Learn to sell music (songs, beats, instrumentals) online: This is another source of income that you, as a musicians, can consider, provided you have already started learning the nuances of digital music production, using your computer. Learn about the advantages of going online and the infrastructure required to sell digital downloads of your music. Here are some great tips for selling beats online and make some decent money with your instrumentals.
Introduction
Social media marketing has given hope to many songwriters composers who can now take advantage of the medium to sell their music / songs online.
If you compare the situation to what it was several years back, you should consider yourself lucky. At least you can hope to have a decent fan-following with minimum investment and piggy-backing on the internet wave.
However, it is still not an easy task. Setting up a studio and then song writing / composing is easier. But to actually distribute the song on your own can be a challenge that requires a lot of hard work and dedication.
You Can Make Good Money
Before we get into the main points you must understand that selling music/beats online is a serious business. It’s not for making a few dollars and then walking away. If you want to sell beats and make lots of money from it, you must take this serious.
- Selling beats online is only one avenue for you a producer. Beats are also needed for TV shows, movie backgrounds, video games, YouTube videos and more. When there’s demand for music, a producer has the opportunity to make beats.
- Your beats need to sound professional, which means there’s a learning curve involved, so start studying the works of the best best online producers, try to mimic what they are creating. It’s also a great way to train your ears. Over time, you should be able to create better beats and also create your own sound.
- To get started, you may not have to invest a lot of money to begin online beat selling. That’s because you may already have equipment such as computer. Besides, there are third party websites that allow you to access their beat making software. They will take a small commission every time you sell a beat, which is not bad if your just starting out, considering the fact that they bring in all the traffic and make the sales for you.
- You also need to sell your beats at the right price, if you wish to make a lot of sales. Once again, take a look at the top online producers and see how they price their beats for sale. If you’re just starting out, offer a huge discount and price around 50 percent of what the top producers are charging. Selling beats for $10 is another pricing option you may consider as a beginner. Overtime as you sell more, you can start raising your prices up.
Music Publishing: Beginner’s Guide
Here’s an overview of the Music Publishing Business, important to know if you intend to release your own songs / compositions in the future.
Music Publishing Overview
What is a Music Publisher?
Before the invention of the phonograph, songwriters earned income by relying on music publishers to sell sheet music of their songs.
Even as radio and television replaced the piano in the parlor, music publishers continued to play an important role as popular singers continued to rely upon established songwriters to provide their material.
However, with the advent of rock and roll (and especially the Beatles) popular recording artists began to write more of their own songs.
Since that time, the music publishing industry has taken on a less important role.
Nevertheless, music publishers continue to perform several important functions that you should be aware of, especially if you’re a serious musician.
What Does a Music Publisher Do?
Today, music publishers are concerned with administering copyrights, licensing songs to record companies and others, and collecting royalties on behalf of the songwriter.
Some of the more important music publishing activities are listed below:
- Mechanical Royalties
The term “mechanical royalties” initially referred to royalties paid whenever a song was reproduced by a mechanical device (remember that one of a copyright owner’s exclusive rights is the right to authorize the reproduction of their work).The term “mechanical royalties” was applied to the reproduction of songs in music boxes, player pianos rolls, and later, phonograph records. This term is still used, and “mechanical royalties” now refers to royalties paid for the reproduction of songs on CD, DAT, audio-cassette, flexi-discs, musical greeting cards, and other devices sold on a “per unit” basis.
The amount of money a record company must pay for a mechanical license is generally set by the Copyright Royalty Tribunal. This rate is sometimes referred to as a “statutory” rate. The current statutory rate through December 31, 2007 is nine and one-tenth cent ($.091) per song. This means that a single song can generate up to $.91 cents for every 10 records sold.
Unfortunately, it is record industry custom to pay only 75% of the statutory rate to new or moderately successful songwriters. This means that a typical songwriter without enormous clout would generate a little more than 68 cents for every 10 records sold. After the publisher collects this money from the record company and takes its share of the income, a songwriter may receive as little as half of this amount.
- Foreign Monies
Foreign countries sometimes have different laws governing the collection and distribution of mechanical royalties. As a result, it is often necessary for publishers to enter into agreements with a foreign publisher (or “subpublishers”) to collect a songwriter’s mechanical royalties in that territory.After the sub-publisher takes a cut (anywhere from 15% to 25%) the rest of this foreign income is divided between the publisher and the songwriter according to their agreement.
- Synchronization Licenses
Whenever a song is used with a visual image, it is necessary to obtain a “synchronization” (or “synch”) license permitting the use of that song.Music publishers issue synch licenses to television advertisers, motion picture companies, video manufacturers and CD-Rom companies. A portion of this money (usually 1/2 the net proceeds) is paid to the songwriter.
