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Music Publishing, Music Licensing, and Music Copywriting

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Songwriting

Whether you're aspiring to join the ranks of professional song writers or simply want to find an open mic at which to play your latest tune, a large and varied songwriting community exists to satisfy song writers of all skill and experience levels. The Internet contains a wealth of information applicable to everyone, from the dabbling novice to the meticulous expert.

Songwriting Basics

Many publications about the songwriting community are good for beginners and those seeking a ... read more »

The Craft of Songwriting

As with poetry, prose, and other forms of writing, there are many schools of thought on song ... read more »

Performance Opportunities

If you're ready to move beyond playing for your friends or busking at train stations, you'll need ... read more »

Songwriters' Festivals and Songwriters' Conferences

Songwriting conferences allow songwriters the opportunity to network with a wider circle of ... read more »

Music Publishing, Music Licensing, and Music Copywriting

The business arm of songwriting is as varied as the creative side. Artists who have moved beyond playing for tips are best served by joining a performing rights organization and learning about copyright laws, standard publishing deals, and the intricacies of music licensing. If you are actively recording your work for radio and television broadcast, you may want to register your songs. Likewise, if you need to find out who wrote and owns one of your all-time favorites, you will most likely find the information at a performing rights organization.

Dulcinea's Insight

  • A performing rights organization (PRO) is designed to represent songwriters and publishers and protect their right to be compensated for their music. Performers, writers, and publishers join and register their work with the PROs, while music users buy licenses from the organizations for the rights to use the work.

  • Read up on all the PROs to see which is best for your kind of music and your goals. The sites listed below highlight the industry standards.
  • Memberships to these organizations come with many other benefits, including industry discounts, insurance, travel discounts, and regular meetings and networking events.
  • You can join, pay dues, look up song credits, and register songs online.
  • Publishing rights organizations all have valuable search engines you can use to find song credits by affiliated member artists.

Dulcinea's Picks

For general copyright information ...
The U.S. Copyright Office has an easy-to-use search engine that provides full credit information for registered music, books, art, and other publications. A helpful tutorial available in several formats will guide you through the search process.
go to site »
Direct Legal contains valuable information on copyright law, trademark information, and a legal "Learning Center" geared toward songwriters.
go to site »
For groups representing artists' and publishers' rights ...
The National Music Publishers' Association protects, promotes, and advances the interests of music's creators and includes useful, straightforward business information.
go to site »
Broadcast Music, Inc. , has represented the rights of songwriters, composers, and publishers for more than 60 years. 
go to site »
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) "represents composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers of every kind of music," so they can be paid and credited properly for their works.
go to site »
SESAC represents the public music rights of its affiliated songwriters and publishers.
go to site »
The Harry Fox Agency represents music publishers for their mechanical and digital licensing needs and has an extensive site chock full of business information.
go to site »
Grammy.com is the home of the Recording Academy, which awards the highest achievements in music based on peer review. It also advocates for artists and offers industry discounts.
go to site »
Who knew?
SoundExchange is an independent, nonprofit organization. Designated by the U.S. Copyright Office, it dispenses royalties for recording artists and sound recording copyright owners.
 
go to site »
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Songwriters, Song Lyrics, and Song Arrangents

There are many sites devoted to song lyrics and chords by established artists. It is easy to use ... read more »

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