Wondering how you can make money as a music producer? We’re here to tell you all about how you can turn your passion for production into a real career.
Register with a PRO
A PRO or Performing Rights Organization is an agency that collects royalties owed to songwriters and producers for use of their most valuable IP, music. PRO’s keep a tally of the performances and plays your record gets, so that you can be paid for them.
If you’ve not yet registered with a PRO, here is a list ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
Choose A Distributor
Though PRO’s track down you’re money, they don’t actually publish your music. This is the job of Distributors. If you want your music to be available for purchase and streaming on all the hottest DSPs like Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music, you’ll need to set up distribution.
Your distributor will keep track of your Mechanical Royalties.
License Your Music
There are agencies that act as music libraries and marketplaces. Submitting your music to these agencies for sync licensing offers you the opportunity to have your record picked up by TV shows, commercials, film, and other video content. Though placements are never promised, this is a highly lucrative way for songwriters and producers to make bank! We’ve listed some of our favorite music libraries below.
Producer Advances
As a producer or composer, if you create a record that an artist wants to buy, you’re entitled to request a producer advance. It’s a way to earn money upfront for the sale or leasing of your composition.
Producer Royalties
Outside of upfront advances, many producers can earn royalties on the back end when they are listed as part-owner of a record. If you produce a record and it blows up months or years later, you could be in for a payday. In most cases, the standard is a 50/50 split between the producer and the songwriter.
Check out our blog on split-sheets for more information on how that works.
Sell Your Sample Packs
A good producer keeps a cache of quality samples and sounds on deck.
If you think you’ve got what it takes to create high-quality sample packs other producers would want to use, there’s a market for you to make money off your craft.
Companies like Loopmaster, Sellfy, and Synthmob are always looking for the next bestseller of sound samples.
