Songwriter contracts with libraries

[jeffersonparish]

I just joined this forum, so hey, everyone!

 

 

I'm hoping someone here could share some of their experiences with music libraries.

 

 

Currently, I get hired by producers to write lyrics and toplines to their songs, either through an ownership split or work-for-hire with a buyout fee, both of which are pretty straightforward contracts.

 

 

Now, since I have a lot of leftover songs, so I've decided to look into production music libraries, hoping to get some synchs.

 

 

In checking out the non-exclusive libraries, I've read over some contracts, which are definitely not as simple as a work-for-hire or split.

 

 

I'm not an attorney, but I'm not thrilled with what I read. Particularly the three-year duration and the clauses granting them rights to change the composition itself, including titles and the music itself. I know there are legitimate reasons for this, but overall, music libraries are foreign worlds to me. I also don't personally know anyone who's done it SUCCESSFULLY; the people I know submitted music to libraries and never heard from them again.

 

 

Have any of you ever dealt with them? Any issues with their contracts? If there was a problem, was it resolved at all?

 

 

I've seen a lot of online articles about this, but it's always better to hear from people who have actually gone THROUGH it.

 

 

Thanks for reading,

 

 

Jay

[jeffersonparish]

Just bumping this up, hoping for more eyes!

 

Anybody have any experience with this???

[daddymack]

try a search on music libraries, or on TAXI in the forum, I know we have discussed it in here but not recently.

[jeffersonparish]

Daddymack, thanks. I was just actually referred to another music library composer forum, so I'm finding lots of people who have been through it on there!