Why a Music Library Might REGRET They Signed You

[hummingbird]

If I get an offer from a Music Library I consider it my job to reply to them within 24 hours. If I receive a contract I consider it my job to complete the contract and return it to them within 24 hours.

If I've signed an agreement with a Music Library, I consider it my job to read their submission / upload instructions and follow them to the letter for those initially accepted tracks.

Once I am signed to a library, I consider it my job to ensure that I follow their submission / upload instructions for any additional tracks I sign.

When I am composing, when I complete a track, I make sure to render the master track and any alt mixes as aiff, wav and/or mp3 according to the technical requirements of the destination library, or in the formats most often requested if not bespoke.

I also consider it my job to note the BPM, key, instrumentation, genre, sub-genre, emotion & mood for each composition.

If I am not willing to do the above, I should not expect to be considered a professional composer.

[Casey H]

If I get an offer from a Music Library I consider it my job to reply to them within 24 hours. If I receive a contract I consider it my job to complete the contract and return it to them within 24 hours.

If I've signed an agreement with a Music Library, I consider it my job to read their submission / upload instructions and follow them to the letter for those initially accepted tracks.

Once I am signed to a library, I consider it my job to ensure that I follow their submission / upload instructions for any additional tracks I sign.

When I am composing, when I complete a track, I make sure to render the master track and any alt mixes as aiff, wav and/or mp3 according to the technical requirements of the destination library, or in the formats most often requested if not bespoke.

I also consider it my job to note the BPM, instrumentation, genre, sub-genre, emotion & mood for each composition.

If I am not willing to do the above, I should not expect to be considered a professional composer.

We're all preaching to the choir. But it's still good for everyone to read how important following specs and being a professional is. I write software for a living. when I deliver code, I make sure there are good comments in the source and there is a comment block that lists version numbers and what was changed in that version. This helps me, the client if they get the source, and future programmers who may have to maintain it. Hmmmm.... It never occurs to me to deliver source code without good comments and think, "The client should have systems in place to understand the code with out my explaining it!".

[PaulyB]

....These are literally tasks that PUBLISHERS are supposed to be tasked with (not the composer).....

I understand where you're coming from superblonde. And maybe Libraries should take more of this on. And the "pile-on" of more tasks for composers can feel exhausting. But that's the reality....for right now.

I'm new to Taxi but have been doing Music for Sync for some time now. The ebb-and-flow of what is required to successfully do Music for Sync (and also gigging) is really interesting and is a gift. Because it keeps us on our toes and prevents us from getting complacent. And if you've been at this awhile, no doubt you've experienced this as well. And then you adapted.

Of course, the decisions individual composers make (giving up half of writer's share, doing buy-outs for a couple of hundred dollars per cue, or turning down cheap buy-outs, etc.) and the demands of the marketplace will continue to influence this profession we have chosen.

We can expect things will change. They're changing now.

Best - Paul

[Casey H]

I understand where you're coming from superblonde. And maybe Libraries should take more of this on.

Disagree. And how would they take on the problem of composers not following directions? They can't fix lazy, inconsiderate, etc. This whole idea of pinning any of this on the libraries is beyond ridiculous. Would you hire a carpenter who didn't know a nail from a screw? Well, I wouldn't hire a composer who didn't know 44.1K from 48K, wav from mp3. etc. To be clear, there is no shame in not knowing something, only in not asking- just not asking the library... Ask on the forum(s), ask other composers, read books, watch videos, Google, etc.

Also, there is a tendency here to trivialize how much work and expense a library takes on. It is an incredibly time consuming and expensive endeavor. How do you think they place your songs? By laying on the couch eating bon bons all day? It's hours and hours of catalog administration, building relationships, curating, pitching, reviewing submissions, and much more. Trust me, it's worth that 50% to let them deal with all that and concentrate on your music. Quite a few former Taxi members now have successful libraries and see it from the other side. Ask any of them.

Casey

[PaulyB]

Disagree. And how would they take on the problem of composers not following directions?

I didn't convey things as clearly as I could have. I'm confident it's why I write instrumental music and not lyrics.

The libraries have a huge task and deserve 50%. And it's the composer's responsibility to fulfill what is required. And what is required is going to change and to participate we have to keep adapting.

