What is your strategy once you have a library deal?

[hubert]

Hi everyone,

I recently got my first library deal thanks to Taxi (hurray!). I got 3 tracks signed, and was told by that library I could submit tracks whenever I wanted.

For the sync veterans here, what was your strategy when getting started - would you submit a lot of (suitable) tracks to one library, or keep some tracks until you get other deals, in order to have lots of tracks in multiple libraries?

For example, I have about ten cues that I think would be suitable to submit to this library (including some Taxi forwards that I haven't heard back from yet). Is it a good idea to submit them all?

(Apologies if this is somewhat of a naive question, I'm all new to sync )

[cosmicdolphin]

I would ask them what they need first before sending anything.

[hubert]

Okay, that's what I was planning to do. Thanks for confirming it's the right approach.

And presuming they do need tracks in a particular genre, would you typically offer them all the relevant tracks you have?

[hubert]

Thanks, Graham, that's super useful and I really appreciate your time sharing this.

Seems like experience is key! Being new to sync I don't really even at that stage know what makes a "good library". I'm being educated by my experience on Taxi, really, for which I'm very grateful.

So I think my strategy for now will be like this: keep writting and submitting for listings, as whether they are forwarded or not it builds my track portfolio. I'll ask the one library I have a deal if they are interested with the various tracks I have and submit them. Then I'll just see how it goes and learn as I go.

I'll be at the upcoming road rally and so will probably learn a whole bunch there - I expect to make the most of it!

[boinkeee2000]

Hi Hubert, you're in what I call "in the fog" phase of your journey (not enough tracks or time alloted to make sound decisions)

ime 95% of your success in this biz is solely contingent on the library/publisher's ability to place your music. Which library will do that for you and how many tracks/how long it will take to see results or have enough analytic data is the conundrum everyone faces in their journey. No one really knows until "THEY KNOW" which library works for them and doesnt. And the frustration of seeing some of your tracks currently "gathering dust" is a harsh reality that is unfortunately unavoidable (until its eventually used or you die whichever comes first).

TBH I've never heard of a sound response from any author/publisher/social media guru regarding your concerns except "I dont know", cause with every library you encounter theres always someone whos had a good exp with them and another with a bad one

one thing i do know is that when you have hundreds/thousands of tracks in your catalog and years/decades of experience and successes, the outcome of those 10-13 tracks gathering dust will have a miniscule impact to your bottom line (hence keep writing, dont overthink, and keep moving forward and learn as you go as new paths will reveal itself)

[cosmicdolphin]

ime 95% of your success in this biz is solely contingent on the library/publisher's ability to place your music. Which library will do that for you and how many tracks/how long it will take to see results or have enough analytic data is the conundrum everyone faces in their journey. No one really knows until "THEY KNOW" which library works for them and doesnt.

This is something that rarely gets spoken about amongst the people that make a living from promoting sync, it can literally be the difference between success and failure and is somehwhat random.

Here is some of the data I've collected from my libraries over the past 9 years. Number of placements from the first 20 tracks signed ( all at least 3yrs+ in the catalogue )

Library A - 2 placements
Library B - Zero
Library C - 9 placements
Library D - 31 placements
LIbrary E - 9 placements
Library F - 228 placements
Library G - 17 placements
Library H - 1 placement
Library I - 10 placements
Library J - Zero
LIbrary K - 3 placements
Library L - 3 placements

As you can see they are not all created equal. Whilst I am not going to name any of them what I will say is the best performer is the biggest - Multiple offices in different countries around Europe, sub-pubished worldwide.

[hubert]

one thing i do know is that when you have hundreds/thousands of tracks in your catalog and years/decades of experience and successes, the outcome of those 10-13 tracks gathering dust will have a miniscule impact to your bottom line (hence keep writing, dont overthink, and keep moving forward and learn as you go as new paths will reveal itself)

This is fantastic advice, thank you!
Could apply to life itself in general too

[minoruchan]

In my case, the first library said that I could send songs whenever I wanted during the second deal, but at the time, I didn't send them after signing 11 songs because I thought I shouldn't put all my effort into just one library.

Since then, nothing happened, so I think my decision at that time was correct. At that time, a taxi friend of mine advised me to aim to sign 10 songs to each of 10 libraries at first, and in the process,
I would find a library that works well for me, so I did that. Placements started coming out little by little from the fifth library, and for some reason, suddenly exploded at the tenth library.
I also got a lot of placements from the eleventh library.
There is a lot to learn by interacting with various libraries, and I think a writer also needs luck to be successful.
The more try, the higher chances of getting lucky

I wish you good luck

Thanks

[hubert]

In my case, the first library said that I could send songs whenever I wanted during the second deal, but at the time, I didn't send them after signing 11 songs because I thought I shouldn't put all my effort into just one library.

Since then, nothing happened, so I think my decision at that time was correct. At that time, a taxi friend of mine advised me to aim to sign 10 songs to each of 10 libraries at first, and in the process,
I would find a library that works well for me, so I did that. Placements started coming out little by little from the fifth library, and for some reason, suddenly exploded at the tenth library.
I also got a lot of placements from the eleventh library.
There is a lot to learn by interacting with various libraries, and I think a writer also needs luck to be successful.
The more try, the higher chances of getting lucky

I wish you good luck

Thanks

Thanks for sharing, Minoru, that's mych appreciated.

The library I signed up with also told me I was "welcome to submit tracks any time" (I originally signed 3 tracks with them). I contacted them a few weeks ago, asking if they needed any of the other tracks I had available, and it's been crickets since then. Ah well, not to worry, that's a good incentive to expend to other libraries too.

[minoruchan]

Hi Hubert

Congratulations on your new deal.

If the library says you can send tracks anytime, then you should, if you're confident you can sign with another library soon, then it's ok not to. If it's a genre they want now, then send it. They will be aggressive in pitching it to their clients.

You'll see results in a few years. It could take years.

I think you just need to trust your instincts.

I wish you the best of luck.