FAQ

You should register your songs as soon as you have officially registered as a songwriter. Again, most offer online works registration or you can call your local office for the paperwork.

A synchronization license for the use of a song as an accompaniment to a film or television show. The rate is usually negotiated by a music publisher.

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 can drum up new business, coordinate your existing business activities, and generally advise you and propel 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, (c) is looking out for your long-term best interests in any deals that are made and (d) is trustworthy.

You don’t need to have a publishing company to register a song with a performing rights organization.

It is usually the job of a publisher to pair your songs up with artists. This is one of the creative functions a publisher provides.

Each performing rights organization has its own fees for setting up a publishing company and many impose an annual charge or collect annual dues. BMI, for example, charges a one-time fee of $150 for individually owned publishing companies and $250 for partnerships, corporations (including sole stockholder corporations) and limited liability companies.

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.

First and foremost you should consult an entertainment attorney with knowledge of contract law before signing any contract, as there is no such thing as an “industry standard” contract.

Be smart, do your homework! Take advantage of the resources that are available to you, such as organizations like TAXI or Circle of Songs. There are great classes and seminars offered by organizations like BMI that can further help you develop your songwriting skills. In addition there are several trade magazines, such as Performing Songwriter, that offer valuable information for the beginning songwriter.

Technically, your song is copyrighted as soon as you finish writing it. However, you’re going to want to register that copyright to protect yourself in case someone tries to use your song without your permission. You can download copyright registration forms from the Copyright Office at http://www.copyright.gov/forms, or you can call the Forms Hotline at 202-707-9100, or write to the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC 20559-6000. The cost to file Form PA is $30.