- Transcription Licenses
Because radio is not a visual medium, the use of a song as part of a radio commercial requires a separate license, known as a “transcription license.”Sometimes songwriters are able to negotiate provisions in their publishing contract preventing their songs from use in certain contexts, such as ads for alcohol, tobacco, political campaigns or other uses the songwriter may find offensive.
- Print Licenses
Although sheet music sales have diminished over the years, many songs are still available in print form. These include books of songs by specific artists, instruction books or compilations of hits within a given genre (i.e., “100 Country Hits of All Time”).The music publisher issues print licenses and collects this income from the sheet music company, while the songwriter receives a small royalty derived from the sale of his or her song in print form.
- Administration and Registration of Copyrights
Because music publishers generate money by licensing copyrighted compositions, they must also perform various administrative tasks involving copyright transfers and the registration of musical copyrights with the U.S. Copyright Office.Registering your copyright with the US Copyright Office provides added protection to copyright holders, and can permit the copyright owner to recover statutory damages of up to $100,000 and attorneys fees if the copyright is subsequently infringed.
- Public Performance Royalties
A copyright owner also has the exclusive right to authorize the “public performance” of that work. This is why radio and television broadcasters must enter into licenses with performance rights organizations such as BMI, ASCAP and SESAC.These performance rights organizations collect income on behalf of songwriters and music publishers whenever a song is publicly broadcast. A future column of the Fine Print will discuss these performance rights organizations in more detail.
Even though music publishers do not collect this performance rights income, publishers remain entitled to 50% of the money received by BMI, ASCAP, SESAC and others. Publishers also register songs with these performance rights organizations.
- Other Activities
Publishers may also authorize translations in order to generate income from cover versions of a particular song in foreign countries.Note: Song Plugging refers to the activity of promoting the compositions of others. This may involve convincing popular artists to cover your song, or convincing Disney to use your latest tune in their next animated feature.
- Obtaining a Record Deal
Music publishers are usually generally most in signing established songwriters or recording artists who write their own material.However, some publishers may be willing to sign new songwriters or bands without a record deal.
If a publisher believes an undiscovered artist will one day sell lots of hit records, they may help the artist record demos and assist in trying to land a major record deal. If the artist gets signed, the music publisher will hope to see a reward for its investment in the form of mechanical royalties, public performance royalties and other derivative income.
A publisher may even be willing to contribute to tour support or provide extra promotions money in order to generate future publishing income from record sales and airplay.
How to Publish Your Own Music
So you’re a singer and can write pretty good songs, but you don’t live anywhere near a major music city like Nashville, New York or LA. You don’t even know a music publisher.
Are you doomed to obscurity in that case? Or is there any way you can actually “get somewhere” as a singer?
The answer largely depends on how much willing you are to stretch and to grow in this business of music. With hard work it is certainly possible to develop and to succeed, without the help of a music publisher.
In fact, you can become your own publisher.
Here are some useful tips & suggestions on How to Publish Your Music.
Role of Music Publisher
Remember, a music publisher brings two basic ingredients to the table which should aid the individual songwriter to further his/her career potential.
The first is that of song promoter. Since the publisher’s entire business is music, the publishing company will have a wealth of contacts and experience that should expand the possibilities for song through media such as print, recording, video, radio and television airplay and even foreign sub-publishing. A knowledgeable and energetic music publisher who “believes in a song” can be of invaluable help in getting it to the world.
The other “hat” the music publisher wears is that of coach and mentor. Songwriters who write exclusively for a certain music publishing company (staff songwriters) have a great advantage in that they have personal access to the expertise of the publisher for feedback on the songs they are creating. The publisher may also arrange for a writer to collaborate with other writers who are strong in certain aspects of the craft, thereby offering a “cross-training” advantage in the development of the writer’s talent. Good publishers, like good coaches, can extract the maximum & the best from those they mentor.
What Do You Do If You Don’t Have a Publisher?
Well, you have to wear both hats of the publisher yourself.
The aspect of promoting your material is a long and slow process that will require lots trial and error and learning from others.
The second hat, however is easier and can begin right away. You can actually become your own coach and learn how to pull out of yourself your maximum singing potential.
Here are some steps that you can implement right from today!
- Aim for Excellence
As mentioned above, publishers often set songwriters up to collaborate with other more experienced writers to help them learn and develop their gifts. You can do virtually the same thing for yourself — here’s how.Compile a list of 8-10 classic “hit songs” such as those written by Cole Porter, Rogers and Hammerstein, the Beatles etc. Then start “collaborating” with these great writers by using the following method.
