Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ – Master & Sync Deals

Recorded songs that are placed on radio shows, television programming, documentaries, and movies are called Sync Deals.

A Sync deal covers exclusive or non-exclusive use of the sound recording (Master) that is used in the production of a radio or TV commercial, a TV show, documentary or movie and sets the fee payment. The term Sync comes from the synchronization of music recording with existing audio, video or film.

The producer of the program interested in sync’ing the music will contact the Label or Publisher by sending a “Request for Use”, “Confirmation of Use”, and then offer and execute a License Agreement.  After music is sync’d, and works are released, the artist receives a payment.

A One-Stop shop is where the artist assigns the Master and Publisher Rights to the Label/Publisher for a music works, so they can in-turn license cleared Master works to licensees.

The Label/Publisher licenses the master and synchronization rights for use in Radio programs, TV shows, commercials, and/or movie productions.  The Label and Publisher then receive and provide the Master and Sync licensing fee payment with the Artist.  The Artist may also receive ongoing mechanical royalties for those uses covering the publishing (song composition) or writer’s share.

FAQ – Mechanical Royalties

Winding Way Records, LLC. can serve as your One-Stop Synchronization Representative (Sync Rep) where we pitch your music works to producers of radio, television, and movie producers and then we accept/answer the Request for Use, Confirmation of Use, negotiate the Master & Sync license agreement and ensure the CUE sheets are registered with the PRO.  We in-turn pay the Artist monies from the Sync fee minus approved fees covered under a separate Music Sync Licensing Agreement and Mechanical License Agreement.  The Winding Way – Artist Advocate split is typically 70/30 with no additional expenses Vs. the industry standard 50/50 plus expenses.

Mechanical License schedule

The rates shown are gross rates, net rates after paying administrative fees and expenses may be lower.

Digital Downloads, CDs and Vinyl records (not streaming)

• $0.124 for songs ≤ 5 minutes long
• 2.39 cents per minute of playing time or fraction > 5 minutes long
• See the 2023 CRB Phonographs Rate info here

• Subscription Based Streaming Services (there are many)
  • Royalty Rates are set by each service
  • Spotify pays less than 0.5 cent per stream! (yes, <1/2 of a cent!)
  • Streaming Hits Bonuses (BMI) are paid to top streaming artists
  • See the list here of current rates

• Napster $0.019 per stream
• Tidal $0.01284 per stream
• Apple Music $0.00783 per stream
• Deezer $0.0064 per stream
• Spotify $0.00437 per stream
• Amazon $0.00402 per stream
• Pandora $0.00133 per stream
• YouTube $0.0.00069 per view

• Webcaster Streaming Services (non-subscription streaming)
  • Royalty rate is set by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB)
  • See the 2023 Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) Webcasters Rate info here.
  • Commercial webcasters is $0.0031 per subscription performance
  • Commercial webcasters is $0.20025 per non-subscription performance.
  • Rights owners receive 50% of the net streaming royalties
  • Featured Artists receive 45% of the net streaming royalties
  • Non-Featured Artists receive 5% of the net streaming royalties

* Rates adjusted to reflect the increases or decreases, if any, in the general price level, as measured by the Consumer Price Index applicable to that rate year, as set forth in the regulations adopted by the Judges’ determination.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is without warranty and provided as guidance.  Mechanical Royalties vary constantly and by country.  This is complicated, consult a publishing professional and attorney before producing and publishing any music.

FAQ – Production Standards

The following production standards are required for all Winding Way Records projects, please contact us if any of these requirements are not understood, or if you are unable to meet them.  Download the Production Standards Guide here.

Recordings

• LogicPro or ProTools Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) required.
• 24 bit, 96k sampling rate or better. (24 bit 48K if approved in advance)
• HRA 32 bit, 192k rate desirable.

Master Recordings Formats

• CDs WAVs at 16 bit 44.1K
• WAVs at native recording (24 bit 96K Preferred)
• Mp3s 192k, 320k sampling (we will ID3 stamp)
• If Hi-Rez Audio (HRA) exists provide 24 bit 192K.
• File naming: Artist Name – Song Title.xxx

Liner Notes

• Artist(s) (singers, instrumentalists)
• Producer credits, Include John Fisher, Executive Producer
• Engineering credits
• Mastering Credits
• Thank you section (thank everyone that touched you and this project)

Lyrics

• Song title, songwriter name (Example “Happy Song by John Doe”)
• Do not include the vocalist’s name, no extra text (ex.”intro”, “verse” “chorus”)
• Repeated lines must be written out. Don’t write “Chorus 2x” etc.
• Begin each line with a capital letter
• Do not use punctuation at the end of a line
• Do not include blank lines except between verses or chorus

Artwork

• We recommend Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop CS
• Provide the project files (all fonts included.)
• Include the Winding Way Records logo on the rear panel and disc face.
• Place our supplied barcode graphic on rear of cover bottom left or right.

