Multiple writers

[Sonora]

I would like to have a few insights on how is the process of writing music with another composer.

The question I have are both general (pros and cons? how do you deal with collaboration?) and specific/practical:
-how do I register a track with more than writer? Or better, should each writer register the track with his/her PRO listing the other writer as well (according to a pre-determined percentage that is chosen together)?
-how does the splitting works? In other words, I can imagine that the PROs will pay the writer share according to the percentage but how would it work with the licensing fees coming from the library? Would typically only one writer keep relationships (and thus get paid) with the library and then split the fee with the other writer?

Any info is appreciated as I would love to get into some collaboration.

I searched from other threads on the topic here on the forum but couldn't exactly find what I was looking for.

Thanks!

[Sonora]

I'm reposting this on the collaboration corner to see if it grabs more attention, hope it's ok!

[VanderBoegh]

Hey man, I can offer a little insight to your questions:

-how do I register a track with more than writer? Or better, should each writer register the track with his/her PRO listing the other writer as well (according to a pre-determined percentage that is chosen together)?

Depends on the type of music you're making. Personally, as I mostly do instrumental cues for TV, I never register anything. I let the publisher / library handle the entire registration process. If there's a co-writer, I simply tell the library about it - giving them the co-writer's PRO info and specifying the percentages - and let them handle it. Unless you're writing songs for artist pitches, or are releasing music on your own, this is what I'd recommend you do as well.

-how does the splitting works? In other words, I can imagine that the PROs will pay the writer share according to the percentage but how would it work with the licensing fees coming from the library? Would typically only one writer keep relationships (and thus get paid) with the library and then split the fee with the other writer?

Yeah, PRO's will pay whatever percentage has been assigned to each writer. No worries there. Things get a little squirrelly when dealing with money that comes directly from the library... sometimes they'll write checks to all co-writers, and sometimes they'll only write one check to their main point-of-contact, and then it's that person's responsibility to deliver their co-writers money from that single lump sum. There are a handful of libraries that operate this way. In fact, I just signed a deal with a new one that operates in this fashion earlier this week. It's not the way I'd prefer to do business, but I sure as hell won't turn it down!

Hope that helps!

~~Matt

[Sonora]

Thanks Matt, very helpful.
I am a bit confused though as I asked a question about registering songs ending up in libraries with your PRO very recently on the forum and I was said that it is something to always do in oreder to allow for the collection of the writer's share.

[VanderBoegh]

Hmmmm could you post a link to that discussion thread?

~~Matt

[Sonora]

Hmmmm could you post a link to that discussion thread?

~~Matt

http://forums.taxi.com/registering-excl ... 37970.html

[VanderBoegh]

Odd, I'll have to argue with Kolstad on this one, but keep in mind he lives in Denmark so things may be different there. And I see you live in Italy, so things may be even more different there too... But here in America where I live, there's really no need at all to have multiple versions of an exclusively-signed track registered with your PRO. In fact, that would just lead to chaos and confusion as to which is the "real" version of the song. Here, we just let the library / publisher handle all aspects of the registration. One registration is all you want. That single registration will cover both the writer's side AND the publisher's side. It's all-inclusive. And if the song has been signed somewhere, then you shouldn't be the one to do this.

Case in point - and I know others can back me up with similar testimonials - I have nearly 2,000 tracks registered in my ASCAP account. Know how many of those I personally registered myself? About 5.... Yep, that's it. About five. And that's just at the request of a non-exclusive library that wants to see them registered in your account for some reason that I still don't truly understand.

~~Matt

[Sonora]

Well thanks a lot Matt, this is highly appreciated. I'll need to investigate further into this. My PRO is UK PRS and when I register my track with them there is even a "library track" option which I never exactly know how to fill..