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08/09/2022

The income derived from a composition can be substantial, so it's important to understand how these splits work in practice.

There’s an art to timing the discussion of splits. Too early, and you risk ruining the relationship. Too late, and you risk not getting the share you feel you deserve.

There are different ways to approach how the splits are decided - swipe through for a basic run down.

How do you approach your songwriting splits?

06/09/2022

If you’re young or just starting out, the deals that come your way at first will often be long on your commitment, but short on the other party’s obligations to you. Beware though, they will come wrapped in an attractive sales pitch.

Getting independent advice on what exactly is being presented to you is so crucial. If you’re going to sign, at least go into it with your eyes open. There is a big difference between a 'bad' deal, and a horrific one.

What do you think makes a deal 'bad'?

31/08/2022

Producers have a multitude of avenues available to them to generate income.

Here’s a reminder of some of the options you can explore if you're not active in these spaces already.

Each of these topics is deep enough to be explored in-depth on its own. All will require you to either assign, license, or exploit your rights in your music one way or another.

If you're a producer, how many of these are you active in right now?

29/08/2022

Behind every successful musician is the personal manager orchestrating the opportunities, the lawyer negotiating the best contracts, the business manager/accountant handling the finances, and the agents booking the shows.

Your potential is directly affected by the people you surround yourself with. Make sure to choose carefully.

What team member do you think you should choose first?

24/08/2022

Do you have all of the rights you need to release your song without any issues?

The last thing you want is for your song to unexpectedly be blocked from release, pulled down once out, or worse, have someone else collect your royalties because you didn't secure the proper rights.

Swipe through for some questions to ask yourself to help narrow down who has rights in your track, and what clearances you might need to go after.

Note: If you’re signed to a label or a publisher, they will usually have an exclusive interest in anything that you record or write while under contract with them.

Usual disclaimer: post is for education only. If you're after more specific advice get in touch via the link in bio.

23/08/2022

While it’d be nice to get paid up front every time, unfortunately it’s not uncommon for songs to release before agreements are finalised.

Artists and labels are under pressure to meet tight deadlines, and holding out for payment before sending stems might stifle opportunities for you down the line.

There is a big difference however between the paperwork still being in circulation when sending files, and not having your terms locked in at all. At the very least, you should have the key commercial terms locked in via email.

If you’re not sure what you should be asking for or how to go about it, make sure you get professional advice (link in bio).

law

17/08/2022

Here’s another breakdown of basic copyright knowledge that should be commonly understood, but often isn’t.

The rights in both the Master and the Composition can be dealt with independently of each other.

You can assign your master rights away while keeping your composition rights.

You can own 100% of your master, while sharing the composition with your co-writers.

Reminder: Producers who make the beats are composers too!

Education only. As always, if you're after professional advice get in touch via the link in bio.

law

15/08/2022

It's easy to forget that as an artist or a producer, you're essentially your own business. Your brand and your time are as valuable as your creative output. You have expenses, and your works generate income from multiple sources.

Do you have a business plan? A team? Advisors? A schedule? Insurance?

Have you set your business up for success?

10/08/2022

Music copyrights can get tricky, but if you’re active in the music industry in any capacity you should have a solid understanding of the basics.

Swipe through for a primer (or a reminder) on the what, when, how and why.

This will be the first of a new series of posts where I'll try to break down some music industry basics. Let me know in the comments if you found this helpful, and what you'd like to see broken down next!

Please note that all posts from this account are for education purposes only. If you have a specific situation or need professional advice, feel free to get in touch.
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