Has a library ever NOT registered ur writing credits right?

[ChipD]

I am gathering that this is standard practice:

- Libraries register with BMI/ASCAP/Etc. the tracks that you sign with them

- They list you as the writer

- Because the track is already registered with your PRO, you don't need to register it yourself

- When the track is used and cue sheets filed, your PRO will pay you the royalties earned

- You are happy

So my questions are:

1. Is my understanding of this standard practice accurate?

2. Have you ever encountered any problem with not being paid due to a library error or omission in the registration process?

Having the library register your tracks rather than yourself seems to place your financial future in the hands of a library who you must put all your faith and trust in, which is scary. Yet, from what I've read on this forum, the overwhelming majority of (if not all) libraries that Taxi accepts listings from are perfectly reliable and everything works out in the end.

What are your experiences, both good and bad (if any)?

[guscave]

Hi,
I did have one library several years ago register a track incorrectly. Luckily the owner noticed the error when he received his BMI statement showing his company as both publisher and writer. He called me and we got the situation straighten out with BMI right away. He also sent me a check for my portion which was mistakenly paid to him.

Since then I always make sure that I register all my tracks with BMI. The libraries will then register the track with a re-titled name.

[ChipD]

Thanks for sharing your experience, guscave.

One question though: if a library retitles your song, a film or TV show uses that song, and files a cue sheet with the library's title, what is the purpose of having you registering that song under a different song title?

Theoretically, because the song has been renamed by a library, would a library-facilitated placement ever earn you royalties under YOUR title?

Sorry for my curiosity...I'm new to the library music world.

[guscave]

Hi,
I register my tracks because I also submit directly to music supervisors and producers. I don't always know when I finish a song who it's going to go to, so registering it once it's done gets that part out of the way.

The down side is that this can create multiple registration of the same song.

[matto]

Chip,

You can access your PRO catalog online, so you can check whether a song is registered or not. If a library fails to register a song of yours they sign, it's easy to send them an email.
I've had a few instances where songs were registered with the incorrect writers, but as long as you do your due diligence and check your writer catalog from time to time, you should be able to spot errors long before any royalties get misdirected...

m

[ChipD]

Thanks, guscave, that makes sense!

And thank you, matto, for those details. I've only recently signed to a library and only even more recently had my first track accepted by them, so my "Works Catalog" in BMI only shows stuff that I've registered. I suppose that as they register my compositions, they will appear in my Works Catalog. Thanks to you, I know to check this periodically. Sounds like a great process to put on every library composer's tickler list. Thanks for the advice!!!

[pboss]

I had six tracks signed almost a full year ago to one publisher. I have checked from time to time and hadn't seen the registrations yet. Finally I put a note out to the publisher and he got back to me right away describing that ASCAP has been a "nightmare for registering tracks", and how it had been a super long "testing phase" for submitting to ASCAP's "test system" for batch registrations. The publisher described how there has been a lot of back and forth with the PRO regarding this process of batch registrations, but that the system is finally accepting the files.

I don't personally know what's up, but maybe in the end if batch registration is a new thing, it could be good thing. I was wondering myself, what would happen if you signed tracks and they did not ever get registered. Maybe in the contract, there would be a clause saying you have to register them within six months or the contract is null or something. But I guess like Matt said, just staying on top of confirming your tracks are registered, and having some patience around it can help, as I'm sure the library owners are very busy and are processing data as fast as they can.