First throw out the lyrics of one of these songs, and write your own to the existing great music. Then reverse the process — keep the lyrics and write your own music. Force yourself not to take any liberties with either the music or lyric counterpart, but rather adhere to the guidelines and techniques your “collaborator” used.
Of course, you are aware that you cannot legally replace either the words or music of any song that has been copyrighted. But once you have written a new set of words or music to the “template” that exists in the song, you may fill in the other part, and you will have your own complete new song. You will also have learned volumes.
- Learn to Listen to the Radio
Every singer has at his fingertips, a literal University of Songwriting, in the simple electronic device known as the radio. Its a fact, though not many realize it!Songs of every style float through the airways and are accessible to every singer who wants to learn — even to those on the backside of nowhere. Grammy Award winning songwriter, Diane Warren, says that her greatest teacher in the craft of singing was — and is — the radio.
But there is a catch!
You just can’t listen for sheer enjoyment. You need to train yourself to listen critically. As questions such as:
- What kind of song is this?
- Does it have a chorus?
- How do the music and lyric writers “set up” the chorus to make it pay off?
- What musical sequences, modulations and techniques are used?
After you have heard a hit on the radio, try picking it out on your instrument. Find the chords. Try writing a new melody to that song’s basic chord progression.
- You Need to Push Yourself
Don’t just listen to songs in genres you naturally enjoy. I recommend that every button on your car radio be set to a different style of music– Country, R&B, Pop, Alternative, Rock, Jazz, Classical, Christian Contemporary etc.
As you “station surf” in your car, listen and learn from the greats in every genre. Some songs will be in genres you don’t naturally care for, but if they have sold tens of thousands of copies, there is probably something you can learn from them!
At last! There is nothing quite like finally hearing with your ears what you have been hearing in your head as the singer of the song.
You want the whole world to hear it too.
Even with very limited funds, a clean and professional package is essential to winning a hearing for your song.
The first thing you should do is to design a letterhead for yourself.
If you intend to pursue singing beyond the personal hobby level, letterhead, business envelopes, shipping labels, cassette labels and business cards are a necessary investment
.
Having said that, this is not going to cost you a lot. Using a desktop publishing software, you or one of your friends may be able to help you design a clean and professional letterhead, at little to no cost for graphics. You’ll also need a quality printer, you may even be able to print small quantities at a time with your own computer printer. In general, choose classy stationery.
You may decide to name your singing enterprise — in which case you can use the Company name as the focus of your artwork. You may even choose to design a simple logo. Make sure that your letterhead clearly displays your name, address, phone number, email address and fax number.
For each song in your submission package, include a typed lyric sheet ON YOUR LETTERHEAD. That way your vital information will never become separated from your song lyrics. Choose a clear and legible font, rather than something that is very artistic but difficult to read for the publisher. Then lay out your lyric in a clear and professional manner.
You may use the following steps to further polish your lyrics:
1) Bold and center the title
2) Double or triple space — then type the first verse
3) Double space between the verses or the sections of the song
4) Label the Chorus When you reach the chorus, label it “CHORUS” and indent the chorus lyrics to set them apart.
5) Proceed to type the second verse Make the margins the same as the first verse. There is no need to re-write the chorus or to type “repeat chorus.” The music executive will know enough to go back to re-read the chorus when it is repeated.
6) Label the Bridge If the song has a bridge, label it “BRIDGE” and again indent the bridge lyrics as you did with the chorus.
7) Block out your lyrics as a poem Be sure to show off your rhyme patterns. Many songwriters write out their lyrics in “paragraph style” so it is not clear if there even is a rhyme scheme at all. As my husband says, “It’s a pretty poor dog that won’t wag his own tail!” You worked hard at those lyrics…show them off.
8) Properly display copyright and authorship information At the bottom of the page, type the name of the singer(s) of the song. Below the names type: Copyright /Your Name. If your computer allows you to make the copyright symbol — © — feel free to use it in place of the word “copyright.” This is all you will need for the time being.
Under the present copyright law, a work is automatically protected from its inception until it is published or recorded.
It is usually a good idea to limit the number of songs in any one submission packet to two or three. However, from time to time you may find it necessary to submit up to six at a time. If you have several lyric sheets to submit, you may want to consider placing them in a clear plastic report folder with a plastic slide spine that holds the folder together. This creates a neat and professional presentation which indicates that you take your craft seriously.
