macaroon147 I know a lot of people are hesitant to do exclusive deals, but it really is where most of the placements come from. It really isn't as scary as you think, if you're interested in this business I'd recommend it! I've only ever had 1 library that didn't get placements from an exclusive album, and I was able to regain the rights to those tracks.
I’m calling Cap on this guy First if all who tracks 450 placements if you are paying that much attention to that many if your tracks you got too much time on your hands and you ain’t making much money off the placements
It's not hard to keep track of the placements. I see new tunesat detections when they show up, and I look at my PRO statements when they come in each month. But I stopped counting the numbers this year, and basically am only tracking the income now.
Yeah I agree. I could go into detail, but I don't want to be the one to mess his channel up. Some people need stuff like this to keep going in life so I'll let him have it.
I don't see why it's so hard to believe. I have over 1,000 tracks out there. So less than half of them placed last year. Some tracks get dozens of placements per year. I kept a tally of any new Tunesat detections each month and the same with my PRO statements.
It is not that it’s hard to believe even though I don’t believe it, it’s the fact that anyone who has time to count and read that many lines of text is a psycho for detail and anyone who really did have that many placements would not take the time out to read them all and anyone who had that many placements would only glance over to see the networks or shows here or there and they would really only look at how much money they got. Furthermore anybody that was making any real money off 450 placements would title the video how I made x amount of dollars and got 450 placements in a year. But since he didn’t do that, the only thing you can realistically gather is that he didn’t get 450 placements. The same track and promo may have played 450 times, he didn’t make that much money in the process. That’s my point. Take it from the top of the todem pole.
The greatest band of songwriters that ever was: The Beatles, wrote just over 200 original songs between three songwriters in roughly ten years. 100 “quality” songs a year 😂
Churning out "garbage" won't earn you much, if anything. And most of this stuff is instrumental, which is typically quicker to write. This definitely isn't a quick buck either, as it typically takes a long time to get paid.
