# Registering Library Music with BMI - Some help



## Peter M. (Jun 2, 2014)

When you are registering your works with BMI, and those works are intended for non-exclusive libraries, what do you put in the "genre" section? I registered only a few tracks so far and I put "other" as genre since most of my tracks are the hybrid-tv sort of tracks. Also in the section "Was the work created for an Audio-Visual Production or Music Library?" they request a CD Identifier Number, but I don't have that with libraries I work for, like Audiosparx etc.

Any fellow BMI affiliates can shed some light on this?


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## sleepingtiger (Jun 2, 2014)

Libraries usually do their own registrations. In the event that I place something directly and therefore register it myself, I ignore the fields you mention unless applicable. I've never seen anything that's lead me to believe that it's made any difference in the long run.


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## clarkus (Jun 2, 2014)

I called ASCAP a month or two ago to clarify all this. Unless I was misguided, what I gather is that if someone uses your music (for example, for a TV show) they need to fill out a track sheet. If you are with ASCAP - or in your case, BMI - you will be paid. The key here is that you are with BMI (or, in my case ASCAP)


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## mscottweber (Jun 2, 2014)

For genre, just pick whichever makes the most sense. I don't know for certain, but I bet it makes no difference whatsoever since no one is going to be searching the BMI database for your track via its genre.
As for the "Was your track created for an Audio-Visual Production or Music Library?" field, its my understanding that unless you specifically composed those tracks exclusively for a certain project or library you should leave them blank. Thats what I've done for all of my non-exclusive tracks, at least.


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## RiffWraith (Jun 2, 2014)

Just to clarify:

If someone else is your publisher, they register the cues with your PRO - not you. So, when I send 50 cues to xyz-library, it is they who registers those cues with (in my case) ASCAP.

If you are the publisher, then it is you who registers the cues with your PRO. Don't worry so much about the genre. Try to get as close as you can, but dont worry too much about it - it's not like you won't get paid for cue usage, b/c you classified what really is a hybrid cue as an orchestral cue.

If you are the publisher of a bunch of cues, AND you send those cues to a lib on a non-ex. basis (which it had better be, otherwise the term 'up shit creek' will come into play), you register the cues with the titles you have, and the lib registers those same cues with unique titles.

The entity that uses your music (typically the production company) fills out cue sheets (not 'track' sheets  ), and that is how you get paid. If the cue sheets are not filled out, you do not get paid, regardless of what is registered.

Cheers.


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## clarkus (Jun 2, 2014)

Thanks, RiffWraith - To clarify the clarification (as this is kind of important) I list myself as both composer and publisher with ASCAP currently. As a publisher, are you saying I should register each and every cue I create before I post them with a licensing site or music library?

And if that's true, I am wondering what I am gaining by this extra step. 

Sorry if this is both a dumb question and a sweeping one. I know what a publisher did at one time, but I'm hazy on what publishing actually means now. As a composer if someone wanted to use a song or cue for a commercial purpose, I would still be paid by ASCAP, yes?

I just joined Music Library Report online and am trying to get my footing with all this. Appreciate any clarity you can lend.

I wish there was a step-by-step for composers with a laptop full of music who are trying not to screw up as they go forth.


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## MichaelL (Jun 2, 2014)

clarkus @ Mon Jun 02 said:


> I wish there was a step-by-step for composers with a laptop full of music who are trying not to screw up as they go forth.




http://thebusinessofmusiclicensing.com

Cheers,

Michael


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## MichaelL (Jun 2, 2014)

clarkus @ Mon Jun 02 said:


> To clarify the clarification (as this is kind of important) I list myself as both composer and publisher with ASCAP currently. As a publisher, are you saying I should register each and every cue I create before I post them with a licensing site or music library?
> 
> And if that's true, I am wondering what I am gaining by this extra step.
> 
> Sorry if this is both a dumb question and a sweeping one. I know what a publisher did at one time, but I'm hazy on what publishing actually means now. As a composer if someone wanted to use a song or cue for a commercial purpose, I would still be paid by ASCAP, yes?



If you intend to sell your music to a library as a buyout on WFH basis do not register the title with your PRO.

Libraries like Jingle Punks, that re-title, will register your work under a new title, or with a title plus code, whether you are exclusive or not. 

If you are in library on a non-exclusive basis you should register as the publisher...

1) to have the original title "on record" with your pro, and 
2) because in most royalty free libraries you retain the publishing rights, and RF libraries do sometimes have broadcast clients.


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## MichaelL (Jun 2, 2014)

Peter M. @ Mon Jun 02 said:


> When you are registering your works with BMI, and those works are intended for non-exclusive libraries, what do you put in the "genre" section? I registered only a few tracks so far and I put "other" as genre since most of my tracks are the hybrid-tv sort of tracks. Also in the section "Was the work created for an Audio-Visual Production or Music Library?" they request a CD Identifier Number, but I don't have that with libraries I work for, like Audiosparx etc.
> 
> Any fellow BMI affiliates can shed some light on this?




Most of the fields that you mention are labeled "optional" on the BMI title registration form. You can leave them blank.


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## clarkus (Jun 3, 2014)

Hi, Michael - Thanks for the link & the reading material.

What does "a buyout on WFH basis" mean?

Don't know the acronym.


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## MichaelL (Jun 3, 2014)

clarkus @ Tue Jun 03 said:


> Hi, Michael - Thanks for the link & the reading material.
> 
> What does "a buyout on WFH basis" mean?
> 
> Don't know the acronym.




Sorry..*.work for hire*. I've written mostly for exclusive libraries that pay upfront to have music written. Under US copyright law that is a work for hire. Under such an agreement, you usually transfer ownership of the copyright to the library, but retain 100% of your writers' share.


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## HarmonyCore (Jun 8, 2020)

MichaelL said:


> http://thebusinessofmusiclicensing.com
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Michael



Can't believe that I am actually replying to this after 6 years but the link to this 72 pages book has caught my attention. I want to ask you, how good is this book? and is it still viable till today? ... I am trying to look for a unified music licensing resource to learn from rather than the scattered resources all over the web.


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## Varishnipu (Jun 9, 2020)

HarmonyCore said:


> Can't believe that I am actually replying to this after 6 years but the link to this 72 pages book has caught my attention. I want to ask you, how good is this book? and is it still viable till today? ... I am trying to look for a unified music licensing resource to learn from rather than the scattered resources all over the web.



do not buy....save the money for new music samples....the knowledge is free on the web....just use the google.


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