Unlocking Sound Exchange: A Comprehensive Guide for Artists and Producers

[@djpakknight]

Also FYI - Producers are artists in a sense. Think of Calvin Harris, a producer who is also an artist. So if you produced a track, realize that through Sound Exchange, you're claiming your percentage as an artist AND rights owner (according to what you negotiated)

[@SteveHenao]

A lot of great information. Thank you for posting

[@djpakknight]

my pleasure, glad to help. More videos on the way!

[@ericdavidwallace]

This was extremely helpful - thank you for making this video. The sound exchange email/ website copy does not make this process easy to understand, but your video does..

[@djpakknight]

much appreciated, glad it helped!

[@KINGRABEATS]

Thank you I learned so much from you. 🙏🏽YOU ROCK!

[@djpakknight]

much appreciated, glad to help!

[@WHENIWAKE_JULIANFORTE]

Had no idea what i was doing... THANKS MAN!

[@djpakknight]

Glad I could help!

[@StephanieRozo]

Such a solid walk through on handling those master royalties, have you dealt with any LODs on Sound Exchange? Currently working through that with my two producers & a bit confused, when I found your video!!

[@anomaliuniverse]

Thanks for the Clarity, Looking forward to checking out your Work ...

[@djpakknight]

much appreciated and my pleasure

[@RebeccaPeccaStudios]

I’ve been waiting for a video like this. Thx

[@ogcrains]

This helped me so much thanks fam

[@djpakknight]

glad to hear, thanks for the comment

[@SONBEAMIN]

I appreciate you taking the time to make this video especially someone with your track record 🔥🔥

[@djpakknight]

very welcome SONBEAMIN

[@MicahVaultzWAV]

great content!

[@SummaraeOnline]

Thank you for the information!

[@djpakknight]

you're welcome!

[@johngreasy]

Yes I wasn't sure about the RO side. Low and behold I had a song that had radio play that wasn't claimed on this side. I was able to claim it so that I can get my royalties from my song playing on the radio.

[@djpakknight]

Awesome, glad to hear!

[@jillonkeys]

Thank you! so much for taking time to explain this process. I really appreciate it! @pakmanmusik 🙂

[@djpakknight]

my pleasure!

[@TatiyanaDean]

Thank you so much for this!!!

[@djpakknight]

no doubt, glad to help :))

[@louiehasit]

You are the MAN

[@djpakknight]

many thanks

[@Karlhto]

hi do u remember how long did it take for you to receive your first payment since the registered music?

[@haileyrenne2]

Thank you, this helped a lot!

[@djpakknight]

glad it was helpful!

[@alexanderita]

Thank You!!!!!!

[@djpakknight]

you're welcome :)

[@javaniwheelidonparker]

Im a producer that works as a label so my actual name is not usually on the records except for in the record label section when the distributor asks for that. Can I still claim and if yes is the process the same?

[@djpakknight]

yes it's the same

[@officialcxsmo5378]

Thank you so much for this video, helped me through the process of claiming my first release and future releases! Subbed!

[@djpakknight]

Glad it helped -Thanks!

[@markkroos]

STEEEEEEEVE!!!!! Thanks for this video, brother! Much love

[@djpakknight]

Yooo Mark, my pleasure bro, glad to help!!

[@danmcbmusic]

Great, thank you!

[@jnaramusic]

Hey Steve, Thanks for the video… I’m only just discovering the importance of claiming our masters. Once I register, would I also collect the previous years when I wasn’t registered?? Or is all that lost income? -Josh

[@bornbredclt]

Thank you for making this video Pak!

[@djpakknight]

glad to help!

[@TheTasiaJae]

Publishing is handled through your PRO (BMI or ASCAP)

[@djpakknight]

this is true

[@Luissandovallll]

Thanks Bro!

[@djpakknight]

for sure glad to help!

[@Shakedown2u2]

HEY BRO. THANKS FOR INFO ON HOW TO CLAIM MY RECORDING AND MASTER. I WAS SITTING HERE STUCK. UNTIL I RAN INTO YOUR VIDEO. 125 SONGS I DID. THANKS. GOOD INFO. YOU WALK ME THROUGH IT🙏

[@officialyoungpope]

If later down the road you get a publisher can you go back and add a publisher ?

