How long do you wait after a Forward to be contacted?

[shellsings]

Just taking a poll on how long you might wait to hear from a listing party after a forward, especially if you know you have another opportunity for the song.

Speak away...

[kclements]

Hi.

I usually wait three weeks or so, if I have someone else that could use the track. While I'm waiting, I will often work on another track in the same vein to have ready in case I get contacted and they want more. If I don't get contacted, then I submit the track to an existing relationship along with the one I wrote while waiting.

If I don't have a good use for the track, I will let it sit a bit longer while I look for a place to put it. I know others say put it where you can as soon as you can, and I mostly agree. But I will give it a bit of time to make it through the system. If also depends on how quickly you can write another one just like it.

I did have a track get signed after a forward and the next week I was contacted about the forward. The library was a little peeved that they couldn't sign the track, but I said I could get them another one in that vein in a couple days. They agreed and I signed 12 tracks with them.

Cheers
kc

[guitargurumike]

Great question Michelle!
For better or worse, I don't wait for a contact after a forward before submitting an unsigned song for another listing. It's first come first serve in my world, and I've missed opportunities from waiting too long before, so I don't.
I've had to let down a couple of library owners for the track they wanted, BUT I always have similar tracks on hand (or I can make some really quick), so I offer those up and they usually take them. That's a win/win in my book. That said, instrumentals are easily replaced, it may be different with lyric songs.
I've had libraries contact me the day the listing ended, and some were 6-9 months later. I figure if they really really need it, they will get with me asap, otherwise they can have something else from my catalogue. I've never lost a deal or alienated a library owner yet, so…
Love your music BTW,
Michael

[VanderBoegh]

My longest wait so far has been 6 months until I got contacted about some forwards. After about 3 months, I thought about submitting those tracks to other publishers I was already working with, but didn't only because I forgot... Lucky for me, my forgetfulness ended up working in my favor that time, as I was able to sign everything (and more) that Taxi had forwarded to them.

I'd say 3-8 weeks is probably a good amount of time, depending on your approach to the biz. Any longer than 2 months, and I can't imagine the company being upset if you'd found other homes for the tracks while waiting. These publishers know better than anybody that the waiting game doesn't pay a single dime.

~~Matt

[shellsings]

Hi.

I usually wait three weeks or so, if I have someone else that could use the track. While I'm waiting, I will often work on another track in the same vein to have ready in case I get contacted and they want more. If I don't get contacted, then I submit the track to an existing relationship along with the one I wrote while waiting.

If I don't have a good use for the track, I will let it sit a bit longer while I look for a place to put it. I know others say put it where you can as soon as you can, and I mostly agree. But I will give it a bit of time to make it through the system. If also depends on how quickly you can write another one just like it.

I did have a track get signed after a forward and the next week I was contacted about the forward. The library was a little peeved that they couldn't sign the track, but I said I could get them another one in that vein in a couple days. They agreed and I signed 12 tracks with them.

Cheers
kc

Thanks Kayle... yeah, having another tune in the wings is a good thing!

[shellsings]

Great question Michelle!
For better or worse, I don't wait for a contact after a forward before submitting an unsigned song for another listing. It's first come first serve in my world, and I've missed opportunities from waiting too long before, so I don't.
I've had to let down a couple of library owners for the track they wanted, BUT I always have similar tracks on hand (or I can make some really quick), so I offer those up and they usually take them. That's a win/win in my book. That said, instrumentals are easily replaced, it may be different with lyric songs.
I've had libraries contact me the day the listing ended, and some were 6-9 months later. I figure if they really really need it, they will get with me asap, otherwise they can have something else from my catalogue. I've never lost a deal or alienated a library owner yet, so…
Love your music BTW,
Michael

thanks Michael for that and liking my music!

[shellsings]

My longest wait so far has been 6 months until I got contacted about some forwards. After about 3 months, I thought about submitting those tracks to other publishers I was already working with, but didn't only because I forgot... Lucky for me, my forgetfulness ended up working in my favor that time, as I was able to sign everything (and more) that Taxi had forwarded to them.

I'd say 3-8 weeks is probably a good amount of time, depending on your approach to the biz. Any longer than 2 months, and I can't imagine the company being upset if you'd found other homes for the tracks while waiting. These publishers know better than anybody that the waiting game doesn't pay a single dime.

~~Matt

Thanks Matt!

[themichaelscott]

As far as submitting to Taxi listings, I wouldn't think twice about submitting one song to 5 different listings in the same day. I would probably wait about 3 months before sending that song to a current library contact if I think they will sign it. But then again, I'm just an instrumentalist so, like the others, I can create a similar song easily. Maybe it's just me, but I get joy in having to say, "sorry, that song has been signed exclusively, but I've got plenty more like it..."

In what experience I have so far, contacts and contracts seem to take more time than I would like so I try to be patient but you do have to draw the line somewhere. Also, I've somehow gotten to the point where I don't feel as attached to my songs anymore. It's like I'm a song surrogate, I'm creating it to get rid of it anyway.

Michael

[Casey H]

As far as submitting to Taxi listings, I wouldn't think twice about submitting one song to 5 different listings in the same day.

I agree with that. Reality is a lot of forwards will not result in contacts (not Taxi's fault, just the way our industry is) so I would go for the numbers as far as submissions. That is, assuming you feel the track(s) are reasonably on target, of course.

My take is usually go for the bird in hand. If you have a personal relationship with a good library (e.g. solid track record) who might want to sign the track, I wouldn't hesitate based on just a forward unless there were other factors such as exclusivity vs. non-exclusivity.

Casey

[mojobone]

I wouldn't wait at all. Write submit, forget, repeat. For a really significant adverti$ing opportunity, I might maybe wait no more than three weeks, only because in advertising, somebody really has to fall in love with your track, (and things tend to move pretty fast in advertising) whereas a library will often be happy to take a similar one. I think missing out on a track you've offered them tends to encourage them to move a little quicker next time, and being able to quickly whip up something similar makes you look professional, as well as busy.