ASK DERAJ

When pitching my music, should I have stems ready? mindset & goals pitching & licensing
Whenever you're getting ready to pitch, it is a rule of thumb to have your stems ready. You do not need to pitch your stems, but it is always good to have them ready in the case your music is placed.
 
Other Resources: Group Coaching 02/15/22 @ 18min 12sec
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Are covers acceptable in sync? pitching & licensing publishers songwriting & producing
Covers are 100% acceptable in sync as long as you have permission from the publisher of the original song. Without the publisher's clearance, you have no chance of getting that cover cleared for commercial use.
 
Other Resources: Guest Interview 02/02/22 @ 1hour 11min 18sec
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How can an artist or producer be best positioned when providing music that is to be repped by an agency or music supervisor? licensing agents mindset & goals pitching & licensing
The moment you enter a licensing agreement with an agency or music supervisor, start working on your metadata and deliverables.
 
Metadata is vital information that you add to enrich the tracks in your library or catalogue. Whilst automated metadata tagging is available, there is no substitute for...
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What does buy-out mean? agreements & contracts master & publishing rights pitching & licensing

When you purchase a piece of music once, and never have to pay for it again.

Other Resources: Guest Interview 02/02/22 @ 43min 3sec

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What can I expect when my music is repped by an agency? licensing agents pitching & licensing
It starts with a Sync Agent or Agency. Sync or "Licensing" agents are companies or individuals that aim to connect producers of visual media with artists. Sync agents will represent your music and secure you a synchronization license.
 
A license is an agreement where the licensor allows the licen...
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What does "all-in" mean? agreements & contracts master & publishing rights pitching & licensing
When you license both the sound recording (master rights) and the song (publishing
rights) for one “all in” fee.
 
Ex: $10K "all in" mean $5k to license the master copyright and $5K to license the publishing copyright.
 
 
Other Resources: Guest Interview 02/02/22 @31min 55sec
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Why do music supervisors and agencies have a need for my music instead of "Top 100" artists? master & publishing rights one-stop & easy clear pitching & licensing royalties & money
BUDGET! For a charting song, an artist, publisher, and label can demand whatever they want on top of those other parties essentially being gatekeepers for usage rights of a song.
 
Other Resources:
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What are music supervisors and agencies listening for when looking for potential music? licensing agents mindset & goals music supervisors pitching & licensing
Originality. Being able to have some level of uniqueness while still incorporating elements that make a song sound like it's ready for sync. The quality of the song has to be consistent with what is being already being used as well.
 
Other Resources:
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Should I pitch to a music library or get a sync agent? licensing agents pitching & licensing
There are options that exist when it comes to licensing your music. People are winning in multiple different ways. I am an advocate for owning as much of your song as you can. That doesn't mean I haven't given away owner ship on songs. If you are going the library route, I would suggest saving your ...
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As an artist that fits into multiple genres, how should I approach pitching music? music supervisors pitching & licensing songwriting & producing
If you have identified what you want to be known for, only pitch that stuff. Showcase the best of what you're creating. However, you don't have to if you are able to create and fit into multiple genres. It is entirely up to you. Make it clear to music supervisors what you're pitching, especially if ...
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Should I have an agreement in place with my collaborators? agreements & contracts master & publishing rights pitching & licensing songwriting & producing
If you're working with a producer (Beatstars, Soundclick, etc.), you should know what that producer has given allotment for when it comes to sync licensing. It's important to have an agreement in place before pitching. It can be as easy as talking and having a plan before pitching. The same goes for...
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Can having "too many" relationships in sync be detrimental to my potential success? mindset & goals pitching & licensing
It is good to get your music out there. I started with non-exclusive stuff. I might take 1 song and give it to 2-3 people and see how it goes. As I began to learn more about this space, it has been ebb and flows. There are times where there were too many and other times where I've felt like I wanted...
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Is it common for a third party to rep and pitch my music? agreements & contracts pitching & licensing
Yes, it is absolutely acceptable and common for a third party to be pitching your music on your behalf. They just get a commission on what they land. Also, it is important for artists to learn how to go direct and broker their own deals. This is one of the things we teach here in the IMXL. It is emp...
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What are some strategies for a label signed artist vs. an independent artist? agreements & contracts mindset & goals pitching & licensing
Unless there is a specific agreement in place, you have a lot of options when it comes to releasing your music.
 
  • You can create an alias to release sync music that is a completely different brand than your original artist brand. You also have options when deciding who you want to represent or p
  • ...
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What is a "Pitch?" pitching & licensing

This refers to when a copyright owner (i.e Label, Publisher) or representative of the copyright (i.e. licensing Agent) sends out a song to try and acquire potential licensing opportunites.

Ex. "I just pitched a song for Season 3 of Insecure."

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What is "Schedule A?" agreements & contracts pitching & licensing

In reference to licensing: this is a separate document attached to an agreement laying out the details the agreement states will be included in the schedule for example publishing details, media terms, etc. In reference to administration: this is a document that lists out all of the compositions for...

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What is "Micro-Sync?" pitching & licensing

Micro licenses refer to “smaller” licenses for personal projects, indie films, and smaller companies. 

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What is a "Kill Fee?" pitching & licensing royalties & money

Fee to cover spec work that was commissioned but not used

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What is "Work on Spec?" custom music pitching & licensing songwriting & producing

If you’re writing “work on spec” you’re composing a piece of music without a
guarantee that it will be used. If the person who commissions the music likes what
you’ve written then you get paid, if not then you don’t.

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What is "Work for Hire?" pitching & licensing royalties & money songwriting & producing

“Work for hire” is when a composer is paid an up-front fee for writing music and in
return, the composition(s) becomes the property of the employer.

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What is a "Territory?" agreements & contracts pitching & licensing

The Territory is a term used in contracts to describe the “where” of a license – i.e.
where the license is applicable and which laws the negotiated contract is subject to.

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What is a "Sync License?" pitching & licensing

A sync license is required when someone wants to synchronize a piece of music to
a specific media output. Whoever owns or represents the publishing rights to a piece
of music is responsible for issuing the sync license.

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What are "Samples?" pitching & licensing songwriting & producing

 If you take a section of someone else’s song and use it in your own track then you
are “sampling” their music and need a license to do so. Before submitting your
tracks to anyone you should ensure that samples are cleared.

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What is "Pre-Cleared Music?" agreements & contracts pitching & licensing

If music is pre-cleared then all the rights to the track are cleared in advance. This
means that when someone purchases a license they automatically have permission
to use the track.

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