Where to Begin on the Net

[jerryjennings]

Aside from forwards, and getting deals, which is always nice, I've been getting really excited about putting all of my unsigned stuff in easy places for people to hear it. And for me to profit. I purchased the Spotify Bible (discount was expired !@#$%^&). I've been reading but haven't taken the plunge into getting in touch with curators yet. Now I see there's a youtube bible too. I want to make sure I do stuff in the best possible order. It seems like I could put 100 hours into it and then realize I should have done something else first. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Also I'm hesitant to do PRO registration for a lot of stuff because I've dealt with some libraries that don't take anything already registered. That's just one example. I feel pretty certain if I just plunge in I will be leaving out something critical. I started throwing some stuff on youtube. Both cues and songs, and from there I was able to share them on FB, but I'm stepping back now to make sure I get it right. Thanks, J

[jaywilliams]

Aside from forwards, and getting deals, which is always nice, I've been getting really excited about putting all of my unsigned stuff in easy places for people to hear it. And for me to profit. I purchased the Spotify Bible (discount was expired !@#$%^&). I've been reading but haven't taken the plunge into getting in touch with curators yet. Now I see there's a youtube bible too. I want to make sure I do stuff in the best possible order. It seems like I could put 100 hours into it and then realize I should have done something else first. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Also I'm hesitant to do PRO registration for a lot of stuff because I've dealt with some libraries that don't take anything already registered. That's just one example. I feel pretty certain if I just plunge in I will be leaving out something critical. I started throwing some stuff on youtube. Both cues and songs, and from there I was able to share them on FB, but I'm stepping back now to make sure I get it right. Thanks, J

Hey Jerry congrats on your deals and forwards!

From what I have gathered, if you post tracks on SoundCloud (*without monetizing them!*) they will still be considered "unsigned" or "unreleased" or "unpublished" and therefore still available for Exclusive deals. The "without monetizing them" part is important, because if you choose to monetize on SoundCloud then you've effectively published any and all tracks that you share there. This is one reason why I don't have a "pro" account at SoundCloud.

I know some people never post their tracks on SoundCloud for whatever reason, mostly from fear of someone stealing the tracks, I think.

But, if you're looking for a spot to post your unsigned stuff for the general public to hear, that would be the spot - SoundCloud. I personally have had tracks signed straight off of SoundCloud (and fairly quickly after posting them), so there's definitely publisher-types who pay attention to that site.

Also, if you haven't yet, it makes sense to post on your own website as well.

If you're a little more security minded, or want to share more tracks than you can post on SoundCloud, you can check out disco.ac. They have a nice software-as-service that lets you create sharable playlists quickly and easily with a nice clean interface.

In regards to the PRO registration, I make sure to register anything that I've distributed to streaming (spotify etc), but otherwise I don't bother with it.

I'm probably missing several important points, but yep those thoughts are my own, since you asked for some.

Hope that helps!

Jay

[jerryjennings]

Thanks! Exactly the info I was hoping for. Now once this percolates a whie I will probably hit you with a couple of followup questions if that's ok.
J

[cosmicdolphin]

Aside from forwards, and getting deals, which is always nice

Congrats !

I've been getting really excited about putting all of my unsigned stuff in easy places for people to hear it. And for me to profit.

Well I wouldn't get too excited. If a platform allows just anyone to create an account and start uploading music with no quality control the chances are that's not where people who are willing to licence your tracks for real money are going to be shopping. You'd be as well to stick them in to some Royalty Free LIbraries and hope to get some sales that way., at least there is some form of curation and easy ways for people to search and licence them.

Remember that by uploading them to some of these places though you are automatically disqualifying that track from ever being signed exclusively by a decent library. That may not be an issue for you if you are happy to keep them for Non-Exclusive opportunities but it can still cause an issue for a Library if you have monetized your Youtube channel and then a Library licences the same cue to one of their clients also for Youtube. Suddenly the Library customer could get a Copyright or Content ID strike. Or you could get your own video taken down because the music was used in a TV episode and Youtube think you ripped it off.

A thousand eyeballs on your video or Spotify streams might pick up a few bucks..not really worth it IMHO - I would rather spend my time writing for LIbraries that are trying to get me placements. A million Spotify streams is about $6k to put it in perspective. For most of us it ends up being pennies. Also you need to be wary of what you sign up to , with a lot of these places they want you to assign them as the publisher and a lot of folks just blindly tick the box without realising.

Better to showcase your work on your own site and maybe use Soundcloud for sharing your placements or playlists for potential Library owners to listen to.

Also I'm hesitant to do PRO registration for a lot of stuff because I've dealt with some libraries that don't take anything already registered.

Don't do it yourself , the Library will do it unless they say otherwise.

[cosmicdolphin]

I'm probably missing several important points, but yep those thoughts are my own, since you asked for some.

Yes. How much did you say all these platforms had earned you in 2019 after you did your 100+ " mailbox money " tracks ? Wasn't it about $10 in streaming revenue ?

[jerryjennings]

Well I guess "excited" would be a little misleading if you didn't have my background. Writing for libraries that can place my stuff is something I already do, and don't have any intention of not doing it. But at the Rally, I bought a book called "So You Want to Become a Media Composer", which is just a collection of interviews by people who are doing pretty good in the industry. Scoring in particular, for most part, which has always excited me. And I was surprised to see that a few of them said they got their first contacts in the scoring industry by posting stuff on youtube. I thought wow, maybe I could focus on a little more of what I actually do. I really didn't get the impression that these people were talking about posting two minute cues, of dramedy, urban, americana... I think they were trying to attract attention to what they actually do. So I felt like I was overlooking a part of the business I should be focusing on, in addition to the business of cue writing.

Ok so in the past, when I completed a composition, I would spend a year recording and mixing it, and it would find its way onto an album that says "Jerry Jennings" on the front. And being in the jazz-rock fusion vein, it wasn't as wide an audience as, say, Justing Beiber. But for me, my life is invested in it. So I keep thinking there has to be a way to get both realities to collide into one. The library side, and my more creative side. And I'm kind of gettiing the idea that connecting with people more, through youtube and such, whether it's a cue, or a full composition, or even a song... is the way to create that explosion. That's why I bought that "Indie Spotify Bible". And now I think I'm going to get the youtube one. Ok thanks for listening, and if anyone else has been down this mental road I'd like to hear it.

[cosmicdolphin]

I bought a book called "So You Want to Become a Media Composer", which is just a collection of interviews by people who are doing pretty good in the industry.

Yeah I know the one, I'm in the authors Facebook Group that he runs. Some of them on there are scoring the Westworld scene for the competition that's running. Might make a good calling card ?

[jerryjennings]

Thanks, I'll have to look for that facebook group. I found his personal page a while back, but no group.

[cosmicdolphin]

Thanks, I'll have to look for that facebook group. I found his personal page a while back, but no group.

PERSPECTIVE: A FORUM FOR FILM, TV, AND MEDIA COMPOSERS

[jaywilliams]

I'm probably missing several important points, but yep those thoughts are my own, since you asked for some.

Yes. How much did you say all these platforms had earned you in 2019 after you did your 100+ " mailbox money " tracks ? Wasn't it about $10 in streaming revenue ?

Streaming revenue was not even $10 for 2019.

Total revenue was about $35.

Less expenses = not in profit (yet).

Not sure how that has any bearing on this thread, or why you're so focused on my activities and approach?

If there's some specific helpful advice that you have somehow held back until now, I'm happy to hear it.

Jay