Be sure to purchase professional cassette labels. Many can now be printed on a computer printer so that your name, address and other personal information can be neatly included on the label along with the title(s) of the song(s). At the very least, type the titles on the cassette labels and have your name and phone number on them as well. Be sure that the labels are placed on the correct side of the tape and that the tape is cued up to start playing immediately.
A hint about cassette boxes — the hard plastic jewel box cases are more expensive to buy and considerably heavier to mail than the flexible poly boxes. If you plan to send out a number of packages, the poly cassette boxes can offer quite a substantial savings over a period of time. They also mail better because they do not crack like the jewel box cases do.
More Reasons to Venture on Your Own
Besides the obvious reasons like having more control, there’s also potential to make more money, which is attractive to anyone seeking a good business to start.
There are several other reasons why this can be a good thing:
How to Start On Your Own?
Here’s what you need to do to set-up your own publishing company:
1. You are required to have BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC process your application as a publisher if : (a) a record is being released containing a performance of the song; (b) a motion picture is being released that includes the song; (c) a television program will be or has been broadcast using the song; or (d) a radio program has been broadcast that played the song.
2. Come up with a name for your company (with three alternates) and clear the name with BMI, ASCAP or SESAC. You may use your own name but you should try to come up with something catchy that will make people want to open your envelopes with your demos inside. Unless you intend to publish the songs of other writers who may belong to other performing rights organizations, you need only set up a company with the one you’re affiliated with as a writer.
There is a $50 annual fee for being a publisher-member of ASCAP. There is a one-time $100 application fee to be a BMI publisher, and no annual fee. There is no fee for SESAC publishers.
3. Once the name(s) have been cleared, go to your local city or town hall and obtain the forms to register a ficticious name certificate, also known as a “d/b/a” (doing business as…). Then go to your bank and open an account under your new business name. If you have any questions about the required business forms call the Secretary of State’s office in your state.
4. Copyright all the songs you wish to have in your company on a PA form assigned to your company. If you have already obtained copyright registrations on your unpublished songs, you will now register them again as published works.
5. For songs being released on records, or for songs that will be or have been performed in a motion picture, television program or radio program (regardless of whether the song is included on any record), fill out both the writer’s and publisher’s clearance forms from the performing rights organization involved (BMI, ASCAP or SESAC).
These forms notify the organization that a specific song is being released on a specific album so that, when it’s performed on the radio, TV, or elsewhere, the organization will know who to pay, what percentage to pay the writer and the publisher, and where to send the checks.
Directions are included on the forms and in the publisher’s manuals provided by the organizations. Keep a copy of everything you send out for your files.
6. Organize yourself to be able to keep track of your “song shopping.”
Here’s a nice video that gives an overview of the Music Publishing Business:
So, there you are, you are now starting to “get somewhere” even if you don’t have a music publisher. Follow the above suggestions and you’ll improve as a songwriter, and also get your work known. And the more you improve, the more difficult it will be to “hide your light under a bushel.” Eventually, somehow, some way, excellence finds a way of rising to the surface. The ball is really in your court. It all depends on how hungry you are for success.
Advantages of Going Online?
You can sell your music through your own website, and not through a popular e-stores, provided you are able to get sufficient traffic to your website. You can also leverage other popular websites to sell your own music online.
Your main focus should be to provide digital downloads of your work, and take advantage of online marketing.
Why digital downloads? Because that’s how most of the music consumption is going to be in the future.
Producing CDs is expensive, you need to go and buy it or wait for the CDs to arrive, and they can malfunction. With digital downloads you just need a website where you can host your work.
You will need to upload your music either through a 3rd party e-store or through your own e-store, both of which are cheap, one-time cost affairs.
With physical sales, you have to keep scaling up your production and logistics to keep up with increasing demand. With a digital store, you pay the same amount, regardless of whether you sell one copy or a million copies of your songs.
Advantages of Going Online
Here are some advantages, besides the fact that its cost-effective.
The only disadvantage of going online is that there’s a risk that your music could get pirated, your music could be shared across networks.
You can incorporate additional checks such as encrypting or password protecting the music, but it could annoy your potential customers.
So as such, there’s not much you can do about it really.
Creating Your Own Website to Sell Your Music
There are some producers who also create their own website, and related infrastructure. Here’s how to do your own promotion and tell the world that you now sell beats online.
Creating the Infrastructure
Some of the services you will need to grow your beat selling business are very affordable. Here’s what you will need:
- You will need a flash store to host all of your beats and allow music artists to buy your beats instantly.
- You will need an auto-responder (that will send out a mail to the subscribers). Aweber is another great auto responder.
