Music Publishing

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if you could help me in this excellent area: Music Publishing.

What are your recomendations on how to contact them when I am ready to publish a finish work?

What are strong recomenations for Publishers?

And what not to do?

Thanks.

I'd start by doing some research. Nowadays publishers big and small operate in the internet, offering hard copy scores as well as digital downloads. Some googling should give you quite a lot of publishing companies. Some of them can even call periodically for scores, or at the very least admit submissions for consideration (or say flat out that they don't accept submissions). I would discard the big companies and concentrate on the smaller, independent publishers. You will have more chances there. Look at their catalogues to have a feel of the style and quality of music they publish. Some of them will specialize in certain niches, such as pop, or music for school bands, or for clarinet choir, or deal with original music or with arrangements. You get the idea; if a publisher looks for educational flute duets for beginners, don't send them a symphony. If they are into avant garde, don't send them a classic menuet.

I expect publishers do not except a perfectly notated score (they would have someone to edit the score and make it look professional), but try to notate your scores as clean and detailed as possible. Also, a live recording is almost a must, because it demonstrates the actual viability of the music. If you can't provide a live recording, try at least to make a high quality audio mock up.

Then it is a matter of perseverance. Once you get you first piece published, if it sells well, there is a chance that the publisher will ask you for more. To sum up, find your niche and work your a55 off.

Thanks for input

 it is a matter of perseverance.

QFT

Don't do it!! Self-publish instead, it's a little bit more work, but it's really worth it, you get 100% of the sales, as opposed to the usual 10, here, this guy gives a much better a argument than I can.  http://ostimusic.com/blog/music-publishing/

The John Mackey blog, linked above, is fantastic.  In it, he raises two main points: 1. You make more profit publishing yourself rather than splitting the profit with a publisher, and 2. You give up the copyright to your publisher.

More money is great, but the bigger issue in my opinion is giving up the copyright to your music.  Once you give up that copyright, the music is no longer yours.  If you ever feel the need to go back and revisit your work, for example: marching band arrangements, putting it into film or radio, creating a derivative  work, or even posting a performance to your online blog, you will need your publishers permission, and perhaps even pay a licensing fee!  This is just the practical side of owning your own copyright, of course there's a personal side as well.  I have personal attachments to my music, giving up the rights to one of my babies would be like giving up one of my dogs!

Here's some basic steps:

1.  Register your piece with the US copy right offices/Library of Congress.

2.  Edit your work 10+ times, have fellow musicians edit your work (give them a dime for every error they find).

3.  Include program notes, director notes, composer bio, anything you might find in a published piece.

4.  Print your music professionally (either at a print shop, or buy a decent printer that can print larger formats)

5.  Do whatever you can to get your work into the hands of the public.  Take a few prints to local music stores, if they end up selling try to strike a deal with the owner.  Take your chamber music scores to your near by university, talk to professors and students about performing them on small recitals.  Talk to band/orchestra teachers in your area about programing a piece on a concert.  Take piles of scores to national conventions (CBDNA, Midwest, International Trumpet Guild, ect.) and give them out for free! (Aim for performers and teachers)  I kid you not, Joe Burgstaller, Ronald Romm, Allen Vizzutti, James Thompson, and Bud Herseth were all given copies of my Trumpet Sonata back in 2011.  (Makes me wonder where Bud's copy is now that he's passed...)

6.  Attend as many performances as you can!  Great way to meet new people and expand your network.

Nobody wants your scores. You should self publish so that you have a big pile of paper in the corner of your apartment to burn in the wood-burning stove every winter while you wait for the zombies to thaw out.

Don't burn the zombies. Just don't do it godamnit. It's too risky.