Music Publishers

The role of a good music publisher can be equally important as your potential music manager. It is a firm belief of mine that if a publisher cannot understand or ‘get’ the music they will find it extremely difficult to sell it to a mass market. Obviously that is an extremely sweeping statement.

There are excellent music publishers who deal with ‘library’ or production albums who have a far broader knowledge and understanding of what types of music are required by television companies as well as film and radio. Indeed a composer can generate an excellent income from writing music for use in a television or film production. This market is called ‘synchronisation rights’, which in simple terms means to synchronise music to a picture or image. It’s what gives a certain scene its ‘Wow’ factor, Pushes the scene with dramatic effect.

A good production music publisher will have an extensive list of contacts throughout the film and television industry and will be constantly searching for new composers to work on productions in progress. As well as an ever evolving library of music for companies, editors, producers to review at any given stage of a show/films development.

Budding composers who are looking for a music publisher will hope to find a company that will assist and develop a young writer’s talent. Will be honest enough with the composer to tell them when a song isn’t quite hitting the mark? And will be there to encourage the writer to explore new techniques, new sounds and potentially introduce them to fellow songwriters with whom they could collaborate with on future songs/productions.

The other and frankly most important role of any potential music publisher is their knowledge of registering and monitoring any royalties that may be due to the composer. Which territories are you being broadcast in? Which stations are playing your songs?

And for all these services a composer will be offered a publishing contract which should outline plainly the terms and conditions the publisher is offering you

·         Royalty splits

·        Duration of copyright

·        Territories

·        Exploitation

These are just a few of the key elements that should be included in you draft agreement.