What's in a song? A step-by-step guide to creating music

•Write and/or arrange an original song or collection of songs. Music is referred to as “Composition.” Lyric composition is referred to as “Authorship.”

•Record a demo

•Pre-produce professional arrangement, then make commercial-quality studio recording of the work.

•Register as a “Publishing Company” with Performing Arts Royalty collection entity such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC:

•https://www.ascap.com/

•https://www.bmi.com/

•https://www.sesac.com/#/

•Prepare a “Lead Sheet”

•(Melody, Chords, and Lyrics)

•for submission to publishers and LOC

•http://www.warnerchappell.com/artist-services

•https://www.copyright.gov/

•Determine what kind of business entity you are: Sole Proprietor, Partnership, LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp.

•Release album, EP, or single via a record label, or independently, acting as the label via an aggregator such as CD Baby, TuneCore, Spinnup, Symphonic, DistroKid, Etc.

•The aggregator will issue ISRC Codes and UPC codes for the song and album respectively.

•Use ISRC and UPC Codes for song registration with Nielsen BDS Soundscan to monitor all broadcasts, and synchronizations.

•https://www.nielsen.com/us/en.html

•Register with Mediabase to monitor radio airplay: http://www.mediabase.com/WebLogon/WebLogon.asp

•Register album or individual works with Yangaroo DMDS and choose a Radio campaign package: http://www.yangaroo.com/

•Buy an artist services package from a reputable independent record label or record label group such as EMP Label Group, or Universal.

•https://www.emplabelgroup.com/

•https://www.universalmusic.com/label/caroline-international/

•https://www.carolineinternational.com/

•http://www.theorchard.com/music/

•https://www.sonymusic.com/sonymusic/sony-music-to-purchase-remaining-interest-in-the-orchard-the-worlds-leading-independent-digital-distributor/

•Book 40 live shows to promote and sell the merchandise, “buy-on” is common.

•Hire a publicist to publicize the 40 shows.

•Re-evaluate live market routing each year: https://www.pollstar.com/

•Repeat 40-city tour for five (5) years

•https://www.copyright.gov/title17/

•https://www.copyright.gov/music-modernization/

•1) Makes licensing by content providers easier to obtain via Mechanical Licensing collective (MLC), and sets new guidelines for (PRO) Rate Court judges determining rates of compensation.

•2) Brings pre-1976 Recordings into the realm of royalty distribution on streaming platforms, and redefines public domain dates for works.

•3) Provides a path for music producers to receive royalty payments from their works via Sound Exchange: https://www.soundexchange.com/

•Changes to Section 115: https://www.copyright.gov/music-modernization/faq.html

#songwriting #music #recording