| Home recording and general music post from the archived Yabb Recording Website Message Board. Some of the info here may be outdated but many of the audio recording and home studio tips are still good. Note: The only tags I made and attempt to convert are italics, bold, center and underline. So if you see some gibberish surrounded by brackets, just ignore it.
Recording Website Archived Yabb board Post
Febuary 2001 Yabb Message Board Archive
Subject: Tips to bringing your song to market
by Tom Guertin | 06/01/01 at 23:44:00
Man, Dan, this is one helluva new site you have here. I haven't been much of a fan of the UBB format, mostly because many users tend to re-post just to get their song back up to the top. This one doesn't appear to do that, so I think this is great. I haven't been on the boards much for some time due to day job, consulting side business, and on/off-line song collaborations, but I thought I'd share some information I've been collecting.
I'm by no means an expert, but over time, I've been adding to the following steps which may be helpful toward bringing your 'baby' to market. Although such tips may exist in some book, this is my own compilation. If someone feels there is an error, or can add anything, please feel free. Hope it helps.
Tom
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1. Song is written and demo recording is arranged by writer(s). Be sure to get a proper 'work for hire' release agreement with the demo studio.
2. When demo is complete (or if one of the writers is a composer who produces a simple demo on their own), writer(s) prepare and submit U.S. Copyright Office 'Form SR' (with audio recording) and $30 U.S. fee to Library of Congress to legally protect the song. If multiple writers, only one has to sign the form on behalf of qall writers. http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/forms/
3. Writer(s) seek publisher. The annual 'Songwriter’s Market' is a very good source. Although many e-mail addresses are provided, I recommend not e-mailing mp3, RA files, or even links to song files, to publishers. I tried it, and although I did receive replies via e-mail to submit song(s), for some reason (maybe inundation) they want to put songwriters though the traditional (snail mail) process. So, follow their instructions.
If successful...
4. Publisher prepares contract for consideration of writer(s) (possible negotiation of terms depending on publisher past success and standing in the 'food chain'). If at all possible, have the publisher use the 'Popular Songwriters Contract' as provided free-of-charge by the Songwriters Guild of America http://www.songwriters.org/. This contract is seen to be a fair and balanced document that helps protect the writer. If forced to use a publisher's contract, reference the Guild's as a benchmark to compare. And you can always use the Guild's services to evaluate the contract you've been presented with.
5. Publisher Contract signed (includes signing-over 'registered' copyright to publisher for XX years, with reversion clause).
6. Publisher demos (or re-demos based on quality of initial recording).
7. Publisher registers copyright with Library of Congress under publisher name. Publisher submits the same U.S. Copyright Office 'Form SR' (with audio recording) and $30 U.S. fee to Library of Congress, but this time completes Section 4 which allows the publisher to reference an official, agreed-upon publisher contract, where writer(s) have assigned the copyright to the publisher.
8. Publisher prepares and submits Performing Rights Organization (e.g. BMI http://www.bmi.com/; ASCAP http://www.ascap.com/ace/ACE.html) song registration form. If previously unpublished, writer(s) should join same PRO as publisher. Most publishers are members of both, but must use separate companies to do so. Writer(s) can register the song as independent writer(s) (if PRO-affiliated) without a publisher -- but it is not recommended. In time, if desired, a writer can also achieve (self) publisher status.
9. Publisher (hopefully) actively promotes song to recording artists, recording labels, producers, etc. for period of time as stipulated in the contract.
If successful...
10. Deal is signed with artist/label, song is recorded, distributed, performed.
11. Royalties collected by PRO and distributed to publisher.
12. Publisher distributes writers share of royalties to writer(s).
If not successful, after copyright 'reversion clause' expires...
13. Copyright officially returns to the writer(s)
14. Writer(s) return to step 3, or put the song on-the-shelf.
Subject: Re: Tips to bringing your song to market
by old_dan | 06/03/01 at 18:35:42
Thanks, that's some good info. Now I just need to write something that will sell..... :)