How to “10 X” Your Music’s Licenseability

Daily Tip #101

As an artist, a lot of work goes into coming up with a good idea, developing the musical structure, giving it the right production, perfecting a mix, and polishing the final product. Wouldn’t you like to leverage that work to maximize the licensing opportunities that music can create?

Here’s an idea: While you have the session open, take a few minutes extra to create alternative versions of that track by:

  • muting the vocal and lead instruments,
  • doing a mix without percussion
  • doing a mix of just the bed tracks.

Film and TV editors and music supervisors are constantly in need of mixes that will work under dialog, or that allow them to extend the song to fit picture. Give it to them!

You can also open yourself to advertising possibilities if you do alternate edit lenghts of that track by creating a 59 second, 29 second, or 15 second “stinger” version to fit those advertising formats. The availability of this version can be the difference between an otherwise great track getting used or not simply because of how it fits.

Lastly, if your track has a fade ending, create another version that has a “button ending” – a definitive ending that resolves itself on a single note or chord with a short decay (think jingles).

By doing this right, you’ll be removing obstacles preventing YOUR music from getting those prime sync placements!

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