Exclusive vs. Non-Exclusive

[mazz]

Kel,

IMO non exclusive deals are fine if the composer is treating it as you are and/or is doing as Michael mentioned and selling the tracks on their own via iTunes or whatever venue directly to their fans, which isn't competing with the library.

I'd leave them there and treat it like an exclusive deal and just write a bunch more stuff. Nova problem for you!! EDIT: (wrote this early in the morning on my iphone, I meant to say "not a problem for you". )

[matto]

I agree with mazz, leave them there but don't give them to anybody else. And if that non-exclusive library makes you money, feed them more tracks following the same principle.

Should the market force the library to change their business and go exclusive in the future, there won't be any problem with your songs since noone else has them.

Also there is nothing wrong with also selling those songs directly to the general public via i-Tunes, CDs or whatever.

There's nothing wrong with the principle of the writer retaining his/her copyrights while putting a library in charge of exploiting that music in the film/tv/advertising etc market.

Nor are exclusive libraries automatically better...sure they avoid certain pitfalls and possible future legal issues, but as I always say the most writer friendly library is the one that makes the writer the most money...

[k o star]

Kel,

IMO non exclusive deals are fine if the composer is treating it as you are and/or is doing as Michael mentioned and selling the tracks on their own via iTunes or whatever venue directly to their fans, which isn't competing with the library.

I'd leave them there and treat it like an exclusive deal and just write a bunch more stuff. Nova problem for you!! EDIT: (wrote this early in the morning on my iphone, I meant to say "not a problem for you". )

Thank U Mazz..
Hahaha!! & I thought nova problem sounded like a really cool new slang for no problemo =)
Gr8 to know I'm still riding on the right track with this..

K

[k o star]

I always say the most writer friendly library is the one that makes the writer the most money...

& I totally agree with U 110% especially the line above here =)
Thanks for the elaboration Matto.. I've also been wondering at the back of my mind whether exclusive deals immediately mean it's better.. I've been questioning that subconsciously.. U read my mind again LOL!

K

[tinozigzag]

I absolutely agree with most of you, that if one treats the non exclusive deals as exclusive, is the way to go!
This is the way I also work. It is for sure, more professional and keeps you clear of any possible future troubles.

[ckbarlow]

Gang, including Michael - I was just today offered to sign tracks with a non-exclusive library, and it's a business I've been forwarded to by TAXI.

So Michael, if this is a library I was forwarded to in just the last couple of weeks, BUT they do the red-flag things you mentioned that have caused you to sever relationships -- non-exclusive, AND they also take submissions via their Web site -- should I run the other direction? Or does this mean that they are the "gold-plated one" that you mentioned, that TAXI is still doing business with? Bryan F., it's the same one that just signed your 14 tracks.

I'm really not sure what to do.

thanks,
CK

[mazz]

I guess maybe you need to see what type of non-exclusivity it is. Some libraries are non-exclusive as long as you're not competing in their same area of business. In other words, you can market the pieces via iTunes, etc., to the general public at 99 cents a song, but you can't market it to other libraries or maybe even directly to music supervisors (read the fine print here). If this is the case, then I'd call it "semi exclusive" because it's exclusive to the production community, which is really what you want anyway, and you can exploit the music outside of the production marketplace all you want.

Also consider the track record of the library. Do they have a lot of good placements? If so, it might be worth it to sign anyway, because you're probably going to treat it as an exclusive deal from your side of the equation, anyway, right?

Also it's been discussed somewhere that even if a library has an open policy, a forward via TAXI just might be much more desirable to them because it's pre-screened. It kind of makes sense that a library would put up a submission portal just to keep trolling for good material, but it takes someone to plow through all of that stuff to find the diamonds in the rough. If they have a pressing need from a good client and they don't have exactly that in their catalog, why not go to TAXI and get top notch stuff without having to do the upfront screening? Makes sense to me.

There's a lot of variables to consider, I know. The good thing is, you're a prolific composer and this isn't going to be the last deal you will sign, so maybe you could test the waters with this library by maybe not signing a bunch of stuff off the bat. But you might have to give it a year or so to see any results, and by that time you've probably written 100 or so new pieces so does it make that much difference? (rhetorical question, really).

Congrats on the offer and I appreciate your caution. You can always ask questions of your contact at the library. I've found folks at libraries to be pretty open to answering questions once they offer you a contract. They probably expect a question or two anyway.

HTH,

Mazz

[ckbarlow]

Mazz, you aren't just another pretty Winston companion!

In all seriousness, and bearing in mind that many of TAXI's clients read these forums: I want very much to think the best of this company, and I want a positive, lasting, mutually beneficial relationship.

I guess maybe you need to see what type of non-exclusivity it is.

Read literally and compared to other deals I have, it actually would allow placements in other libraries. But I wouldn't do that.

Also consider the track record of the library. Do they have a lot of good placements?

According to the listing text and their Web site, yes indeed.

If so, it might be worth it to sign anyway, because you're probably going to treat it as an exclusive deal from your side of the equation, anyway, right?

Yep.

There's a lot of variables to consider, I know. The good thing is, you're a prolific composer and this isn't going to be the last deal you will sign, so maybe you could test the waters with this library by maybe not signing a bunch of stuff off the bat.

Good call.

But you might have to give it a year or so to see any results, and by that time you've probably written 100 or so new pieces so does it make that much difference? (rhetorical question, really).

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

I've found folks at libraries to be pretty open to answering questions once they offer you a contract. They probably expect a question or two anyway.

I thought that asking questions just makes them want to move on to the next person. But I will consider doing exactly that. Thanks much!

How do I love my Dots? Let me count the ways...

[ckbarlow]

Happy to say that I've found VERY favorable comments about this particular library on another site, including some by our own Vikki!

So, there you go -- I'm in. Thanks, everybody.

[Cruciform]

A question...

If one was trying to get music into an exclusive library, would you pitch it to one at a time and wait for a formal rejection or pitch it to multiple and first in gets it?

This whole thread has been an education for me as I hadn't even considered the downside of non-exclusive libraries and retitling but the arguments against it are quite persuasive.

Rob O.