For musicians, songwriters, and producers, royalty rates are the name of the game. Having an idea for a song and wanting to be compensated for it can seem tricky. There are various ways in which you can approach this issue, and some methods may work better for you than others.
Royalty-Free
If you’re looking to record a demo or need some inspiration for a song, royalty-free websites like Soundbetter.com can be a godsend. A royalty-free website allows you to upload your own song and quickly hear how it measures up against other demos. There’s no need to worry about clearing rights or licensing any songs you might choose for your project. The only thing you need to do is sit back and enjoy the service.
One of the advantages of using a royalty-free website is that you’re not committed to using any songs from the website. You’re free to choose any song you want for your project, and should you wish to use a specific song in the future, you can do so with no worries. This kind of service allows you to go old school with your demos, using any guitar, bass, or drum recording you might have lying around the house.
The only drawback to this option is that you won’t be able to check out the latest songs from some of the biggest artists around. This is usually a minor issue, though, as you can always use a different website for that purpose.
Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing is when an artist or band submits their music to a major record label for the purpose of having their songs recorded and/or released commercially. Depending on the size of your band or project, the contract you enter into with a traditional publisher may vary, but typically, you’ll need to provide some sort of compensation upfront and royalties afterward.
The advantage of this route is that you’ll be able to find the songs of your dreams at well-known publishing companies. You don’t have to look through hundreds of demos to find a specific piece of music. The disadvantage is that you’re not entirely in control of how your songs are used. For example, do you really want a major record label deciding how your music is promoted? Or, for that matter, using your song in a movie they’re producing?
Self-Publishing
More and more musicians are choosing to go the route of self-publishing. This basically means that you, the artist, are taking on the role of a publisher and are working with a printer to have your music delivered physically to customers. Depending on the level of service you choose, self-publishing can be very cost-effective. You’ll need to handle all the manufacturing, marketing, and shipping yourself, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is that you get to keep all the profits. The disadvantage is that every aspect of your business, from creating to shipping, will be handled by you. So, if you don’t have the time or the expertise, you may have to consider hiring someone to help or taking a chance with an online company.
Record Your Own Demos
An alternative to the above is to simply record your own demos. You may not like all the songs that you hear on the radio, but the fact is that there are many talented musicians who never had a proper recording studio. If you’ve got a few friends that you think could be talented at recording, you could hire them to come up with demos of your songs. Then, you can go through and pick out the best of those songs to put toward a professional polished release.
The advantage of this route is that you can control the quality of the recording. Instead of relying on the whim of a few friends to come up with a good-sounding demo, you can hire a professional to do it for you. This can help bring out the best in your music and make it a whole lot easier for people to listen to and enjoy your songs. The disadvantage is that it’s very time-consuming to go back and listen to hundreds of demos and pick out the best ones. If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, you may not have the time to go through and pick out the best of the demos.
The choice is yours. For more information on royalty rates for musicians, please visit RoyaltyRate.com. This is a comprehensive website that covers everything you need to know about getting paid for your music.