[Fmpro] FMPRO Digest, Vol 32, Issue 14

[Brad Heck]

Dear Santa,
 
"So, here's my wish:
I would sure love to see a list somewhere online that would identify  
the "good" publishers and "good" music libraries... Now imagine 100  
composers avoiding the crappy libraries and supporting the good  
libraries -- and the libraries knowing that the support/boycott is  
linked to the quality of their contracts.  I'd love to know which  
libraries are the best libraries to approach with my compositions,  
and which ones to avoid like the plague. "
- Kevin

Dear Kevin,

What do you consider a "good library"?

Do you want to keep 100% publishing, 100% writer and 50% mech and 50% sync?
Thats doable.  Can the library license your stuff and make enough profit
to keep the lights on under that deal?  Does the buyer want to account for mechanicals
on a quarterly basis for song A when song B is available without the accounting hassle?

To me, a library is an agency, one that has  the composer outstaffed 4 to 1.

A second way to look at this is...if the library does not have the publishing on 
Johnny but does have the publishing on Jane, who do you think they pitch harder?

To me a "good" library is one that gets us plenty of usage, and provides a decent
backend revenue stream.  I do avoid the libraries that pay a fee and remove the writer
share of performance royalties.  I am afraid those companies are the whales.  They
get the most usage, but they have a staff of twenty and those phone lines are always
lit in both directions.  I can see why they are unable to pay a percentage of sync
but I personally choose not to work with them.

My point being, a library can give you everything you want in the deal, but in doing
so, they can limit or eliminate completely the chances of getting you a placement.
The market bears the real story.  License fees are ultimately set by the buyers not the
sellers.  Same with mechanicals.

As far as a list goes - follow your nose, and do the diligence.  It's a long road. 

What's everyone else's definition of "good" in this context?

Brad Heck