Can authors quote your lyrics in their books?
For someone to quote lyrics in a book, or liner notes, it requires special permission and is not covered by the set fees or processes of music licensing. Read the post.
Music Licensing
Music metadata: The secret ingredient to getting discovered in music libraries
Getting discovered in music libraries is not a game of luck. Increasing your chances of being returned in search results comes down to defining relevant and descriptive music metadata for the songs you upload. Read the post.
Crafting the right song demo can maximize the chances of having your music cut by major artists
Your song has to be great for you to have a chance at landing a cut with a major artist, and your song demo has to hit the right notes, too. Read More.
The song pitch: 9 tips for getting your songs heard by major artists
We spoke to a music industry veteran to get 10 tips on how to perfect your song pitch and maximize your chances of major artists hearing – and possibly recording – one of your original songs. Read More.
Landing a cut can jump-start your music career: Mailbox money, Part III
Being a performing artist isn’t the only way to make a living in the music business. Landing a cut can be a way to kick off your solo career, or it could be a way to long-term success as a songwriter. Read More.
The first steps to pitching your songs: Mailbox money, Part II
You may already have the makings of a network that can help you pitch your songs to other artists — maybe even signed artists. Do your homework. You might be sitting on a mountain of contacts who could open doors of opportunity for you to earn some mailbox money. Read More.
3 steps to get your songs in music libraries
For indie musicians and songwriters who don’t yet have connections in publishing and licensing, music libraries are one way you can seek music licensing opportunities. Read More.
5 things you should do before you seek a music licensing deal
These five steps might not be fun or glamorous, but they’re necessary if you’re serious about seeking a music licensing deal. Read More.
5 music promotion lessons we learned from (our song about) Star Wars
Not so long ago, our band wrote, recorded, and released a song called, “Star Wars (A Film Like No Other).” When we released it on March 13, 2007, we had no idea it would become one of the most popular videos at StarWars.com, be licensed by AtomFilms, wind up being played on TV, and generate a potential license deal. Read more.
The ABCs of music libraries
Everyone wants to know how to make a little extra cash with their music, and music licensing is an appealing option for many independent musicians. There are measurable differences between the different levels of music libraries – finding the ones for you depends on your experience and business model. Read more.
How to pitch your music for video games
Game composer Tom Salta and music publisher Jake Versluis advise hooking up with a quality music publisher if you can – or making a strong pitch directly to game-makers if you can’t – but how do you approach either sort of party and get taken seriously? Here’s advice on how to pitch your music for video games. Read more.
Music for video games: advice from a top music publisher
While you may find success placing music in smaller-scale video games, music publisher Jake Versluis (Director of A&R Creative for Position Music) says you need a long-term plan, a big-time work ethic, and really great music to land your work in the big-league titles. Read more.
The wide world of licensed music in video games
Music in video games is not limited to the standard rock, rap, and EDM. Check out these examples of diverse music found in popular games. Nearly any flavor of high-quality, well-produced music has a shot at finding a home in some sort of video game. Here are just a few examples. Read more.
Placing your music in video games: advice from Halo composer Tom Salta
When it comes to licensing music, most indie artists shoot for the holy trinity of film, TV, and commercials — but an entirely different market for licensing music has blown wide open: video games. Armed with the right knowledge, high-quality tracks, persistence, and a little luck, indie artists can begin to tap into this market. Read more.
Music publishing: music industry insights
In the broadest sense, a music publisher looks for music initially like an A&R rep at a label would. We’re searching for the best talent. We do differ in one significant way: talent alone can sometimes entice an A&R rep to sign an artist. With music publishers, that is rarely the case. Read more.