My experience was when I started, the composer delivered the cues and the alt mixes and the libraries did the cut-downs and didn't ask for stems. Of course we (I did, and you and others did) delivered those cues meeting the specs required. Hey, library A wants the main cue and the alt mixes 48/24 AIFF. And Library B wants 48/16 WAV. No Problem. Then some time passes and some libraries began asking for cut-downs. Again, no problem. You learn how to do those. No heroics here - it's what is required.

Looking to possibly help superblonde move on (by addressing it's going to change again anyway) was the intent of my post.

[Casey H]

I didn't convey things as clearly as I could have. But that's why I write instrumental music and not lyrics

The libraries have a huge task and deserve 50%. And it's the composer's responsibility to fulfill what is required. And what is required is always changing and to participate we have to keep adapting.

My experience was when I started, the composer delivered the cues and the alt mixes and the libraries did the cut-downs and didn't ask for stems. Of course we (I did, and you and others did) delivered those cues meeting the specs required. Hey, library A wants the main cue and the alt mixes 48/24 AIFF. And Library B wants 48/16 WAV. No Problem. Then some time passes and some libraries began asking for cut-downs. Again, no problem. You learn how to do those. No heroics here - it's what is required.

Looking to possibly help superblonde move on (by addressing it's going to change again anyway) was the intent of my post.

No worries. I totally get it. But of course you can only help someone who is willing to accept help and not fight it.

[Casey H]

Everyone's workflow is different but my personal preference is to do conversions outside of DAW with a program like Switch (one of many such programs). To that regard, I like to start with the highest resolution any library asks for, 48K 24 bit. (Can be wav or aif). Once I have that, I create a 44.1K 24 bit, 48K 16 bit, and 44.1K 16 bit. Then I make mp3s from one of the 44.1K versions (occasionally systems have problems with 48K mp3s). I make 320K, 192K, and sometimes 128K mp3s. The 128K is for one particular library that still uses that for screening.

So what I'm suggesting is export 48K 24 bit, and take it from there. Your workflow and mileage may vary. Converting between wav and aif if needed is easy with a conversion program. The 2 formats are identical, fidelity-wise.

Personally I love "Switch" from NCH Audio. Fast and efficient. There is a free version but the paid version ($29.99/year) also supports adding tags. (Only do this with aif and mp3 as wav won't hold the tags for others).
https://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html

Casey

[PaulyB]

....my personal preference is to do conversions outside of DAW with a program like Switch.

Casey, quick question about your workflow. Is your first step bouncing all the stereo files (main, alt mixes, cut-downs and stems) then next converting them all?

[Casey H]

....my personal preference is to do conversions outside of DAW with a program like Switch.

Casey, quick question about your workflow. Is your first step bouncing all the stereo files (main, alt mixes, cut-downs and stems) then next converting them all?

Well, I don't have a process like that because I'm a non-producer. But I get my finals files from the producer and, if possible, I get 48K/24 so I can make anything from that. As far as cutdowns, if I have the stems, I still don't do anything until I know what the library wants. Then I see what I can do. Making cutdowns/alts before you have requirements (which vary from library to library) may not be the way to go. We've seen so many differences as far as how libraries spec them. You'd think a no drums mix would be a no brainer. But if the drums don't come in until 31 seconds, do they want the blank space in there so the track will line up with the full mix, or do they want that chopped off to create a standalone alt? For a 30 second cutdown, for example, we've seen slight differences as to the exact length they want (29.5s or 30s?), how the ring out should be, etc.

With vocal songs and the libraries I work with, cut downs are not asked for often. The main files I get from my producer are full, instrumental, and vocal-only. The last one is something I've been finding libraries asking for more lately. It makes sense. The music editor can take the instrumental and vocal-only and mix/vary those relative levels as needed.

Best
Casey

[PaulyB]

... if possible, I get 48K/24 so I can make anything from that....

if I have the stems, I still don't do anything until I know what the library wants.

Makes sense; thanks for sharing. Isn't it interesting all the different ways to approach this? In Logic Pro there are the "Project Versions" options. You create and name alternatives all within one Logic Pro session. Then open any of the alternatives (Main, alt mixes, stems, etc.) and bounce them out in the format of your choosing.

Cheers!
Paul