- If you use word-press to create your site then you can use the GWA plug-in.
- You will need a verified pay pal account to accept funds and transfer funds to your accounts.
You can even integrate a shopping cart on your website. If you are using WordPress, then there are several Plugins that will let you do that.
Here’s how your music will be made available to others:
What if you don’t want to use WordPress?
You can use other options for setting up the e-store on your site. E-Junkie is another popular option and the good thing is that it stores your music on their servers, which saves your server space.
You may choose any reputed e-store service as most of these anyways offer similar set of features and payment options.
Take Advantage of sites like iTunes
So what is iTunes?
It’s Apple’s e-store for music and registers the most number of sales of digital singles and albums.
Getting your songs on iTunes outs your music in front of a lot of music-loving people. So it’s the first thing you need to check out.
And how do you put your music on iTunes?
The easiest way is to sign up with a digital distributor such as Songcast (FREE to create an account).
The advantage of doing so is that your material is less likely to be rejected, and it will let you sell your music not just trough iTunes, but also through Amazon, Napster and other such big music stores.
Here’s a nice video that explains in detail How To Sell Your Music on iTunes:
Promotional / Marketing Methods to Sell Beats Online
Selling beats online is a great way to make money as a music producer. However, if you’re new to beat making, its going to be a challenge to promote your music to current and/or new customers initially.
Here are simple tips that will help you quickly increase sales from your beat selling website.
- Make Professional, Studio Quality Instrumentals
Making high quality beats should be your top priority. If you aren’t making hot beats that are up to industry standards, stop what you are doing. Rappers and singers who are looking for instrumentals to download expect high quality downloads. Music software programs and recording equipment are easily accessible by producers nowadays. If your music is not up to par yet, be sure to study music professionals such as Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Dr. Luke, and Timbaland. Learn how to mix your beats and/or pay someone to mix them for you. When you make your instrumentals available for download, you want to put your best foot forward. - Run Promotional Sales
Once you’ve started creating high quality beats, you’ll need to start promoting them. A great way to get rappers and singers to buy beats is to run a promotional sale.Buy one, get one free sales or offering a percentage off purchases are proven ways of increasing your sales opportunities. Special coupons or gift certificates also work well to increase your sales.
Leverage social media to your advantage. Trade Facebook likes and twitter followers for discounts on the services you offer. Many artists are looking to find cheap beats for sale, so discounted prices can play into your favor.
- Put A Time Limit On Your Sales
Setting a deadline for your sales promotions is an excellent way to quickly make money off your instrumentals. Putting a time limit on your sale creates a sense of urgency and encourages potential customers to act fast so they won’t miss out on your specials. This marketing strategy is often used by retailers during the holidays to increase traffic and sales. Implementing this strategy is a sure way to put money in your pocket from beat leases!Add More Value To Your Beats
With many producers leasing beats for $15 – $30 per track, you have a great opportunity to add more value to your customer’s purchase by selling beats in bulk.Example:
Instead of selling 1 instrumental for $15, sell 4 beats for $50. This may seem like you are cheating yourself out of money, but this type of selling strategy is a win-win situation for you and the customer. The customer gets more beats than they normally would at a discounted rate and you net $50 each time someone buys your beat bundle!Create An Alliance
Partnering up with similar, non competitive websites is a powerful way to boost your sales fast. They can provide valuable referrals to your beat selling website. Be sure to establish clear terms of your alliance first before participating in affiliate marketing.
Creating the Demo
Here are a few other things that you should consider doing:
- Make the Song Better
Don’t be in a hurry to distribute it! Make the title catchy as it can help to get your song noticed. Make sure what you have is the best, in terms of the lyrics, the recording, and the overall song. - Make the Demo Recording
Once you are happy with the songs, create a demonstration recording which can then be distributed to the various studios and agents so that your music can be heard. - Create a Copyright
You definitely don’t want anybody to plagiarize your music! So get your music registered with the local Copyright office. Even if you just fill the form and submit your music to them, you can start distributing your music.
Closing Thoughts
You can now make a living as a music producer by using the internet to reach the computers/devices of music fans all around the world and to sell your music/beats online.
However, creating music is only half the job done, you need to go out and distribute the song to various studios, publish it on sites such as YouTube, promote it on social sites, if you want the songs to get noticed. Don’t let the fear that you song could get stolen stop you from promoting your music.
It would be foolish not to take advantage of the online medium, considering its popularity, as it can help to get your music noticed in a short time. Selling digital downloads of your music is easy and the infrastructure to do that is available. Using social media marketing and online promotion, you can learn how to sell your music / songs online.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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