COMPOSERs, PUBLISHERs and PROs, Oh my!

thanx dude :) i will search that passman book u mentioned

My Fellow Musicians,

This is SO important. If you didn't read what I had to say. Go back and read it. There is a bigger picture here. I love making music in my studio, just like you, and I love uploading my recently created music, to all those wonderful stock media marketplaces, just like pond5, just like you do. And I really don't like "LEGAL STATEMENTS", who does?

The fact is, pond5 is not ripping anyone off. We are paying pond5 to process the Royalty-Free license for our music, this is how pond5 makes money. We pay them 50% to get our music in producer's hands even if they are small time now. Fact is, George Lucas started somewhere.

So if anything, I would like to hear a whole lot more, "We love pond5!" around here.

If you do this right, you should be able to retire early and pay for your 10th generation great grand kids ENTIRE LIVES.

If you get this wrong, you are going to have a hard time buying a number 10 combo and supersizing it.

I hope everyone here, says to themselves, it's time I do this FOR REAL.

PRO doesn't not mean professional. Ok? It means Performing Rights Organization. If you go PRO, it doesn't mean you are now somehow more professional. It's simply means..

non-PRO: You failed, as your duty as a Musician, to register your work.

PRO: You have your music registered and will receive the correct royalties. (This surpasses your idea of "royalty-free", don't be fooled.)

LivingroomClassics,

I paid 30$ for my copy but I am sure you could find it at your, dare I say, "local" library. It's worth a read through, if not a lifelong study. And if any of you are having a hard time with this, get a lawyer (you'll soon realize, It's worth it), read, read, read, and listen, you will start to understand that there is a heavenly structure out there, just for us! Just for YOU! Just for ME! It really starts with the PROs.

There is so much more to being a music composer, try not to swindle yourself into thinking that you have to MAKE this money before you go and register, Some PROs are FREE. Listen. Read about it, Think about it, and then make an informed decision about your new "MUSIC BUSINESS".

It's not up to ANYONE but YOU!

No one is going to do this for you, so that means...You have to do it for yourself!

Take care everyone, I hope this post helps open your eyes to your greater potential.


Sincerely,




Nathan Luis Steinke
Owner/Composer/Publisher
www.liftedCREATION.com

P.s. If anyone reads this and KNOWS more, please, please, please point us all in the right direction.

Quick update: I am happy to announce I have been approved as a COMPOSER / PUBLISHER at the ASCAP. Took only 4 days. Cost 70$ for life. I wish you all the best. There is now a TON of work to redo and I will be registering each and every clip of music I made and every clip I make.

Think about your future. Aren't you tired of your spouse asking when the "music business" is going to kick in? Well. THIS IS IT!

This is how you START.

Good luck,



Nathan Luis Steinke
Owner/Composer/Publisher
www.liftedCREATION.com

i started reading more on those issues.
good thing u posted this thread.
personally i only had 3 clips uploaded, but removed them immediately after
realizing that not being copyrighted was harmful for me.
that was like 3 months ago i guess.
now i have more clips, but did nothing with them, as in i did not upload any of them anywhere.
i'll inform myself better and, if it turns out RF sites are ok, perhaps i'll
post them again.
however, i read on some forums that the best way is to contact music supervisors directly, and try to sell clips personally, cutting the middle man -RF sites in this case.
but i'll read more, thanx :)

Dear LivingroomClassics,

Try to keep your options open when you are building your business, there is money to be had all over the place. Most of us, at least me, enjoy the creative side of running a music business. Making the music. Try to allow time in your "BUSINESS DAY" for some quality "LEGAL WORK". Put down the guitar and get your hands off that piano and do a little research and start this process RIGHT. You'll thank yourself in the long run.

Think of this, you really don't have to sell anything, to anyone. If your name is on the CUE SHEET, and it's broadcasted, YOUR GOLDEN. (If you registered with a PRO.) Do you know what a CUE SHEET is? Research if not...

Really your asking them to pay you to "feed you and pay for some bills for your studio" while you make them an original cut. Which by the way, would be an exclusive deal and it is handled a bit differently than a "royalty-free" license.

If your going to contact an "executive producer", READ UP first. Know what you are talking about, don't take my word for it. I just want you to stop thinking pond5, is somehow, ripping you off. They are not. You are ripping yourself off if you do this wrong.

This IS your "music business", not pond5's. Pond5 is helping you sell license's that otherwise you would not. You can swing both ways here guys. No need to CUT anyone OUT.


Let us know if you find anything juicy,




Nathan Luis Steinke
Owner/Composer/Publisher
www.liftedCREATION.com

Some final thoughts,

First, when you make something, you own the copyrights. So as long as you have your MASTER copy of your tune somewhere (don't give it to anyone and make backups) you should be o.k. for a while, however it is a very good idea to get them registered at your national copyright office.

Secondly, PROs expect you to have already, "leased at least one track", so you NEED to have something up somewhere and have leased it or have leased it privately to a producer.

Thirdly, most libraries expect you to have at least, 50 production tracks, that's FIFTY tracks, to even consider being HEARD. So GET BUSY!

Lastly, if you are just reading this, go back to page 1, START there.

Thank you all for taking time to read this, I hope it has change your ideas about the music business, pond5 and your role as a composer. This is just the START of your new music business. Please read and help inform your fellow musicians. Feel free to contact me here at pond5 with any personal questions.


I sincerely wish you all the best of luck,




Nathan Luis Steinke
Owner/Composer/Publisher
www.liftedCREATION.com

exactly 50 is what i have :D

Dear LivingroomClassics,

Then it seems your well on your way to making it BIG. Good Luck.


Sincerely,




Nathan Luis Steinke
Owner/Composer/Publisher
www.liftedCREATION.com

thanx, good luck 2 u 2

Quick Update;

Submitted my first tune to the ASCAP as a COMPOSER and PUBLISHER. So far it was very straightforward, takes a couple days for the paperwork to clear. READ EVERYTHING. There's videos and FAQ's and tutorials, you can even "CALL" them on a dime.

THIS IS IT folks. Listen you don't have to register all your songs with a PRO. No one really cares. Why would "THEY"? But YOU should care. Take time to inform yourself. Registering my newest song was a SNAP. You don't even have to upload anything. There's no keywords to enter. No description. Just. Hi, I composed this, and published it, and want to register it like EVERY other musician that has gone before me.

Past the word along. Registering with a PRO is the first step. Don't make this mistake and listen, if you need, keep it non-PRO for now. Make those 50 tracks, cut them up. Make teasers, stings, 15, 30 and 60 second ads, looping cuts and intro/outros. Make MUSIC then, learn how to make it better, then REGISTER. GOT IT? Good.

Now go get'em!


Sincerely,




Nathan Luis Steinke
Owner/Composer/Publisher
http://www.liftedCREATION.com

P.S. If you have questions regarding becoming affiliated with a PRO, start on page one of this post. READ, then ask a bunch of questions. Everyone is here to HELP.