How do you get signed as a songwriter in Singapore ?

[mightyboy88]

Hi guys ,

Just wondering . anyone knows what is the best way to get a job as a songwriter in Singapore ?

Competitions , Writing in to music publishers directly , By chance ?

 

[Titan]

What type of songs do you do?

 

[mightyboy88]

Haha ive just started out writing some songs , mostly some pop/rock stuff

 

[kongwee]

For cpop side, you will have a contract from the publisher. You cannot publish any work outside the contract. You will be paid by every demo sold. Normally, you do not have the right once it sold.

You could sign for Compass generally.

 

[mightyboy88]

Icic thanks for that info bro

 

[Danelectrico]

Sorry but your info isn't entirely accurate.

1. COMPASS is not a publisher - they are a collecting society for rights owners. Basically this means they administer public performance & the right to communicate - not broker publishing deals. While COMPASS can take on administration of publishing in a separate deal, this is more if you're putting out independent releases and just require COMPASS to help take care of mechanical royalties and negotiating other potential deals for using the material. They will not push your music the way a good publisher would as they don't have the capacity or ability. It's the publishers who would supposedly have the wide range of contacts and networking ability and basically get your works hooked up with potential hitmakers.

The scenario the TS set out would be more suited for a publishing deal with a music publisher.

2. you do not get paid per demo sold. Dedicated publishers basically shop your songs around - whether for purposes of having your songs used and sung by other recording artists (in the original language or translated in another language, ie as a derivative work). If so, you get paid mechanical royalties every time the recorded music is affixed in a tangible form, ie CD, vinyl, MP3s etc. That's really the crux of it. If you're also a recording artist of these songs in your own right, perhaps to get your music on tv / film soundtracks, compilations etc; used and published as sheet music etc.

If you're lucky and you've made a name for yourself as a popular songwriter, you'll get paid a recoupable advance for your works (ie you'll get some cash upfront, deducted against your future earnings under the agreed royalty split).

Be careful when you sign publishing deals. If you know your way around and register as a publisher and thereafter work with other publishers (eg to cut a sub-publishing deal), you could walk away with a much better royalty split than an industry standard 50-50 deal.

If you're looking to be a salaried employee, songwriting is not for you.

If you know get to know the business better and have the right contacts, you might find having your own publishing business and going into the field of prodution (including writing music for commercials / advertising / jingles) might offer a more steady and lucrative form of income than trying to write pop hits.

Good luck!

 

[mightyboy88]

danelectro , may i ask in your opinion what is the best way to actually get the publishers contacts and to be heard as a songwriter ?

 

[tangcw00]

interesting facts !

 

[iwantaverylongname]

very accurate facts from danelectrico.

 

[Danelectrico]

If it were me, I'd check out COMPASS' criteria for joining as publisher member (http://www.compass.org.sg/UserFiles/File/Publisher Application_Rev 1.pdf).

I'd also thoroughly read the COMPASS site and other music intellectual property sites to distinguish between the 3 different sets of rights (sound recordings, publishing (ie reproduction) and public performance). I'd also read Danelectrico's first post on Soft to get a good summary of that. http://soft.com.sg/forum/music-kopi-tiam/16141-copyright-issues-post259396.html#post259396

I'd then write a bunch of songs (at least 5 - to meet COMPASS' criteria) and register my own sole proprietorship publishing business. I'd proceed to have them commercially recorded (either on my own or through friends or through working with other local bands) and distributed by a record label, major or indie, in a way that meets the "commercial distribution" criteria of COMPASS. Hey, if other people don't wanna use your songs, chances are they're not really good to begin with. Once these are commercially released, I'd join COMPASS as a publisher with regard to my publishing business, and songwriter in my individual capacity - for the collection of public performance royalties. Hopefully I'd get at least a couple radio or commercial "hits" out of these songs and start building up a name and reputation within the industry. In the meantime, i'd be collecting some nice royalties from the modest commercial success of my first endeavours.

Once that happens, I'd at least have a portfolio with some proof of my songwriting / hitmaking ability. I'd leverage on my COMPASS contacts or other burgeoning industry contacts to fix up meetings with the other bigger publishers who will be registered with COMPASS (this means the big 4 companies) and try to pitch a sub-publishing deal with one of them (ie leverage on their network of contacts) and try to negotiate for an advance in the deal. If it works out right, I'd have ended with a 75 25 deal, a 10k advance (which means they're gonna do their darndest to make it back - incentive for them to push my music!), and a foot in the door of the big time industry players.

Why does this sound so complicated? Because there's no free lunch and without these, few if any major publishers would give you time of day if you're shopping an untested and untried demo to them. They have thousands of writers much higher in priority that they're trying to earn from. Why would they care about an upstart with no track record. And if they do give you a deal, it'll be one on crap terms as their bargaining power would be much stronger - forget an advance, you'd get the bog standard 50 50 split and you'd be of such low priority in their stable that it'd be a miracle if they manage to shop your song to any artiste who'd actually want to use it.

Really, good luck - it's a tough road and you're gonna need it.

 

[mightyboy88]

Hey bro thanks for sharing that info , now i know where to start