Registering Songs in PROs Before Signing Library Deals

[95051music]

Hey there!

After many years of being a Taxi member, I've finally gotten my first couple forwards!!

Assuming an exclusive library deal, should I go ahead and register these songs with my PRO (myself as the writer's half and my personal publishing company as the publishing half) knowing that there's a good chance I'd be handing 100% of the publishing side over to the library (and then getting 50% of the sync fees)? Or should I just register the writer's side for now?

This is all new territory for me! Thanks for the help!!

-Mike

[PeterD]

Good question.

I'm right there with ya. As far as Taxi goes, I'm under the impression they (the library) take care of all that once you sign the contract and give them your PRO info. Though I'm my own publisher, I usually just fill out the writer's side (if I'm solo, I put myself down for 50%).

If you already filled out both sides and submit to a library, I'm sure they know how to adjust it so they get their share.

Good luck,

[Russell Landwehr]

Your best bet is to let the Library register the songs. Changing a registration can be a hassle, and Libraries usually want to be the ones to do the PRO registration. There are a few Libraries that want you to register the work with your PRO, but they will let you know when they accept the music.

If you are signing music direct to supervisor where you will be getting the publisher's share of the royalties, then you would register the song with your PRO. However, even if you have a forward to a supervisor, it's not a good idea to register the song yourself since you may not hear from the supervisor, and somewhere down the line the song could be signed by a library instead.

Regards
Russell Landwehr

[95051music]

Great! Thanks so much for the help guys!

-Mike

[hummingbird]

I don't register any tracks with my PRO unless requested to do so by the end user. In 99% of cases, they've done the registration themselves.

[cassmcentee]

I just went through this with a "High End Library" with one of my solo tunes...
They wanted to see my song in the ASCAP "public search" showing my ownership/writing 50% and publishing(have my own)50% before they would send me a contract. Filled out the ASCAP form online, took a couple of days before it appeared publicly. Contacted the library once it was visible, contract signed! (Funny, can't remember if it's exclusive or not, have to check)

This is my first solo tune to be signed! Thanks to Dan Luedke giving me the tip on the listing and without Taxi, this would have never happened!!!

Cass

[andygabrys]

I just went through this with a "High End Library" with one of my solo tunes...
They wanted to see my song in the ASCAP "public search" showing my ownership/writing 50% and publishing(have my own)50% before they would send me a contract. Filled out the ASCAP form online, took a couple of days before it appeared publicly. Contacted the library once it was visible, contract signed! (Funny, can't remember if it's exclusive or not, have to check)

This is my first solo tune to be signed! Thanks to Dan Luedke giving me the tip on the listing and without Taxi, this would have never happened!!!

Cass

just to not muddy the waters here...

first off congrats Cass!!

Second - The library of which Cass speaks is a high end non-exclusive very TAXI friendly library that expressly wants their composers / artists to register their pieces in the PRO's - then after your registration has gone through, they then retitle the pieces when they register with the PRO's which is standard for a non-ex library (and often with exclusive libraries). This actually works fine because then your piece is registered with your PRO and you can pitch it directly to music supervisors and you are all set, and most importantly the name by which your piece goes in those situations will be different that the title the non-ex library has chosen - and everyone is happy because cue sheets can be filled out properly.

However - they are the ONLY library I have ever encountered who wants you to register your pieces with your PRO.

EVERY OTHER LIBRARY, non-exclusive or exclusive will handle the registrations themselves.

Why?

1) the library itself can't have two pieces with the same name - so although you might have chosen "building Indie rock" as your title because it was distinctive in your personal stash, the library might already have a piece called "building indie rock". So the library has to choose how to title your piece when they register it. Some libraries choose a different name altogether, some will add a suffix or a prefix or a number designation.

2) if you somehow messed up the name of their publishing company, they will have to correct the registration, or make a new one anyways.

A reason that you don't want to have millions of inactive registrations in your PRO by registering everything yourself?

1) its harder to keep track of your actual cue count (although software like Composer Catalog can definitely help there)
2) The library typically takes 50% of everything - so why not relax and let them do the work of registering? That is reasonable and normal in today's game.

[hummingbird]

Good post Andy +1

[cassmcentee]

EVERY OTHER LIBRARY, non-exclusive or exclusive will handle the registrations themselves.

As always, Andy, you are a wealth of information!!!
Thank You for your constant help!

So with the above reasoning...
I have a documentarian who is going to use a bunch of my solo tunes for his latest project.
My assumption, since I will be dealing with him directly, is that I will register each tune with ASCAP since I am in control.
Correct???

Here is what I can't remember at the moment, which organization do I upload the tunes to so that they get tracked?
TuneSAT?
SoundScan?

[Casey H]

What Andy said.


Casey