What do you say when....

[Guitarhacker23]

So, What do you say when ....?

You've signed a deal on a song with a good publisher and you're in a songwriters group or two and in the course of discussion about songs and such, you mention that you have signed with a publisher/sync library and someone then asks you for the name of that company.

I'm hesitant to give out the publisher name since I worked hard to get that contact. My path isn't your path. I don't want that person contacting that company saying "I got your name from so-and-so and they told me to contact you because I'm a songwriter too, thinking that's going to help them get in the same door when all it really does is cast a shadow on me with that publisher.

What is your typical response and why? How do you tactfully tell them it's none of their damn business? I could be just that direct but that is akin to burning bridges that I might want to cross with a co-write in the future.

thanks.

[cosmicdolphin]

What is your typical response and why? How do you tactfully tell them it's none of their damn business? I could be just that direct but that is akin to burning bridges that I might want to cross with a co-write in the future.

Tell them it's under NDA and you can't say

[VanderBoegh]

Just because you give another composer / songwriter the name of a company or person, doesn't mean that it's going to be easy for them to run out and make contact. Many times, publisher websites (especially the big ones) don't even have contact information listed because they don't want to be bombarded with unsolicited emails. And a google search of someone's name might not turn up any contact information either.

I do understand not necessarily wanting to divulge your information for fear of having your own reputation tarnished, but chances are high that even if you give someone else those names, they won't be able to do anything with the info anyway.

~~Matt

[Casey H]

Just because you give another composer / songwriter the name of a company or person, doesn't mean that it's going to be easy for them to run out and make contact. Many times, publisher websites (especially the big ones) don't even have contact information listed because they don't want to be bombarded with unsolicited emails. And a google search of someone's name might not turn up any contact information either.

I do understand not necessarily wanting to divulge your information for fear of having your own reputation tarnished, but chances are high that even if you give someone else those names, they won't be able to do anything with the info anyway.

~~Matt

True, but if you are dealing with a stranger, you need to be careful that they don't mention your name when they contact. You don't want them to email the company and say, "I got your name from Matt Vander B..."

I generally don't share library names unless I'm co-writing and getting to know the person well. The exception might be a library that "everyone" knows like the "critical" library. (I'm sure NO ONE knows who I'm referring to there! )

Casey