How Production Libraries Handle Co-Writers

Ever feel like getting your music into sync libraries is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded? Especially when co-writers enter the picture? You’re not alone. Figuring out how to split royalties and make sure everyone gets paid can be a real headache.

TL;DR: For a comprehensive understanding of how production music libraries handle rights and clearances, read this article.

• Clear communication with co-writers is essential, always.
• Get a split sheet signed before you even finish the track.
• Your PRO is key to managing co-writer royalties – link everybody up!
• Production libraries need accurate info to pay everyone correctly.
• That’s Pitch helps simplify this process for you and your collaborators.

The Co-Writer Conundrum: Getting Everyone on the Same Page

So, you’ve just cooked up an absolute banger with a buddy. You wrote the melody, they laid down some sick beats, maybe another friend added some killer lyrics. Now you’re thinking about getting it sync licensed for a TV show or a commercial. Awesome! But wait, how do production libraries handle multiple cooks in the kitchen? It’s not as scary as it sounds, but it does require a bit of upfront planning, like planning a road trip – you wouldn’t just jump in the car and hope for the best, right?

Why Co-Writing Gets Complicated (But Doesn’t Have To Be)

Think of a song as a delicious cake. Each co-writer contributed an ingredient, a technique, or a layer. When that cake sells, everyone who contributed should get a slice of the profit. In the sync world, those “slices” are royalties. The complication arises when the baker (the production library) doesn’t know who put in what, or how big each person’s slice should be.

Understanding Copyright & Ownership

Every time you create an original song, two main copyrights are born:

1. The Composition: This is the melody, lyrics, and underlying musical arrangement. The songwriters own this.
2. The Sound Recording (Master): This is the actual recorded performance of that composition. The recording artist or whoever financed the recording usually owns this.

When you’re co-writing, you’re primarily talking about splitting ownership of the composition.

The Role of Performing Rights Organizations (PROs)

PROs like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC (US), PRS (UK), SOCAN (Canada), etc., are like the banks for your performance royalties. They track where your music is played (TV, radio, public venues) and collect royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers. If your music is used in a sync placement – say, a TV show – your PRO will collect the “performance” portion of the sync fee and distribute it to you and your co-writers, assuming everyone is properly registered and linked.

The Mighty Split Sheet: Your Best Friend in Co-Writing

Okay, seriously, if you take one thing away from this, let it be this: GET A SPLIT SHEET SIGNED. This is not optional; it’s your superhero cape in the world of co-writing.

What a Split Sheet Is

A split sheet is a simple, legal document that outlines who contributed what to a song and, most importantly, what percentage of the songwriting ownership (and therefore, royalties) each person gets. It’s like a pre-nuptial agreement for your song. It might feel a bit formal when you’re jamming with friends, but it saves countless headaches down the line.

When to Create a Split Sheet

The absolute best time to fill out and sign a split sheet is before you even finish the track, or at the very least, right after the creative process is complete. Don’t wait until the song is about to get placed or has already been placed. Memories fade, circumstances change, and what seemed obvious at the time might be disputable later.

What to Include on a Split Sheet

Your split sheet should clearly state:

• Song title
• Date of creation
• Full legal name, contact info, and PRO affiliation (and IPI/CAE number if known) for every writer.
• Each writer’s percentage share of the composition (must add up to 100%).
• Details about who contributed what (e.g., “Jane Doe: Lyrics (50%), John Smith: Melody & Arrangement (50%)”).
• Signatures of all co-writers.

How Production Libraries Handle Your Co-Written Tracks

Once your music is in a production library, they become the bridge between your music and potential sync licensees (film studios, ad agencies). They need accurate information from you to ensure everyone gets paid correctly.

Providing Accurate Metadata

When you submit a track to a sync library, you’ll be asked for a bunch of information – this is called metadata. For co-written tracks, this metadata is crucial. You’ll need to specify:

• All songwriters’ names: Exactly as registered with their PROs.
• All publishers’ names: If applicable (many independent artists are their own publisher for their share).
• PRO affiliation for each writer/publisher: Which PRO are they registered with?
• IPI/CAE number for each writer/publisher: These are unique identifiers assigned by PROs. Find yours, and make sure your co-writers provide theirs.
• Percentage splits for both writer and publisher shares: These often mirror each other. If you own 50% of the writer’s share, you typically own 50% of the publisher’s share too, unless you have a separate publishing deal.

The Sync Library’s Payment Process

When a sync library licenses your co-written track, they handle different types of payments:

1. Synchronization Fee (Sync Fee): This is the upfront money paid by the sync licensee (e.g., a TV show) for the right to use your music. The sync library takes their cut, and then typically pays out your share and your co-writer’s share of the master side of this fee directly to you. How this is distributed among co-writers on the master side depends on your agreement with the sync library and your co-writers regarding the master ownership.
2. Performance Royalties: These are paid by the PROs. The sync library will register the sync placement with the relevant PROs, ensuring that performance royalties are generated. They submit cues sheets (a detailed log of music used) to the PROs. This is where accurate metadata on your split sheet and PRO registration becomes gold. Your PRO then collects these royalties and distributes them to you and your co-writers according to the percentages you’ve registered with them.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Navigating co-writing in sync can feel like a maze, but many common pitfalls are easily avoided.

Mistake 1: No Signed Split Sheet

It seems so simple, but it’s the number one cause of friction. You finish a track, you’re stoked, you send it out, it gets placed, and then suddenly there’s a disagreement about who gets what. Awkward.

The Fix: Proactive Planning

Always, always, always get a split sheet signed early. You can find free templates online (AASAP/ASCAP provides good ones). Make it part of your creative process. If a co-writer pushes back, explain it’s not about distrust, but about professional clarity and ensuring everyone is fairly compensated.