CD and Vinyl Artwork

• 300 dpi (dots per inch) (600 dpi is OK but must be in 300 dpi final rendering

Website, Social Media and Digital Releases Artwork

• Facebook Video 1280x720p. Pics 2048 width
• Instagram Square 1080x1080p. Rectangular 1080×566
• Square jpg images
• RGB mode (3000 x 3000 pixel min, 5000 x 5000 pixel preferred.)
• Include front CD cover, insert/inside panes, rear cover, CD face.
• Vinyl front cover, left and right inside panes, rear cover, A side and B side Labels
• Singles need unique artwork, no borders, should have artist name and song title.

Print Artwork File Formats

• Rendered as PDF, TIFF, JPEG, and EPS. (all template masks and guide layers turned off)
• Be certain to include all fonts in your files. All artwork should be CMYK, not RGB.

FAQ – Recording Policies

If you would like to work with us on a project, please read about our recording policies and download our studio contract here.

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) environments are complicated.  We are standardizing our projects to meet the following criteria:

• Project files and audio files at the end of each of the recording session day should be backed-up remotely or copied to a portable drive and  delivered to WWR.
• You must utilize professional recording equipment, use ProTools (Avid),  Logic Pro (Apple) or other mutually agreed upon DAW software to manage the recording project.
• Studios need to utilize templates, create separate project files for each song to streamline setup and uniformity between projects and to save mix/project versions and version bounces during the mixing sessions.  All versions should be retained and delivered to WWR upon completion.
• Studios need to record all audio in 24 bit, 96 k sampling rate or better.  32 bit, 192k rate or higher preferred.  We utilize Hi-Rez Audio standards at Winding Way records, and require all of our studios to use 96K sample rates or better when tracking audio.  We suggest multiples of  48kHz, 96K, 192K,  or higher.  If you do not have this capability, its time to upgrade your interface and computer gear!
• Audio gear needs periodic maintenance. If you are running tube gear or have vintage audio gear – it needs rebuilding.  Dirty pots, dried out caps, and poorly regulated power supplies must go!  Electrical connectors wear out or become dirty and oxidized.  Electrical power can be noisy and unstable. We recommend double-inversion UPS and large transformers to provide clean power – we don’t want that noise so please make sure your gear is in good working order before recording a session for WWR.
• Why do we want these higher resolution?  Most MP video formats today utilize a 24 bit depth 48 kHz sample rate; Up-conversions from 44.1 are not recommended, so we prefer 98k or 192k because they are even multiples of that sample rate, and should have less aliasing distortion on down conversions. This sample rate preference is important in master/sync deals!
• Our Hi-Rez Audio (HRA) distributors want Free Lossless Audio Codecs (FLAC) for audiophile consumption. They start at 96K, and prefer 192K.  Finally, CDs are at 44.1 Khz, so down-converting WAVs at 48K is doable with proper gear or software and with little or no audible detriment.  Dithering issues when going from higher bit orders to lower (32 bit to 24 bit) should be kept in check.

Theory check

One of the prevailing ideas in the industry is that 44.1 kHz is adequate because it satisfies the Nyquist rule of sampling at a rate of at least 2x the highest frequency signal in the recorded program.  This is misleading information.

The Nyquist sampling theorem assumes that the sampled signal is a steady-state signal (wave cycles repeat continuously), and as such sampling at twice the audible range of 22 kHz should suffice. This is not the case of dynamic audio, or multi-channel mixes, especially when some instrument’s waves are short duration and have significant timbre.

Wave reproduction and music reproduction are not mutually exclusive as some argue.  It is fact that psychoacoustics play a big role in perception of music. This field of study made the mp2 and mp3 compression algorithms possible, but like any theory, process, or algorithm they rely on a premise that most people have the same audio perception – just not true!

In our opinion, It is impossible to accurately reproduce music that is anything but a perfect sine-wave with a 44.1 kHz sampling rate and still retain the wave shape and the original audible sound without reliance on transformers, low pass filtering, etc. to smooth the samples, so please embrace the higher 96k, 192k and even 320k rates!

If you have questions about our recording policies, feel free to contact us!

FAQ – Social Media

Social Media plays a significant role in the life and success of a singer-songwriter or band.  Social Media is just one tool of many in getting you and your music in front of people, gaining fans and staying connected to a fan base.

Winding Way Records can help with your social media campaigns, but if we don’t sign you we recommend you do the following:

Social Media Campaigns Work Best if you:

1. Create a Facebook page (An Artist Page. Learn FB Business Suite)
2. Create an Instagram account (Link to your Artist FB Page)
3. Create a TikTok account  (Link to Insta- it will upload as a Reel)
4. Create a Twitter account (Post as many times a day as you can)
5. Post Often (daily is best, twice a day on TikTok if you can)
6. Use a variety of hashtags (At least 5, three on topic, two + trending)
7. Video Content is King (Casual, unscripted is fine. Canva video editor.
8. Include interesting and compelling pics (pics from performances best)
9. Always link to your website (On FB & Twitter links are clickable in posts, On Insta links are only clickable on stories (use sticker, link)
10. Add your linktree or website link in your bio on Insta & TikTok
11. Hide the trolls, ban the ugly words, delete BS comments.
12. Boost your show posts and new music posts
13. If boosting, add a button to streaming or ticket page.

