Play to Style
If you’re writing contemporary rock, the song has to build. Typically, solo instruments start off the song and then it builds to a climactic finale. If you’re a jazz guy and want your music to be synced, it’s better to have it be a trio—piano, bass, drums. You might throw a sax or trumpet in, but don’t throw in flutes or weird instruments.
Be aware of what specific genres require. Pop bubblegum EDM production has to be hot. Have the right samples. Make sure it sounds full and vibrant, versus a jazz track, which could be recorded live.
Non-Exclusive Agreements
[Non-exclusive agreements] were a new concept. We decided to go that route, because I did not want a production library where we owned everything. If artists were bound to a contract, that wouldn’t be beneficial because then they depend on me for their sync licensing. We didn’t want that. We wanted to be artist-friendly—artists exploiting their music as much as possible.
Also, artists are less willing to hand over their best songs if they’re signed exclusively. Everybody’s holding out for a publishing deal. They want their songs with somebody who can do something. Why don’t we give you the opportunity to exploit your music the best you can?
Was that controversial? Yes, mainly because the production library market didn’t catch on quickly. They found themselves behind the trend and saw their market share eroded by real, independent artists. They were the biggest complainers and still complaining.
Crucial Custom
Sometimes, clients can’t find something. I’d been doing custom music, but it’s been inefficient. The client tells me what they want, I find one or two composers out of 3,000, contact them, send them the briefs, they interpret and create something, they send me an MP3, I send to the client, the client has changes and I send that back to them. It takes time and the odds are they’re probably asking other people for custom music, too.
I decided we could do this online. Tap into our database, make it efficient and give artists the opportunity to write on spec and to this custom world. Crucial Custom is a premium, budget-friendly, custom [service] for any type of production. Upload project details and video and we match you with songwriters in our opted-in database.
Right now, we have over 1,000 composers, but [a request] might only go to 10 people. We send the best demos to the client and the client can choose up to five tracks or reject everything. You can ask for one free round of revisions by directly commenting in our commenting tool.
More Opportunity But Lower Pay
There’s growth in sync licensing in terms of content. Amazon’s creating content, Netflix is creating content…a content explosion. That means there’s more music needed, but with lower budgets. Your average sync fee might be declining, but you’re increasing in revenue because there’s more volume being generated.
Ears and Eyes
I watch a lot of television. Definitely my clients’ shows; even if I don’t watch an entire series, I watch the pilot to get an idea of what they’re working on. When I hear a song that’s submitted for our catalog, I can tell within 30 seconds whether it’s going to be used or not. That’s from years of experience. Anybody could do it.
What makes a great sync licensor is the ability to say no, because the last thing a supervisor wants is something that doesn’t match what they’re pitching. With so many suppliers they’re looking for a reason not to use you. Sending stuff they can’t use is going to take you off their list. Finally, when a pitch comes in, don’t wait. The early bird gets the worm.
Don’t Get Stuck
Are you waiting for that big record deal? Or do you want to be a working musician? Consider that. We take tracks for three years, so don’t sign with us if you’re shopping for a label or publishing deal. It’s a lot of work for us to get your music in and to pitch it. If somebody wants to sign you, I’m not letting you out of your agreement. I warned you up front.
Choose Wisely
Be careful which companies you work with. Look at their pedigree, their clients, how well they’re doing, how transparent they are. If you go to a website and it’s a single page, that’s probably not the right company. Do your research and strategically pick the one you want. Don’t treat it like a dream. Treat it like a business.
Clients: Approx. 13,000 songs; FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, Warner Bros., Sony.
Years with Company: 10
Web: crucialmusic.com
Email: info@crucialmusic.com
