Electronic Music 411 - commercial music -

well i did it and got a bit fucked
here's the deal

the composer gets a fee. this can be something like 30K for a big spot, like a budweiser ad. the residuals are pretty much squat, unless you sing in the commercial, because then SAG pays you as an unseen actor. The way commercial music houses work is that they usually divvy up the vocal contracts among the principals in the company. don't fret if you can't sing, they also do tricky stuff like hiring a professional singer and then tucking in a useless vocal double underneath to get those contracts. that is big money, those can be in the 100K range for a big commercial.

now, jingles have gone out of fashion, but used to be you could make yourself a millionaire by writing a jingle. one of my bosses is the guy that wrote the kitkat song, which immediately made him a couple mil.

i got kinda scrood because i worked independently for a commercial house which said they were gonna pay me for demos, but they didn't. and, when i actually got a spot, they took probably 85% of the money, replaced our singer (who was ariel) and probably snarfed up a couple SAG contracts on their own. out of probably (a guestimate) 40,000$ revenue, i think i saw about 1200$.

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edited: Mar 29 2007 + celibacyclub

if youve read those 11t1 blogs u might get the impression its tuff to get into.

kinda like being a painter.

in order to sell stuff you need to be known, in order to be known you need to sell stuff.

seems artist on kinda smaller indie labels get commercials.. there are some new sites for that shit, where the ppl making the commercial get a browser of all the tunes and they get to use them right away, then they tell you how much you made..

maybe making our own car commercials would help?

this seems to be every computermusicers dream, so there is much more music available to the customer than they need.

must differentiate ones self somehow.

maybe we should start commenting on ppls tracks here about how that song really makes me want to buy some suchandsuch.

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03/29/07 + celibacyclub

lol @ pic.

is that what i think it is?

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03/29/07 + jdg

i've done it.. never made any real money.
best i've evr got was 6k!
BAM IM WAS RICH.

read this.. ned is cool.. and canadian (well, quebecker)
link

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edited: Mar 29 2007 + Logo

Years ago I used to intern at a Top 40 radio station (worst experience of my life

) and at least at the time, jingles were still very much in fashion. They had staff musicians (probably some freelancers) cranking out the ad jamz nonstop. Don't know much about it but it seemed like an ok gig, if you're prepared to sell your soul. It won't pay as much as a tv spot job, but it's probably easier to break into.

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03/29/07 + jdg

poolbath does jingles for a living.
AIM him!

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03/29/07 + Roshi

LOL @ stop motion wank.

Sorry, I have no idea really. Though lately it seems like a lot of commercials have been coming from indie music.

Like Postal Service was in like 8 commercials...same song some of them!

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03/29/07 + frnortnr

i am totally willing to sell my soul. i don't know if i want to compose per se, i guess i want to know how to get on those crappy stock music cds/websites. i will aim pbs1.

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03/29/07 + jdg

oh just want to be on music librarys?
thats alot easier.
giving that you know alot of ppl... just giving your music to a bunch of producers (media) and telling them they can use any of it anywhere they want... and if they do, u'll give them a hella good deal on licensing.

Recent blogs: cmj loves fredo, What is your favorite track that you've made?, joebacca

edited: Mar 29 2007 + frnortnr

i don't want to wake up in the morning anymore, that's really all i'm shooting for.

and yes, making music for anyone but yourself is always a form of wankery.

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03/29/07 + electrodan

I like your take on wankery and the vision thereof

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03/29/07 + electrodan

um... but seriously talk to Scott and those others (poolbath) who do that shit for dolares + food stuffs.
crazy buisnizness

Recent blogs: Spanish House, Dear ricemutt,, Great Guitarists

03/29/07 + GregTArtZ

most i ever got was a hangover.

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03/29/07 + astroid

i heard the pstal service on krock
dont think they're indy anymore

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