FAQ

As a songwriter, you inherently own the publishing rights to your music and you retain creative control.

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It varies depending on the co-writing situation. What is important is that all writers as a collective agree on the decision.

Keep in mind that although companies like Taxi do provide a legitimate service of shopping your music to industry executives, it will cost you. A few agencies will also include evaluations, live events, news pages and other bells and whistles but it’s best to consult with your manager or attorney to determine whether or not you should sign up for such a service.

You can advertise in any number of music trades like Billboard or contact organizations that deal with music industry employment (NARIP, for one) to find someone to handle your publishing catalog (if you’re willing to pay a salary). Publishing administrators wear many hats, from trying to place music to collecting money to making sure the paperwork is up to date. Administrators find money in anything that uses music-film, TV, advertising, web sites, ad infinitum.

Home recording is so inexpensive to do that it shouldn’t be an obstacle for anyone. A nice home studio can be set up for under $500. Or you might be able to work something out with a local recording studio, which are hurting since the home recording revolution took hold.

Technically, your song is copyrighted as soon as you finish writing it but you should register it with the Copyright Office since it will provide you with protection against anyone who tries to use your song without your permission (see How Do I Copyright My Songs?). The cost to register a song (using form PA) is only $30 and is a good investment. Although attorneys don’t usually recommend it, you can also do the “poor man’s copyright,” which entails putting written songs in a sealed envelope and mailing them back to yourself from your local post office.

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You should sign with a manager when the opportunities a manager can create are better than the ones you can create yourself. Or if you are spending more time deal making than writing songs, you should get a manager. A good manager drums up new business, coordinates your existing business activities, and generally advises you and propels your career forward. Managers get a percentage of your earnings, so your ideal candidate (a) believes in your career and its possibilities, (b) is aggressive in seeking out new revenue streams, and (c) is looking out for your long-term best interests in any deals that are made.

The sleeve should be the place that anyone who digs your music can find out information about how to contact people vital to your career. Include the name, phone number and e-mail addresses for your publishing company, record label, manager or attorney. You should always include your band’s web site and email addresses with an easy link for signing up for your mailing list. Don’t clutter the sleeve up with inside jokes and special thanks to all of your friends - busy professionals like music supervisors and festival bookers want easily accessible contact information.