[@djpakknight]

I'm not sure but most people would NOT want to do that to works already released. Why split money with an entity that had nothing to do with how it got out in the first place? If you gain a publisher, they will be able to claim all new music moving forward from that point. Hope that helps.

[@whoamitvtv]

Distributers typically do not handle publishing. They also deal with the master recording. Soundexchange is like a PRO (BMI, ASCAP) but for non interactvie streaming like Pandora or Serius XM

[@TravisTennies]

Yep. Which is the part where I quit watching / listening... I wish people would not say things they don't know.

[@zionbrock]

this was super helpful man, thank you

[@djpakknight]

very welcome, more coming soon!

[@cyfalii]

7:55 What if different songs have different percentages? For example one song is just me so I obviously have 100% but another song is me and an artist so it would be 50%

[@djpakknight]

So for songs that are the same you can batch them together. But other songs that have a different split you should register separately

[@h4rrybeats]

as a producer how would i claim my royalties ? it looks like this is for a independent artist

[@TheBeatHatahs]

Same Steps My friend. Producer name is your artist name. And you’d be a rights owner as well.

[@djpakknight]

yes, exactly the same - thanks @thebeathatahs

[@complexivetunes]

This was very helpful dude, thank you. How long does it generally take for a claim to get approved?

[@djpakknight]

my pleasure. In my experience it happened in a week.

[@SgtBoudreau]

Question: I've written and performed in over 111 songs but sound exchange only has 11 of my songs! I looked everywhere for them! Do you know how to get them added? Sgt Boudreau

[@MaskiBeats]

Did you release all the songs onto all platforms?

[@SgtBoudreau]

@@MaskiBeats yes

[@smurfdavinciofficial]

Thank you

[@djpakknight]

4 sure

[@romanhorbatso1576]

Please tell me if I can register with Sound Exchange if I already use BMI and Songtrust?

[@MaskiBeats]

You should be able to

[@romanhorbatso1576]

@@MaskiBeats Thank you!

[@samuelscola1595]

hi I can’t get Any royalties from sound exchange? why?

[@metaphorishere]

how long do u wait to get paid after u claim?

[@johngreasy]

Can take up until a year if they distribute the royalties yearly.

[@djpakknight]

facts, Special Payment fund, AFTRA and Film Composers Fund pays yearly. Some distributors like CD Baby pays monthly. And I have some sync placements which pay every quarter.

[@djpakknight]

facts, Special Payment fund, AFTRA and Film Composers Fund pays yearly. Some distributors like CD Baby pays monthly. And I have some sync placements which pay every quarter.

[@daisymejoyrana]

Hello I’m doing this step do I need to register my song or this is like a registration if you know what I mean I’m just confused

[@lvdrizzle1]

So even after you register the music ,you still have to search and claim?

[@djpakknight]

the word "register" is vague. Do you mean Distribute? Sound Exchange is a completely different revenue stream from Tunecore etc.. You don't have to claim, but then you won't get paid. There are actually many different companies that collect on artists/producers/writers behalf. It's a lot of work signing up for them all which is why Artist Administration roles exist.

[@NichiRa777]

Excellent information You helped me for sure,..!

[@djpakknight]

Glad it helped!

[@akaldub8559]

dude thank you so much this website has been so confusing to me for years

[@Kyledchristensen]

Your distributor (CD Baby) does NOT collect publishing royalties. It collects the master royalties from streaming services. Sound Exchange collects the mastering royalties for radio and services where you don’t select individual songs, you just listen to a generated playlist. If you want to collect the songwriter and publisher royalties, you need to register with a P.R.O. Such as ASCAP

[@djpakknight]

appreciate your input

[@iluvmsj2251]

how long does it take to show up in the associated recordings? because its been about a week and none of the claims i submitted shows up

[@ufomusik2132]

should I start a business first before I follow the steps?

[@djpakknight]

focus on MONEY IN first. It you're profitable THEN set up the business

[@WassupFred]

Great insight bro.. let us know when u get a check!!

[@djpakknight]

thanks Fred. been getting them

[@lultimmsrevolver]

so would your registration name be your artist name? also thanks for the guide buddy!

[@djpakknight]

yes or your government name or LLC if you have one setup. no doubt!

[@YuriMuller]

Fantastic video man. Thanks a lot. \M/

[@djpakknight]

much appreciated!

