FAQ

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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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Agents are all about finding gigs for bands, but they can also help set up sponsorship opportunities for tours and help with logistics. They also do a great deal of hand-holding and babysitting on tours.

UPC codes are used to track inventory as well as to track distribution and retail sales; SoundScan is unable to track your sales without a UPC Code. You can get a UPC Code from several sources:

1) You can register directly with the Uniform Code Council. To find out more
about UCC membership, visit their website at http://www.uc-council.org

2) Ask your record label or CD manufacturer

3) Companies like CD Baby offer UPC barcodes for a lower fee. To find out more
about this service, visit their website at http://www.cdbaby.net

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