BMI or Ascap

Which is better to join?

[url=http://www.bmi.com]http://www.bmi.com[/url]

[url=http://www.ascap.com]http://www.ascap.com[/url]

Check out the sites and see what they’re about, if you haven’t already.

Someone somewhere said one paid better than the other. I forget which one it was. But since you can only get paid through one at a time there’s no way to know if a song might have earned better through the other one. I forget the details of how they decided one paid better.

Thank- you Gary. I appreciate the help.

Sesac

Very interesting discussion - now I try to join ASCAP,
but I’m foreigner it’s one hand and other hand is: I have co-authors
in US, when I asked ASCAP if I could join them, they answered: yes.
Next: somewhere in forums I read a post where one co-author was
BMI member and other from ASCAP, then they compared they
royalty cheques for the same songs - amounts were almost
equal. So, maybe it’s good thing to be in different pros with
your co-author.

Hi Aleksandr,

if your foreign and live in a foreign country then your local agency is supposed to handle the royalties. The German GEMA, for example, has agreements with all major American PRO’s. You just should keep track of your published songs in other countries, since they might overlook things.

Bernd

Micheal,

Sorry to just be coming to this.My name is Marc-Alan Barnette. Joining ASCAP or BMI is sometimes “cart before the horse” when it comes to the entire songwriting game.They both have various things they do. Besides tracking royalties for publishers and writers, they offer workshops, networking opportunities,and both feature great people. My suggestion is to make visits to each and take some time talking to other writers about their experiences. From my own, I often see it as people wanting to jump ship back and forth. I have been an ASCAP member for about 22 years and am satisfied with them. I do have great friends at BMI and SESAC.

BMI tends to be a little more formal and “business oriented’ around the office, while ASCAP is a bit more relaxed and “family cousin” around the office. SESAC is Nashville’s “masons”, (Big building,people go in there, we don’t know what they do. Just kidding!) You have to be invited to join SESAC.

What you are most likely to find are good places with good people. You have to decide which club is a better fit for you.

MAB

One Example:

The Beach Boys Members are all with BMI
Their own Publishing-Company is with ASAP :)

Most people involved in the industry have a publishing company that is BMI and one that is ASCAP. Much of it has to do with overseas royalties. Different companies for different countries. But you can only be one as a writer.

MAB

i have a question…do you have to be a published songwriter to join BMI? i went to the website and read something about that. i have a few songs, but haven’t got them professionally published as yet?

Cynthia,

  I am not really sure with BMI, I joined ASCAP 22 years ago and you didn’t at that time. rules have changed quite a bit and you would need to contact a rep. They might suggest that you form a publishing company, register it then self publish. I don’t like to give out information on things I don’t know about. I would contact one of the reps by phone and ask that of them.

MAB

thank you mab, will do…