Passed a milestone in my BMI catalog

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shanegrla
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Passed a milestone in my BMI catalog

Post by shanegrla » Sun Feb 11, 2018 9:32 am

Hi everyone,
I guess this falls into the category of success story, that’s why I’m posting in this section and not elsewhere.

So I recently surpassed a milestone with BMI. I logged in today and noticed that I had over 1,000 titles in my works catalog! And I know I should feel really proud about that. And I sorta do. . . somewhat.

But I also have some slightly mixed feelings about it as well. While I like the idea of having a big, round number like that to throw around, I also know that that number is highly misleading. I most certainly have NOT composed and recorded over 1,000 individual compositions that are registered with my PRO. The true number is probably much closer to maybe 150 or so.

If you count all the alt mixes I’ve done - at least five or six per cue (and yes, I know they technically are separate registrations, but let’s be honest, they are not really separate, new compositions), and a couple of my libraries listing my entire catalog with them two or three times over again (with new titles, codes, or extensions) as separate agreements they have with different production companies – one of my libraries has all my cues listed in WAV versions and then again as AIFF versions, for example – and that’s not counting all my songs that aren’t even cues, they’re just personal songs registered for my own vanity CD projects. I feel the over 1,000 figure is a bit of a cheated number. It’s nice and all (I’ll take it, I definitely did a lot of work to get there!) but it just feels slightly like winning a game because the other team forfeited, not because you crushed them in head-to-head pitched battle. Or maybe winning an election that nobody else was running for? Or not really catching the fish but having it jump into your net?

Anybody else have a similar situation?
iMac 21.5" (2017) Intel Core i7 3.6GHz, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM
PreSonus Quantum 2 interface
Mac OSX 10.15.6
1 G-Drive Pro 4 TB
2 G-Drive 4 TB
ProTools 2019.9.1
Melodyne 4
Soundtoys Bundle 5
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Massey L2007
Superior Drummer 2
Komplete 11U

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andygabrys
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Re: Passed a milestone in my BMI catalog

Post by andygabrys » Sun Feb 11, 2018 2:37 pm

Hi Shane,

Although I have a similar story - and I am sure everyone does, I would still say "Congrats" on the success.

No matter what the cue count is in your PRO account - its important to just be moving forward. You know what level of monetary success that brings you based on your statements and that is either acceptable or a taste which will spur you forward and keep on going.

If somebody said "well, a thousand cues = $XX,XXX" then maybe you would be more particular. But every situation is totally different.

How cues are registered, and how they are retitled is up to the publishers. Some register a cue with all alts and cut downs as one "Work" number. Others make one registration for each version. Some publishers do have multiple titles for the same cue. What can you do about that? Not much, but at some level, each title is another possible licensing angle and increases the likelihood of your pieces being used.

So right on! and Write ON!

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shanegrla
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Re: Passed a milestone in my BMI catalog

Post by shanegrla » Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:14 pm

Thanks, Andy. That's a good way to look at things!
iMac 21.5" (2017) Intel Core i7 3.6GHz, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM
PreSonus Quantum 2 interface
Mac OSX 10.15.6
1 G-Drive Pro 4 TB
2 G-Drive 4 TB
ProTools 2019.9.1
Melodyne 4
Soundtoys Bundle 5
Omnisphere 2
Massey L2007
Superior Drummer 2
Komplete 11U

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