[@gabrielmanoto6135]

can you make a tutorial for producer please

[@djpakknight]

the process is the same. I am a music producer. Define the split with the artist or label at the session and then register your percentage on Sound Exchange.

[@jarrodleerocks]

Thanks for sharing that was very informative. How long did it take for your account to get approved after you registered? I signed up for sound exchange last week and it’s been five days

[@djpakknight]

glad to help. hmm, I set that up a long time ago. I don't recall it taking too long. I'd give it a few more and then if still nothing, give them a call

[@chrisgarver7904]

What is Sound Exchange? Are they a PRO like BMI & ASCAP? Are they a distributor? I am unfamiliar with any entity other than distributor or PRO. Thanks for providing this info.

[@djpakknight]

you're welcome. Sound Exchange keeps track of MECHANICAL royalties. NOT publishing like BMI. Glad we're all learning this stuff together. Back in the day, most people never knew how this worked and those that actually did kept it a secret!

[@editorkmanikhemmusicprod]

So Much Things to register ... damnn!!!!!

[@djpakknight]

very true and easily overwhelming - which is why artists enter into deals with a "music administrator" who handle all of this for you in exchange for a small percentage (much less than signing with a record label). Check out Tami Latrell @themezzoagency

[@shidababyy]

Thanks so much !

[@djpakknight]

no doubt, glad to help!

[@MrMoe249]

I'm an artist and Rights owner, so I'll get only 95%. What about the other 5% ?? well, I don't have any session musicians work on my songs. so I think I should claim that 5% otherwise I leave money on table! My quastion is: Can I get that 5% ? with considering that I did all the job by myself and I did not have any session musicians! or there should be a session musician person in order to claim this 5%!

[@djpakknight]

haha, that's funny you're asking from a rights owner perspective but I understand. I actually DID ask that same questions specifically to the rep however as a Session Musician who's played on close to 50 major label releases. She told me I did not and should NOT claim 5% as a session musician because the union handles those splits automatically. This later trickles down to session musicians through The Special Payments fund and AFTRA. Which is good to know since as an independent or artist / rights owner, you automatically will receive 100%. When you claim as someone who's filing independently, it is up to YOU to distribute any funds. So if there are no session musicians on your recordings and you didn't assign funds to go to anyone else but yourself, you will receive the total amount.

[@MrMoe249]

@@djpakknight But there’s no session musicians on my recordings! So who collect that 5%!!!!!! I’m confused buddy! SoundExchange will pay me my share as rights owner and my share as Performer. So if I don’t have session musicians on my recordings and I’ve did it all by myself so Who collect That 5%. and why can’t I collect that 5% Actually I hope to get clarity from you because this situation is popular i guess

[@MrMoe249]

You said the union handles those splits automatically. How do they know if there was a session musician played on that track?

[@djpakknight]

@@MrMoe249 because the contractor of the session makes everyone fill out i9 and w2 paperwork that is then submitted to the record label who then submits it to distribution

[@djpakknight]

@@MrMoe249 ...you are already receiving 100%

[@PROJECT72ATL]

50% goes to the producer the other half is split among writers

[@djpakknight]

nooooo, track and lyrics and split 50/50 for PUBLISHING. Sound Exchange has to do with Mechanical Royalties - the master recording. This means that producers usually only get 3-25% depending on what kind of deal is in place, independent / major and also how much money the artist has paid up front for the production.

[@IvanaC.Official]

Hello from Bolivia! :) Thanks for sharing such a great info. Greetings! @DJPakKnight

[@nataliemeenakshithegreat7780]

I just subscribed to sound exchange but now they are asking me if I want them to collect my worldwide royalties iam in France so exempted with the international treaty the w 8ben form but t🥅 whom shall I give the rights t collect my worldwide both artist and right owner royalties because I wanted to use songtrust too can I do both thanks dear

[@djpakknight]

If you do not have or want an admin, which is what Songtrust is, you should have Sound Exchange claim everything world wide. Since you've already registered on Sound Exchange, hiring Songtrust is redundant. If you're not sure what you're doing, then Songtrust could be a good way to go. However, I've heard they can drop the ball too so it's important to understand what's going on and make sure they do it right if you decide to go that route. Good luck!