Make Your Music Pay: One Song, Multiple Revenue Streams

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Make Your Music Pay One Song, Multiple Revenue
Streams

• BY
• http//machusmedia.com

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Id always heard that songwriting was lucrative,
but it wasnt until I got into this business that
I learned exactly how it brings in so much
bank. Check this out. You write a song. You get
it aired with the support of an online music
distribution company. You copyright that song and
upload it. People download it, retweet it, add it
to their Facebook page and Spotify playlists. You
get some royalties from those end-user platforms
your fans have used to download your song. You
know youve got a hitmaybe not a chart climber,
but a tune people like. Still wondering how to
promote my album?
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You hook up with a publisher. You assign him 50
percent of the copyright. He helps you register
the album with the Harry Fox Agency for
mechanical rights and a PRO like ASCAP to handle
the licenses that ensure that you get paid
performance royalties. You go into the studio and
record the songs from the album.The recorded
songs gets airplay. You receive a royalty every
time it plays, no matter how big or small the
station is. Other people cover it at bars and
restaurants, and you get a royalty every time
its performed.
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• Along comes a guy producing a commercial.Your
  publisher invites him to a live performance. He
  hears your song and wants to use it in his
  commercial. You have now bagged synch
  (synchronization) royalties. You will be paid
  each and every time that commercial airsno
  matter where it airs. Oh, and by the way, you
  also got a royalty on your live performance of
  your own song. More on that later in the
  post.So lets tally up You now get royalties
  from
• Live performances of your song by you or any
  other performer (performance rights)
• Radio (performance rights)

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• TV airplay (synch rights)
• Other musicians who want to record your song
  (mechanical rights)
• Now, while individual royalty amounts varymost
  are fractions of a pennyand some people may say
  its not worth registering your songs, its
  pretty cool to be making a passive income on
  something you may have put a couple of hours or
  days into.

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TERMS FOR NEWBIE SONGWRITERS If youre new to the
game, you have never heard about Harry Fox. And
youve probably heard conflicting stories about
PROs (Performing Rights Organizations) like
ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.I cant tell you what to
do, but I can help decipher some of what Ive
written in this post to help you on your quest
for the music dollar.Copyright. This gives you
complete ownership over the song youve written.
You get it from the Library of Congress. If
anyone ever tries to perform, record or change
your song in any way, you have the legal right to
stop them and/or get them to pay you royalties.
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• To copyright your work, either record it or write
  it out and send the recording or written version
  to the Library of Congress. Thats it.
• Publisher  A person or company who helps promote
  your songs. They get partial (assignment) of the
  copyright or you transfer the entire copyright
  to them. In return, they pitch your songs to
  industry pros like labels and TV/film producers.
  You may act as your own publisher.
• License Right to play copyrighted music. Bars,
  restaurants and radio stations pay license fees
  for the right to play copyrighted music in their
  establishments.

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• PRO Performance Rights Organizations. They
  monitor radio stations, bars, clubs,
  restaurantseven storesto ensure they are
  licensed to play copyrighted music, including
  yours.
• Mechanical Rights The right to record a song.
  Once youve registered your song with Harry Fox,
  anyone who wants to record it must pay you a
  royalty.
• Performance Rights The right to perform a song.
  Once youve registered your song with a PRO who
  enforces the licenses, you will be paid every
  time your song is performed. Since its the
  establishment paying the license fee, that
  includes performances of your song by you.

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• Synch Rights Right to use song to accompany
  video. This includes TV as well as film.
• This is by no means a comprehensive dive into
  songwriting revenue.  Theres a lot more to it
  and everyone has an opinion.  Theyre likewell
  you know.What I do know is that talented people
  deserve to be paid. No one has the right to steal
  your stuff. Protect your work any way you can.
  And, listen, those little bits of royalties can
  add up.

MachusMedia.com
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As CEO of Machus Corporation, James
Ussery has navigated the Internet frontier for
nearly 30 years. Hes gone from websites, to
massive international white label online
marketing, and now Machus Media, a stop for
musicians authors to promote digital work via
the Internet and social media. For more
information Please Visit http//machusmedia.com