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So as someone with an ear for pop music and hooks, but also someone who's not a top notch producer, I've recently found out that there ARE some top notch producers out there that I have access to.

Search youtube for "[popular artist] type beat" and you'll see quickly that there are people out there producing pop instrumentals that songwriters can easily topline over.

If you go to their websites, you'll see they sell non-exclusive rights (with rights to sell a set number of copies) for around $30 (the only catch being that they anyone else can still buy the same instrumental). I'm sure they sell quite a few licenses and make a lot of their money that way, BUT that said, if I release a song using someone else's instrumental (that I have rights to use), how does the producer profit from the song's success? In other words what's the typical producer cut and how is it decided?

Hi NaeDae,
from my limited experience, it will have to be negotiated. These things have to be in writing and AGREED on before you start the work. Then there's the copyright, especially if the the music is open-source, as it were. Who recorded first etc. But how could you get a song like that licensed? Especially if another artist in another country , for example, does the same... sooner or later (but may be never) there could be a law-suit.

As I said, in my limited experience.

Food for thought

Cheers

beat leases usually have a license attached explaining the specifics of how you can use them and how much they are owed for sales or publishing.

they're frequently royalty free which usually only means you dont have to pay them any cuts from sales but as far as publishing goes, thats an entirely different discussion.

so if its not clear in the license, best to ask what they expect in terms of publishing split. that is, of you plan on pitching for sync licenses. if not then you're likely within the license to sell as many copies/streams as the license allows.

hope that helps.