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Hi All, I'm curious when you typically register your tracks with ASCAP or BMI? I'm writing and submitting regularly, and have signed up for a BMI account. I'm not sure when to start registering tracks to the BMI website.

Is there a standard practice for this? Or, if not, what's your personal preference? Do you register when the track is finished, when you've received a forward, or after you've placed the track and worked out the % splits?

I want to make sure I'm at the right step of the process when I place my first track.
Thanks!
E

I think it would depend on the track and the potential uses for it. But as a rule I do not register my tracks with my PRO unless a library, publisher or producer tells me to do so. If they accept the track into their catalogue, they will typically register the track with the proper shares as per the agreement, or ask me to do so. Look at the terms of each agreement. If they are not taking publishing (as per some direct-to-supervisor), then you'd want to register it in order to get your royalties. By and large, though, leave it to the using party to do the registration so everyone gets paid properly.

JMHO, I am not a lawyer.

My answer is a 'Newbie' one - cause I asked that question when I was about to release my first CD a few months ago; and I was told to register it after it has been released;
which I was able to do on the BMI website.
Hope that helps; I'm sure there are other opinions and recommendations, and experience.
Your mileage may vary.
Cheers.

Peter has a point too, he was releasing a CD and then he would wish to register those songs with his PRO in case of radio play etc.

I was looking at it from the point of view of someone licencing music to film/tv

cheers
H

Thanks Vikki and Peter, that helps. I'm writing for film and TV. I wanted to make sure I'm not skipping a big step. So far, though, it sounds like I shouldn't worry about that until I start getting placements.

sperljam wrote:Thanks Vikki and Peter, that helps. I'm writing for film and TV. I wanted to make sure I'm not skipping a big step. So far, though, it sounds like I shouldn't worry about that until I start getting placements.

When you sign one or more tracks with a library or publisher they will ask you for your PRO information, it will go in either the contract or on the Schedule A. You may find they register your signed tracks within a few weeks, or they may wait and register them when they are placed.

How about songs that are being forwarded for pitches to big artists?

Should I register those?

Jan

janbaars wrote:How about songs that are being forwarded for pitches to big artists?

Should I register those?

Jan

The point of registering a song or track with a PRO is to collect performance royalties. A forward isn't a deal. Surely it's more sensible to wait for a contract to be offered before worrying about registering a song with a royalty collection agency. And, again, without a contract you don't know who might be taking a share of publishing. JMHO.

I second all that hummingbird and Peter have mentioned thus far. I had this same question as a beginner, but after getting into my first library it all became clear. For the libraries I'm working with it is straight-forward. When they accept a track they send me a contract which asks for my PRO information and then I send them the files and they do the rest.

This is a publishing sort of task if you think in terms of separating out the "writer" and "publisher" duties which is just something I've observed. If you register the track with your PRO you may be making the process unnecessarily complicated for when you sign over the publishing to a library.

This is just my experience as of now. I am not a lawyer and still have plenty to experience and learn.

Hey Erik, the quick & easy answer is "don't do a damn thing". Seriously. When a library signs a song, they'll register it for you. That's part of their job.

Now, if you're pitching to artists, then the answer could be different... My answer is only geared toward TV library deals.

~~Matt