Tunesat

[ComposerLDG]

I've heard it talked about in the forums, and I'm guessing it's a good thing to have an account with? Song use detection, is that it? Sounds like something I should do.

[guscave]

I got the free trial a couple of years back just to see how it worked and I did find a song I have on American Pickers was missing a few detection on my BMI statement. I contacted BMI and they discovered it was actually a clerical error in the way the detections showed up on my statement, but the calculated money I was paid was correct.

For some folks Tunesat is worth the membership, but for me it was more of an ego booster.

[TerrellBurt]

Tunesat let me know about my first TV placement a day before my publisher did so I think it wouldn't hurt to make an account and upload the songs you have signed to libraries. After I use up my 50 songs for the free trial I don't believe I will upgrade. I heard the monthly fee is horribly expensive.

[DesireInspires]

I think it is a good service, but more suited for publishers with larger catalogs of music who want to better track placements.

[Casey H]

I have the free 50 track account and basically for **ME**, it's just a fun toy. You really need to be earning some very serious PRO money per year to make the paid account worthwhile.

It's nice to sometimes learn of a placement long before I see the cue sheet filed on ASCAP.

As Gus said, for many of us it's for fun and ego.

Casey

[daveydad]

It's been fun to see where placements are, but I've found it's not always 100% accurate. I've had cues used the past 6 months on AHC's Gunslingers show and now Tunesat is showing them being used on a couple of their WWII shows! And their fees for more than 50 tracks is outrageous!

[andygabrys]

.... And their fees for more than 50 tracks is outrageous!

If all it was was just signing up and paying for Tunesat - and Tunesat would pay you the extra royalties - fine.

But then you have to hassle the people at your PRO to pay you the difference. Which as Gus pointed out, sometimes doesn't work either.

[Casey H]

I've read that ASCAP will not accept Tunesat detection as proof of a cue being played.

The impression I get is Tunesat is only worth the money (for a composer) if you have a VERY large TV music income (probably well over $100K) and can handle the admin overhead of seeking out additional evidence of broadcast and dealing with the PRO.

Disclaimer: Not an expert, just what I've been hearing.

Casey

[guscave]

BMI doesn't "officially" accept it either but they will work with the information you give them. In my case the data was useful for BMI to find that the number of plays for a particular song did not match my statement, but the total amount paid out to me was correct. So the data from Tunesat was actually more beneficial to BMI than to me.

I should point out that a rep from a very successful library that placed my song was discussing the issue one on one with BMI. I don't know if I would've gotten the same quick results as he did.

I also agree. Unless you have well over 1000 tracks and you're dealing directly with the production company or supervisors, it may not be worth the monthly fee.

[mojobone]

I believe a paid account is worthwhile if you're in the five or six figure club. By my best guess, that's between 15 and 25 members at the moment, but I don't necessarily know them all and surely there will be more.