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Hey everyone, heres my story.After getting contacted by a music library for a song submitted through taxi, I ended up signing 4 songs. Just after I sent an email telling the company I was sending the signed contract to them, another music library sent me an email saying they wanted to sign up a song I sent directly to them!!....... problem is, the song in question just got signed with the original music company exclusively. The new company offers a non exclusive deal. I was wondering, before I contact the second publisher & tell them the song is already signed, should I make an alternate version of the song? How different does it have to be to be deemed a different song but still sound like the original? I also have another song in the same genre (but doesnt sound exactly like the first song) that I can send them...Any advice, help GREATLY appreiciated. Thanks, Sam.

Quote:After getting contacted by a music library for a song submitted through taxi, I ended up signing 4 songs. Just after I sent an email telling the company I was sending the signed contract to them, another music library sent me an email saying they wanted to sign up a song I sent directly to them!!....... problem is, the song in question just got signed with the original music company exclusively. The new company offers a non exclusive deal. I was wondering, before I contact the second publisher & tell them the song is already signed, should I make an alternate version of the song? How different does it have to be to be deemed a different song but still sound like the original? I also have another song in the same genre (but doesnt sound exactly like the first song) that I can send them...You definitely can't just make an alternate version of the song and pass it off as a new song. When a company signs a song exclusively they typically acquire copyright ownership over the composition, not just whatever version of the composition you might have sent them...so you'd be getting yourself into major legal trouble by doing what you're considering.Simply tell the new library that the song in question has "unfortunately" ( ) just been signed exclusively by a different company, but that you would be happy to write them a similar song from scratch, and that you also have a song in the same genre available if they'd like to hear it.matto

Quote:Hey everyone, heres my story.After getting contacted by a music library for a song submitted through taxi, I ended up signing 4 songs. Just after I sent an email telling the company I was sending the signed contract to them, another music library sent me an email saying they wanted to sign up a song I sent directly to them!!....... problem is, the song in question just got signed with the original music company exclusively. The new company offers a non exclusive deal. I was wondering, before I contact the second publisher & tell them the song is already signed, should I make an alternate version of the song? How different does it have to be to be deemed a different song but still sound like the original? I also have another song in the same genre (but doesnt sound exactly like the first song) that I can send them...Any advice, help GREATLY appreiciated. Thanks, Sam.Hey, congrats Sam!! The double whammy. I guess that means it's a good song! Follow Matt's advice and write another (or a dozen! ) for them.cb

@samon: I had the same situation a couple of weeks ago. I did what matto described - I've written a new track in the same style/vein, let the "second" library know that the original song already has been signed - and the library was happy to sign the new track (plus 2 other tracks).best of luck & congrats on your deals,martin

Hi Sam,Your predicament is actually a great situation. As Matt says, now you can send them a similar song and they can see that you have more where the original came from.You also have the added advantage of letting them know you can attract other publishers as well.Congratulations!!Cisco

Thanks guys for your advice & support, am about to write the new track, let you know how it all goes....Sam.