# Be your own publisher?



## SamGarnerStudios (Jul 1, 2013)

Should you do this or not? I'm having to register a couple of my tracks with ASCAP. With ASCAP you have 50/50 split between writer and publisher, but if there is no publisher does that mean I'm not making 50% of what I could?


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## Guy Rowland (Jul 1, 2013)

SamGarnerStudios @ Mon Jul 01 said:


> Should you do this or not? I'm having to register a couple of my tracks with ASCAP. With ASCAP you have 50/50 split between writer and publisher, but if there is no publisher does that mean I'm not making 50% of what I could?



I usually self-publish, when a TV deal doesn't stipulate otherwise. Obviously if it's for library then you have to factor in whether or not anyone will ever find it or hear it if you're on your own, but specific stuff that's being used to picture and you're not asked to sign it away, then why not?


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## RiffWraith (Jul 1, 2013)

SamGarnerStudios @ Mon Jul 01 said:


> but if there is no publisher does that mean I'm not making 50% of what I could?



That is exactly what that means. If you write tracks for a music lib, they are the publisher. If you ARE the music lib, and/or you get hired by someone directly and there is no "middle man", you want to collect the writer's AND the pub. You need to register with ASCAP as a publisher, and add those tracks you want to be the publisher of to your catalogue. Bear in mind, that if you license a track to someone which is already with a lib (non-ex.), and you have the same title, you can run into a problem. I *think* this is gotten around by retitling, same way as when you hav the same tracks in multiple libs. I have not had this situation, so you may want to open a member services inquiry and ask ASCAP directly.

Cheers.


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## SamGarnerStudios (Jul 1, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. So can you retroactively register as a publisher? Say I sell a track, upload it to a music lib, then register as the publisher for those tracks afterwards?


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## RiffWraith (Jul 1, 2013)

SamGarnerStudios @ Tue Jul 02 said:


> Thanks for the responses. So can you retroactively register as a publisher? Say I sell a track, upload it to a music lib, then register as the publisher for those tracks afterwards?



Yes but only for a limited time. I forget how long.... 2 years maybe?


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## SamGarnerStudios (Jul 1, 2013)

Ok, cool. I'm just getting into selling my stuff on music libs so I want to make sure everything is done right with ASCAP.


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## RiffWraith (Jul 1, 2013)

SamGarnerStudios @ Tue Jul 02 said:


> Ok, cool. I'm just getting into selling my stuff on music libs so I want to make sure everything is done right with ASCAP.



In which case, you would not register those tracks w/ASCAP as a publisher, b/c the music lib is the publisher. You may wish to register those tracks as a publisher with a different title, in the event that you yourself license any of those tracks to someone else directly. But again, I am not 100% on how that works, so check with ASCAP.

Cheers.


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## jaredcowing (Jul 1, 2013)

RiffWraith @ Mon Jul 01 said:


> SamGarnerStudios @ Tue Jul 02 said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, cool. I'm just getting into selling my stuff on music libs so I want to make sure everything is done right with ASCAP.
> ...



On occasion the music lib. will allow you to keep the publisher's share, in which case you'd list your company name as the publisher, but it depends on the library. I'd actually consider signing with libs that keep the publisher's share as a plus, because they have an incentive to ensure that clients file cue sheets and that the royalties are distributed. If they don't get any money from a PRO, they're probably not going to try very hard to make sure you'll get your royalties.


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## SamGarnerStudios (Jul 1, 2013)

Does this mean that anything I self-publish I can only upload to non-exclusive music libraries?


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## RiffWraith (Jul 1, 2013)

SamGarnerStudios @ Tue Jul 02 said:


> Does this mean that anything I self-publish I can only upload to non-exclusive music libraries?



Not sure I understand the Q. You definitely can't upload to exclusive music libraries, if that's what you are asking.


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## SamGarnerStudios (Jul 1, 2013)

Right, anything I self-publish can only be used non-exclusively.


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