I'm looking at sending some music to some music libraries. Which ones are the best and most honest ones?

How does one know when they have placed your music? How do you know that they are paying you for all uses of your music?

I question because of a past experience with a library. I found out by accident,about two years after the fact, that they had placed some of my music on TV. After confronting them, they paid me, making up some lame excuse for not paying me before. If I never found out and confronted them, would I have ever been paid. They may have placed other song that I don't know about and I'll never be paid because I don't know about it. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

This ought to keep you busy for a while, Everett.

Excellent site.
MusicLibraryReport

Donna

Morning Everett!

Here's a great website to gather info on all the libraries: http://musiclibraryreport.com/ There's over 200 listed here.

You'll have to determine which ones are right for you. A hodgepodge of companies from "Killer Tracks" which pays $800 - $1,000 upfront plus your PRO royalties, to "Pump Audio" which pays 35% licensing fees, plus your PRO royalties.

There are so many. It's difficult to give you recommendations.

Best, John

Darn! Jolly-on-the-spot Donna beat me to it. :MAD:

John

So, Everett, what's the deal on these music libraries? You allow them to make your music available to potential buyers and they grant them usage or what? I read the page Donna put up and poked around but it doesn't seem to explain what they do. Is there a list of just the reputable music libraries?

Duncan, on the right-hand side of the site's homepage is a comprehensive Library List (in blue). Click on any of those links, and it will bring up the URL of the specific library (so you can explore it), as well as comments that have been made about it.

Donna

Also weigh these comments with a grain of salt, unless there are a couple dozen saying the same thing.

Wow Donna! Love your new avatar! Foxy Lady!

John

This is a nice site. Thanks Donna and John.

They get mixed reviews from some people, and I'm not happy about their new new 35/65 split, but I've made more money with Pump Audio than anywhere else.

Hi Gang:

I'm gonna slightly hijack Everett's thread about Licensing but only a little. My question is about everyone's experience with Music Libraries and my perception that they seem to be more interested in instrumental music rather than songs. I'm thinking a ratio of about 75/25. (Instrumental versus Vocals/Songs) I've spent lots of time studying the link to the Music Library Site and it is impressive for such a new venture. I'm sure it will improve even more as the "database" evolves and more input is received and digested for our review.

Thanks for any insight you guys and gals would care to provide.

It depends on the library Dave. Crucial Music uses a lot of songs with vocals. https://www.crucialmusic.com/account/indie_signup Their top 10 picks for the day has 4 out of 10 with vocals.

The reason why instrumentals are wanted more than songs is that instrumentals are used more often. Listen to the music on commercials and tv shows, by and large you will hear 90% instrumental.

Thanks, John and Vikki:

Your ratio estimate is not too far from mine. Vikki, I understand the "nature of the beast"... just wanted to confirm the approximate ratio so I can determine a marketing approach. Instrumentals are not my "forte" but I have done a few and will begin to pay more attention to that side of my catalog... with more emphasis on movie cue needs.

Regards,

Dave

There are about three or four different uses for music in film and telelvision.

Main and ending titles.
Scene and dialogue underlays
Music in a scene (the radio playing)
An artist in the scene performing a song.

For most of those the film music director has something in mind for that scene which advances the action. In the Austin Powers movies, Mike Myers usually used Burt Bacharach doing his famous songs from the era he was portraying, to motivate the action or mood.

So instrumentals can lay under a scene without taking away from the dialogue. Lyrics and vocals can often distract from the action, so they are not used as much.

So having instrumental versions of your songs of broadcast quality will increase your chances of having them used.

MAB