Sorry Donna, about to go off topic here based on Brian's post.

All American PROs, including Harry Fox, SoundExchange, and Music Reports use online forms and/or spreadsheets to accept information. All my song registrations are done online at the various websites. Then I send an email to my publishing admin with all relevant information for all songs for them to do the non-U.S. registrations. Once the SESAC form is filled out I also send an email to SESAC asking for them to grab me an ISWC # for each song, as that is not automatic and they have to go to ASCAP in order to get it. Used to take a few weeks to get the ISWC, now it usually takes a couple of days. After that, I plug all that info into a master spreadsheet that I keep for all my creations. Putting in writer info, publishing info, IPI/CAE, SESAC #, ISWC #, ISRC #, and other relevant Metadata. Every service has different requirements for song related data, this happens to make it easier to copy and paste it around. The new thing I'm working with is RIN data as well.

Turns out that all the Streaming Services, as well as lot of licensors like to have all relevant data. ISRC, ISWC (depends on service), writer(s), writer splits (depends on service), publisher(s), pub splits (depends on service), catalog #s (depends on service), release dates, barcodes, etc. There's a lot of data needed these days. All of which is designed to make sure all interested parties get paid appropriately.

That's my current method for any new music I put out. If a co-writer is part of it, I let them know they need to do their registrations at their PRO, but I don't do it for them. Of course, if they're a SESAC co-writer, they have nothing to do as its taken care of when I register the material. My publishing admin does not collect globally for any of my co-writers, only me. But I do let them know where our tunes have generated income so they can keep an eye out for it on their own.

I also use a PDF version of a songwriter split sheet that I created. That way, my information is automatically filled out correctly. I send it to the co-writer(s) for them to plug their information in, they save it and send it back to me. Works like a charm, reduces paper waste, can be viewed/edited on a myriad of devices (phones, computers, iPads, etc) , and creates a timestamp record of when we created the song. Not that it would hold up in a court of law, as only a registration with the Library of Congress is eligible for that - to my knowledge [take that with a grain of salt as I'm spreading a lot of misinformation apparently]. But at least its additional information prior to the LoC submission.

BTW - I'm happy to give anyone a copy of my songwriter split sheet, sans my automatic info. Its thorough and allows for up to 6 writers on it. Also, I do have quite a few boilerplate type of contracts for various music business purposes in MS word format. I'm happy to pass those along as well, for free. That being said, I always recommend that one uses a lawyer for any contracts.

All of this can be done online without the need to buy a floppy drive or floppy disc and no need to spend money on a $20 file that Harry Fox and/or Music Reports would turn around and tell you to "use our website form." Why? Because it will go right into queue for their database.

A brief aside about tech in 2017: As Brian has stated about floppy discs, they haven't been in use on the Mac side of computing since 1998, that's what 20 years ago? I haven't used CDs in 5+ years, except in special cases of request - such as the most recent JPF award submissions. The only optical discs I currently use are BluRay's. I have 50gb discs that I use as additional hardcopy backups of finished projects. I imagine in the next couple of years, I'll have to transfer those to backup SSDs as who knows if even BluRay media will last very long in the market. But they do hold a lot of data which is great for high resolution audio files.


Jody Whitesides
A Funky Audio Lap Dance For Your Ears!
www.jodywhitesides.com