Mistake 2: Incorrect or Missing PRO Information

If your PRO isn’t linked to your music, or your co-writer’s details are missing, your performance royalties might end up in a “black box” – money that’s collected but can’t be attributed, eventually distributed among other members or just lost.

The Fix: Double-Check Everything

When you register a song with your PRO, ensure all co-writers are listed with their correct PRO affiliation and percentage shares. Prompt your co-writers to do the same. When submitting to a sync library, provide all required PRO information for every contributor. This is like making sure your bank account number is correct for a direct deposit – essential!

Mistake 3: Assuming Splits Are Always 50/50

“We just jammed it out, so it’s 50/50, right?” Not always! What if one person wrote 90% of the lyrics and another added a small synth pad? Blanket 50/50 splits without discussion can lead to resentment.

The Fix: Open Communication & Fair Assessment

Discuss splits openly and honestly while the creative process is fresh. Consider everyone’s contribution. Was it lyrical, melodic, rhythmic, structural? Agree on percentages based on perceived contribution, even if it’s not strictly mathematical. The goal is fairness and mutual agreement.

Mistake 4: Not Registering with a PRO (For Any Writer)

If one of your co-writers isn’t registered with a Performing Rights Organization, their share of performance royalties will not be collected by anyone on their behalf. It’s like having a winning lottery ticket but no bank account to deposit it into.

The Fix: Educate Your Co-Writers

Encourage all co-writers to register with a PRO. It’s usually a one-time fee or free to join, and it’s essential for collecting performance royalties. Share resources and explain the importance.

Real-Life Scenario: The Indie Game Soundtrack

Let’s imagine you, Alex, team up with Ben (a producer) and Chloe (a lyricist) to create an instrumental track for an indie video game that needs a song with vocals.

1. The Collaboration & Split Sheet: Alex comes up with the main melody (40%), Ben creates the entire instrumental arrangement and production (40%), and Chloe writes the lyrics and vocal melody (20%). Immediately, they fill out and sign a split sheet detailing these percentages and their respective PROs (Alex – ASCAP, Ben – BMI, Chloe – PRS).

1. Submitting to the Sync library: Alex uploads the finished track to That Pitch. During the submission process, Alex inputs all specific metadata:

• Song Title: “Pixel Paradise”
• Writer 1: Alex Smith, ASCAP, 40% (Writer & Publisher)
• Writer 2: Ben Jones, BMI, 40% (Writer & Publisher)
• Writer 3: Chloe Davies, PRS, 20% (Writer & Publisher)

1. The Placement: A game developer sync licenses “Pixel Paradise” from the sync library for $1,000.

• Sync Fee (Master Side): The sync library takes their cut (say, 50%), leaving $500. This $500 is then split among Alex, Ben, and Chloe for the master side typically based on the ownership of the recording, which might mirror the publishing split or be a separate agreement. For simplicity, let’s say they agree to split this based on songwriting shares for the master as well. Alex gets $200, Ben gets $200, and Chloe gets $100. This comes directly from the sync library via That Pitch.
• Performance Royalties: The sync library submits a cue sheet to the PROs (ASCAP, BMI, PRS) stating “Pixel Paradise” was used in the game. As the game is played and broadcast, the PROs track these uses. ASCAP then pays Alex her 40%, BMI pays Ben his 40%, and PRS pays Chloe her 20% of the performance royalties. This money never touches the sync library’s hands; it goes straight from the PRO to each writer and publisher.

Outcome: Everyone gets their fair share, both upfront and long-term, because they communicated upfront and provided accurate information. No drama, just dollars.

Key Takeaways for Your Co-Written Sync Success

Getting your co-written tracks into sync libraries and ensuring everyone gets paid isn’t a dark art. It’s a process that relies heavily on clarity, organization, and a bit of administrative elbow grease.

1. Communicate Early & Often: Talk about splits right at the start.
2. Document Everything: Use that split sheet like it’s gold.
3. Know Your Numbers: Have your and your co-writers’ PRO info (IPI/CAE numbers especially) handy.
4. Register with Your PRO: Make sure you and all collaborators are correctly registered.
5. Provide Accurate Metadata: This is the sync library’s roadmap to paying everyone correctly.

You’ve got the talent, you’ve got the drive, and now you’ve got a clearer path to getting paid for your collaborative efforts in sync. Don’t let co-writing complexities deter you from making awesome music and getting it sync licensed.

Ready to put these insights into action and get your co-written tracks discovered? Create a free That Pitch account to distribute your music into real sync libraries and keep 100% of your earnings.

Join Free

FAQs

What is a production library in the context of music?

A production library is a collection of pre-recorded music tracks that are sync licensed for use in various media such as films, TV shows, commercials, and video games. These sync libraries provide ready-to-use music that can be easily sync licensed by content creators.

How do production libraries manage co-writers on a track?

Production libraries typically require all co-writers to be credited and registered with performing rights organizations (PROs). They handle the distribution of royalties and sync licensing fees according to the agreed splits among co-writers, ensuring each contributor receives their share.

Are co-writers required to sign agreements with production libraries?

Yes, co-writers usually need to sign agreements that outline ownership percentages, rights, and responsibilities. These agreements help clarify how royalties and sync licensing revenues will be divided and protect the interests of all parties involved.

How are royalties split among co-writers in production libraries?

Royalties are generally split based on the percentage of contribution agreed upon by the co-writers. Production libraries track usage and collect royalties, which are then distributed to co-writers according to these predetermined splits.

Can co-writers independently license their work from a production library?

Typically, sync licensing is managed by the production library as a whole, and individual co-writers do not license tracks independently. However, co-writers may negotiate separate agreements if allowed by the sync library’s policies and their co-writer agreements.