— 6 minutes — Mark Eckert
Upload Your Music for Sync: Preparing Tracks for Libraries
Short answer: When you upload your music for sync licensing, you are delivering a track that a buyer could license and drop into a video. That means more than a single audio file. Libraries expect a high quality full mix, an instrumental, often short edits, accurate details and tags, and proof that you control the rights. The better your delivery, the faster your tracks are accepted and the easier they are for buyers to find.
For the full step by step walkthrough, see upload my music. This page focuses on what sync libraries need from each upload.
Uploading for sync vs uploading for streaming
| Uploading for streaming | Uploading for sync | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Listeners hear your release | Buyers license your track for video |
| Files | One final mix | Full mix, instrumental, edits, sometimes stems |
| Details | Title, artist, writers, artwork | Plus moods, tempo, key, themes, vocals, splits |
| Who reviews it | Usually automatic checks | Often a library team |
| Rights proof | Basic confirmation | Clear ownership and signed splits |
What to deliver for each track
| File | Why buyers need it |
|---|---|
| Full mix | The main version |
| Instrumental | For use under dialogue or narration |
| 60 second edit | For longer ads and promos |
| 30 second edit | For standard ads |
| Short sting | For logos, transitions, and openers |
| Clean version | If the lyrics are explicit |
| Stems | For trailers, games, and custom edits |
Not every library asks for every version, but having them ready means you never miss a chance. Pitch tracks covers how to make edits that editors can use.
Audio quality checks before you upload
- Use lossless files, such as high quality WAV, at the specification the library asks for.
- Leave sensible headroom and avoid clipping.
- Check the start and end. Remove silence, and make sure edits end cleanly, not with a fade that cuts off.
- Listen on several systems, including small speakers and headphones.
- Match levels across versions so the instrumental is not much quieter than the full mix.
Details and tags that help buyers find you
Libraries search by details, so fill in every field accurately:
- Title, writers, publishers, and splits
- Genre and subgenre
- Moods, such as hopeful, tense, or playful
- Energy and tempo
- Instruments and vocal type
- Lyrical themes
- Similar uses, such as travel, sports, or drama
Metadata requirements for music libraries lists what most libraries ask for.
File naming that does not cause problems
Use a clear, consistent pattern so versions never get mixed up, for example: Artist name, track title, version, and length. Avoid words like "final" or "new" in file names. Naming conventions for sync licensing tracks has examples.
Rights checks before you upload
- You wrote or co-wrote the song, and every co-writer has signed a split sheet.
- You own or control the recording.
- There are no uncleared samples or loops with restrictive terms.
- The track is not under an exclusive deal elsewhere.
- Your song is registered with your PRO under the same title.
If any of these are uncertain, fix them before uploading. Libraries can remove tracks with rights problems, and buyers avoid them.
A hypothetical example
This example is made up. An artist uploads five songs to a library with only full mixes and one word mood tags. Two are rejected for clipping and a sample she had not cleared. The other three sit unused. She then removes the sampled track, fixes the levels, exports instrumentals and 30 second edits, and rewrites her tags with specific moods and themes. Her resubmitted tracks are accepted, and within months one instrumental is licensed for an online ad. The music did not change much. The delivery did.
Common reasons uploads are rejected
- Low quality or lossy files
- Clipping or uneven levels
- Uncleared samples
- Missing instrumentals when the library requires them
- Incomplete writer or split details
- Tracks that do not fit the library's catalog
How long it takes after you upload
After upload, libraries may review, tag, and add tracks to their catalog over days or weeks. Some also add tracks to curated playlists or brief responses. Placements usually take longer, often months, because they depend on buyers' projects. Keep uploading new material while you wait, because a steady stream of well-prepared tracks tends to work better than one large upload.
Uploading instrumentals and versions the right way
Versions should be easy to match to their main track. A few habits help:
- Export every version from the same session so the sound and levels match.
- Keep the same tempo and key across the full mix, instrumental, and edits.
- Make edits musical. A 30 second edit should feel like a complete piece with a real ending, not a chopped section.
- Label versions clearly in both the file name and the version field the library provides.
- Upload versions together so the library links them to one track.
When an editor finds your full mix, they should be able to grab the instrumental or 30 second edit in one click.
Uploading to several libraries
If your libraries are non-exclusive, you can upload the same track to more than one. Keep everything identical: title, writers, splits, versions, and tags. If one library retitles your track for its own registration, record the new title in your catalog spreadsheet so you can match statements later. If a track is ever signed to an exclusive deal, remove it from the others before the exclusive term starts.
What to upload first
Start with tracks that have:
- A clear, single mood
- A strong first ten seconds
- Clean rights with no samples
- An instrumental that works on its own
- A style that fits the library you are uploading to
Holding back weaker tracks is better than flooding a library with music that will not get licensed. You can always improve them and upload them later, once they have versions, clean rights, and a clearer mood. A smaller catalog of ready tracks usually earns a better reputation with library staff than a large catalog of unfinished ones.
Where That Pitch fits
That Pitch lets you upload once and reach 100+ non-exclusive sync libraries, with tracks matched to library briefs automatically. You can set royalty splits with collaborators, and you keep 100% of your sync placement earnings. Join free with unlimited uploads into one library, and upgrade any time for 100+ libraries and briefs.
FAQ
What do I need to upload music for sync licensing?
A lossless full mix, an instrumental, ideally 60 and 30 second edits, accurate details and tags, signed split sheets, and confidence that you control the rights.
What file format should I upload?
Most libraries ask for lossless WAV files at a stated specification. Check each library's requirements before exporting.
Do I need stems to upload to a sync library?
Not always. Many libraries do not require stems, but they help for trailers, games, and custom edits.
Why was my track rejected by a library?
Common reasons are low quality files, clipping, uncleared samples, missing versions or details, or a poor fit with the catalog.
Is uploading for sync the same as distributing music?
No. Distribution delivers releases to streaming stores for listeners. Uploading for sync delivers tracks to libraries so buyers can license them for video.
Can I upload the same track to several libraries?
Yes, if every library is non-exclusive. Keep the title, writers, splits, versions, and tags identical everywhere, and record any retitles.
How long after uploading will I get a placement?
It varies widely. Tracks often need weeks to be reviewed and tagged, and placements can take months depending on buyers' projects.
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