Sync music what does it mean

If through your research you found a perfect fit for your music with a sync rep and want to submit, it is imperative that your pitch is both organized and provides all the necessary information that reps want to see when scouting an artist.

Thankfully, our team at ReelCrafter has been working tirelessly to provide artists with a streamlined pitching platform that is both easy to use and provides all the necessities to land you that representation contract. Some essential ReelCrafter features that make pitching a breeze include:. Organization, preparation, and mindfulness of your correspondence with industry figures will give you an edge over other artists.

Any use of a musical composition paired with a visual piece of work is commonly referred to as a sync. If a visual work creator wants to secure your song for audiovisual synchronization, the creator must obtain two things from you and any other copyright holders associated with the composition and recording:.

Since sync fees and royalties are not set at a standard rate by the government like other royalties, different deals can cost significantly more or less than other deals:. Some common terminology for a sync deal can include provisions and terms such as:.

As an artist or composer, you may find yourself wondering how you fit into this vast landscape of musical licensing. Believe it or not, there is a general formula as to how a sync deal is struck up. The producers define a specific musical need for a commercial, film, or TV show.

Then they will contact a music supervisor to put together sync requests to send out to 3rd party representation companies, such as music publishers or sync representation companies, in order to locate a track that fits the idea of the producer.

After receiving the sync request, publishers or sync rep companies will create a music pitch catered to the needs of the music supervisor and producer.

Most publishers and sync reps pitch based on the nature of the program, not to a specific scene. It is important for the party making the pitch to research the music needs for the program and only send the supervisors songs that fit the production.

Example: no need to pitch country songs to Game Of Thrones. If the supervisor selects one of the pitched songs, they will send a quote request, which is then negotiated. Once a deal is struck and the use of the song is confirmed several songs may be cleared for the same scene, with only one being actually used , the sync licenses are signed and a cue sheet is sent to the PRO so that they can track the revenues associated with the license.

Without understanding the scope and spectrum of the complicated landscape of music licensing, it can be incredibly difficult to sign a responsible and fair deal. Once you understand all the players involved in licensing your music, you can successfully solicit your music to the appropriate channels in order to get one step closer to licensing your music.

Check out the rest of our music licensing series: Choosing the right vehicle for licensing your music 4 things composers can do to get paid what they're owed. We sat down with Trevor Morris to talk about the importance of demo reels for landing work as a professional composer and how he relies on ReelCrafter to showcase his music to potential clients.

DBA ReelCrafter. All rights reserved. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners and are for example purposes only. Use does not imply endorsement. Try the ReelCrafter Pro plan free for 21 days. Well, mayyyyyyybe. Capitalize on the brief attention and re-invest the money in your music if you can. Retitling is when the entity pitching your song registers your composition under a different name with a performing rights organization so they can collect performance royalties from TV plays in perpetuity.

We also employ a sonic analysis tool to generate additional metadata for each song in our catalog, including BMPs, key and mode, mood, and more. This kind of information helps us locate the right music for the right project — so take your time and be accurate.

Good engineering, good mixing, good performances. Oh, and good writing, of course! Granted, you can still get a lot of mileage out of a great song with a universal theme and lyrics that are both evocative and non-specific. Everyone can relate to heartbreak, winning, worry, and fun. But profanity IS a thing that will limit the range of possible placements. So if sync is on your mind, make sure the cusses are really serving a purpose. Your music might be otherwise perfect for a scene, but the lyrics conflict with the dialog or action.

The instrumental that is left still needs to offer dynamics and help move the scene or the commercial along. Mute the vocals, play the track, and watch a show or commercial in the background with the sound off.

Have these instrumentals ready in the case that we email you for them. In Advertising, for example, instrumentals are nearly always required. Submit all your songs for sync licensing. If you have success, it might even reinvigorate your back catalog in other ways. Since opting into sync licensing with CD Baby means the artist owns their copyright, music supervisors have learned that licensing through us is quick and easy because they can clear all the rights in one place. We have a version of most things people are looking for.

If you get a sync on your own, CD Baby takes nothing since we are your non-exclusive sync partner. Opt-In for Sync. I live in Maine and like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, a little too much. Skip to content. This is especially true of video game companies, as many employ their own sound designers or composers. It is crucial that only relevant and appropriate music is being pitched to supervisors, as it will give you a higher chance of success.

It also contributes towards a good working relationship with the music supervisor. One of the most important reasons why sync is crucial to a composer is income. The digital age has made it relatively difficult for musicians to generate revenue.

Remember when Taylor Swift pulled all her songs from Spotify? But realistically speaking her decision would ultimately help boost album sales. That being said, sync deals can often pay more than physical music sales, especially if the song is re-used on multiple platforms.

So, every time a song is reproduced in any visual media, the original owner of the music is paid a fee, known as a royalty.