Hi Jordy,

We'd like to chime in here...

Just opening a separate checking account for the heck of it probably won't yield anything. But if you set up a publishing company (that's what the "dba," or "doing business as" means) it can help you collect additional royalties when you start getting placements on your own.

We started our publishing company several years ago and just received a few hundred dollars extra on our BMI statement yesterday. So, it does pay off. Starting a publishing company is easy to do:

- Select a few names (in case some have been taken) like Jordy's Music or Jammin Jordy Publishing
- Go to the County Clerk's office and fill out some easy paperwork
- Pay the fee (around $35-50)
- Go to the newspaper and publish a "dba" (they'll help you with this)
- Wait until everything is approved
- Once it's all approved, go to the bank with all of the paperwork and open the checking account.

It's that easy!

Good luck,

~ Tracey & Vance Marino

A couple of fine points ... DBAs are "local jurisdiction" in nature, so they apply to your county or perhaps state, but they are NOT screened for duplicates. (However, corporation names are unique - but only within a State). So as T&V suggested, search the entire web to make sure your name is not in use anywhere. I'd also suggested you check your PRO to see if your proposed publishing company name is in use. I know BMI has a "search publisher" feature. Once you have a unique name, THEN do the local DBA.

PS. Also, sometimes the local paper will offer (for a fee) to take care of filing your dba with the county.

When I submitted to ASCAP for a publisher account, I had to submit my first choice of name along with 3 or 4 other choices in case my first choice was taken.

Yep, ASCAP also has a search service; it used to have an associated fee, but it's gone, since the web.

Hi all, thanks for chiming in! I appreciate the feedback...I'm still learning my way around the site so it took a couple days for me to find the thread.

Anyway, there's a couple angles to this. T & V, I took your tip and looked up names...I've been using 'AirBorn Music' as my overall entity - the 'parent' company you might say - and 'Celestial Songs' as the publishing arm of that company. It's all pretty modest but I have been able to hang on to the names for some years now. (BTW, it really DOES look pretty simple, the way you so kindly laid it out!)

No, I'm not the only 'AirBorn Music' out there, altho upon googling it I find I hold the top 2 places, plus I'm the only one who punctuates it like that, far as I can tell. (I just remembered tho; when I google something it doesn't necessarily render the same results as when someone else might - the system 'spins' results a bit but that's another can of worms).

Celestial IS my publishing entity, ASCAP-cleared. I used their search service some years ago (good thinking, mojo) and since AirBorn was taken or whatever, I went with Celestial.

The 'company' I would prefer to use as a dba is AirBorn Music, as monies from selling studio time (as AirBorn Recording) also can figure into my income stream, not to mention selling my services as producer/composer/arranger/session dude also under the 'AirBorn' moniker.

Maybe the ? to think about is what's the better name to register, the name of my 'publishing' company or my 'production' company, since they (unfortunately) can't be the same name. PLUS...some of my catalog - not all - has recently been signed over to another publisher who is in a better position to work the catalog.

Before this gets too convoluted, I'll let this go out as is, and solicit y'alls' thoughts so far. I'm due in the studio...time to get the 'real' work done!

best regards, Jordy

This is a state by state thing - not all states require you to publish a dba - and some do and require proof. And not all states make you wait for approval. It's worth the trip (virtual or physical) to your county clerk's office to get the details for your jurisdiction.