Music Sync Libraries: How They Work and Where to Submit

Short answer: A music sync library is a catalog that licenses songs and instrumentals to people who need music for picture: film and TV editors, ad agencies, game studios, YouTubers and brands. You give the library permission to license your track, they pitch it and handle the paperwork, and you get paid when a license sells, usually as a share of the fee plus any performance royalties your PRO collects. Most independent artists start with non-exclusive libraries because you can be in many of them at once.

What a sync library actually does

A sync library sits between you and the buyer. Music supervisors and video editors don't have time to email hundreds of artists, so they search a library by mood, genre, tempo and instrumentation, preview a track, and license it in minutes.

For you, the library:

• Hosts your tracks with searchable metadata
• Pitches your music to its clients and to briefs it receives
• Issues the license and collects the fee
• Pays you your share on its payout schedule

What it usually does not do is promote you as an artist. A library is a sales channel for your catalog, not a label.

Exclusive vs non-exclusive libraries

This is the biggest choice you make.

	Non-exclusive	Exclusive
Can the same track be in other libraries?	Yes	No, the library is the only one that can license it
Typical acceptance	Easier to get in	More selective
Pitching effort per track	Lower	Often higher, since the library has more at stake
Can you still release the song on streaming?	Usually yes	Check the contract
Best for	Building a wide catalog presence	Specific tracks that suit one library's clients

Neither is better across the board. Many working artists keep most of their catalog non-exclusive and place a few tracks exclusively where a library is clearly a fit. Read more in exclusive vs non-exclusive sync licensing agreements.

What to check before you sign with any library

1. Exclusivity. Is it exclusive, non-exclusive, or exclusive for a term?
2. Your split. What share of each sync fee goes to you?
3. Performance royalties. Will the library register cue sheets so your PRO can pay you when the placement airs?
4. Retitling. Some non-exclusive libraries retitle tracks so they can track their own licenses. Know whether yours does.
5. Term and removal. How long does the deal last, and how do you take a track down?
6. Rights you must own. You need to control both the composition and the master, or have every co-writer and co-owner on board.
7. Payout schedule. How often do they pay, and is there a minimum?

If a contract is unclear on any of these, ask before you upload.

What libraries look for in a track

Libraries accept music that is easy to license and easy to cut to picture:

• Clean rights. Every writer and owner is known, and there are no uncleared samples.
• Professional mix and master. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it has to hold up next to everything else in the catalog.
• Clear structure. A strong intro, natural edit points and a real ending make life easy for editors.
• Instrumental versions. Many placements use the instrumental. Deliver one with every vocal track.
• Good metadata. Genre, mood, tempo, key, instruments and a short description. This is how your track gets found. See file naming conventions for metadata.

How to get into sync libraries

Option 1: submit to each library yourself. Find libraries that accept submissions, read their guidelines, prepare their file formats and metadata, and wait. Some reply in days, many take months, and some never reply. Here is how artists submit music to production music libraries.

Option 2: use That Pitch. That Pitch distributes your music into 100+ sync libraries from one upload. It's non-exclusive, so you stay independent, and That Pitch keeps none of your sync earnings. Tracks are matched to library briefs automatically, and you can set royalty splits with collaborators. You can join free with unlimited uploads into one library, then upgrade for access to 100+ libraries and briefs.

Join That Pitch free

How long it takes to see results

Sync is a catalog game. A track can be licensed soon after it goes live in a library, but most artists see steady results only after they have a body of work spread across several libraries. Set expectations in months, not days, and keep uploading. More on that in how long it takes to get a sync placement.

FAQ

Do sync libraries cost money to join? Most legitimate libraries don't charge artists to submit. They earn a share of the license fee. Be careful with any library that charges a large upfront fee with no clear service in return.

Can I put the same song in more than one library? Yes, if every library you use is non-exclusive. If one of them is exclusive for that track, the track can only live there.

Do I keep my rights? In a non-exclusive deal you keep ownership and grant the library the right to license the track. Exclusive deals vary, so read the term and ownership clauses.

How do I get paid? You usually earn your share of the upfront sync fee from the library, plus performance royalties through your PRO when the placement is broadcast or streamed. See how much a sync license costs for what drives fees.

Do I need to be signed to a label or publisher? No. Libraries work with independent artists every day. You do need to control your rights.

Is That Pitch a sync library? No. That Pitch gets your music into 100+ sync libraries, so they can license it for you.