FAQ

There is no set formula. It is up to you and your publisher to negotiate the terms of a publishing deal.

You must contact the song’s publisher or publishers to get permission to sample a song. Publisher information can usually be found in the Performing Rights Organization websites.  You’ll likely have to search within the PRO with which the song is registered.

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There is no one simple answer to this question. It’s a competitive market so you need to do your homework and develop a solid fan base. Start by building your e-mail list. The people who sign up are your best customers for your music and merchandise. Let people know when you’re performing next in your e-mail correspondence to draw them in for your next gig. When you’ve built up a local following, you should expand to a few new towns. Check out sites like MySpace.com, Friendster.com and other networking sites. Create a great web site and stay in touch with your audience. You might want to hire a publicist and gradually expand your touring area, in turn building your e-mail base. And make sure your CD sales are being tracked so you can build a story around that. You can also network at key industry events around the country like SXSW, CMJ or the DIY Convention. Build your e-mail list; build your network of people who support you; and you will evolve from there.

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Again, your song is copyrighted as soon as you finish writing it but it’s a good idea to register that copyright with the government (see “How do I copyright my songs?). Registering a song with a PRO will allow you to receive performance royalties if that song gets radio play; it does not give you protection under copyright law.

Copyright is an exclusive right granted by law that allows you to control the use of your creative works. The current copyright term is life plus 70 years after the death of the surviving writer or author of the work.

Most offer online registration. For example, you can affiliate with BMI by logging on at http://bmi.com/join You can call your local office to get the paperwork by mail, if you prefer.

Hopefully you are signed up with a performing rights organization like BMI (see Is a Performing Rights Organization the Same Thing as a Publisher?. PROs collect money from radio stations (and other businesses that use music) and distribute them as royalties to songwriters. You can only get paid from radio play if you are affiliated with a PRO.

The Musician’s Atlas and the Music Registry are just two examples, but there are lots of directories on the market. Google can help you find them and most are available via Amazon.com or directly from the publishers.