For gigs, Always post:

1. Ticket sales (link if available)
2. Time, day of week, and the date of the show
3. Post in advance, the month, week, day, and the hour before the gig.
4. The location (Use built in location function on platforms)
5. Include @Tag the venue on IG, FB and Tiktok etc.
6. Hash Tag # the venue, genre, and other trending tags.
7. Make sure to add a Google Map link on your website.
8. Make sure to include parking info.
9. Support other artists on the bill (tag them, link to their pages, etc)
10. Image of venue (you on the stage if you have it)

For Youtube Videos:

1. Claim/Create your YouTube Channel and name it your Artist Name
2. Include a great photo
3. Link to your website and social media
4. Include a background or banner image
5. Include hashtags on all your video posts
6. Videos should have an eye catching thumbnail
7. Engage the viewer – ask them to share the video, or answer a question
8. Post Weekly (live-like, smartphone grade, un-produced)
9. Post Monthly (produced – some editing and pro-audio)
10. Post Announcements and news videos
11. Post original music and cover* performances

Offer private streams to your fans, Patreon is a good option

* Credits must be included. Name author of the song. Ad revenue will go to rights owner – not you!

FAQ – Vinyl Records

Any recording can be distributed on vinyl records but some additional steps are required.

1. Audio Mastering – A separate master recording should be produced if you plan to distribute on vinyl.  Two wav files are created, one for the A side, one for the B side.  A 12″ vinyl record at 33 1/3 rpm has a 22 minute per side run time, so you are limited to 44 minutes total on a 12″ LP record.
2. Art work – For vinyl record jackets, labels, sleeves and inserts are designed.  Artwork, photography, song titles, lyrics, credits, color and B/W are all part of the process.
3. Lacquer Masters – Made by cutting lacquer on a cutting lathe from the mastered audio tracks.  These form the basis for the mother daughter stampers.
4. Metal Stamper – The lacquer master is then sprayed with tin chloride and silver, then nickle plated.  The stamper can be used to press 2000- 3000 vinyl records.
5. Test Pressing – Once the metal stampers are made, the vinyl test pressing is done.  Generally the vinyl A and B sides are pressed onto two separate vinyl records. The test pressing is the last check before the record is mass produced.
6. Pressing – Once the test pressing has been listened to and verified, the pressing starts.
7. Packaging – The jackets are loaded with the record in a sleeve, inserts are added, and the entire album is shrink wrapped.  Promotional labels and bar code stickers are added.
8. Distribution – Vinyl can’t be downloaded 🙂  traditional brick and mortar distribution, and clicks and mortar distribution is required.

Winding Way Records is able to have your music produced, pressed to vinyl record albums, and distributed to a network of up to 800 record stores nationwide.

In 2016, vinyl record sales outpaced on-demand, ad supported streaming services at $416 Million; a new 28 year high, or about 8% of total music revenue from all sources.  2018 was even better! The fans have fun spinning records, they get a tangible piece of art, and the Artists gets paid.

We are happy to support the following pressers:

• Erika Records
• Standard Vinyl
• Gotta Groove Records
• Microforum Vinyl
• United Record Pressing

Delays can occur when pressing vinyl records depending on production needs.

FAQ- Cover Songs and Mechanical Rights

Recording a cover song (remake) requires that the Artist clear the song(s) by obtaining a Limited Mechanical License to record and release the remakes under the US Copyright Act 115.   Assuming their author(s), aka rights owners, or their assigns (publishers), are still in existence, you will need to secure a Limited Mechanical License.  This can be done in one of two ways:

1. Request a voluntary Limited Mechanical License for a fixed number of CDs, vinyl, or permanent downloads from the publisher in writing, and agree to pay the appropriate license fees upfront.
2. Serve a Notice of Intention (NOI) to use the music works under the compulsory Mechanical Licensing provisions of the act, and pay royalties to the rights owner on a monthly basis with a statement.

The Copyright Office does have a provision under Act 115 that if the author or publisher is no longer reachable by mail, phone or email, a Notice of Intention for Compulsory Use may be filed directly with the Copyright Office for publication, and the royalties are held in escrow for two years.  The online filing fee is currently $65! See rate sheet here.

Old songs and recordings may be public domain (PD) once the statutory time has been reached. The Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) of 1998 set the following terms for Copyrighted Works:

• Individual’s Life of the last remaining artist plus 70 years
• Corporate Authorship is 120 years after creation or 95 years after publication (whichever is shorter)
• Works published before January 1, 1978 are protected for 95 years from their publication date.

  Works made in 1923 or afterwards will not enter the public domain until 2019 or after

Unfortunately, if you do not issue the NOI and secure the license for a non-PD song from a rights owner, then you can not record and release the song in any form without risk of being sued.

Steps:

• Assuming sheet music was used to learn and play the songs, a thorough copyright search is needed.
• If copyrights exist, licensing from the copyright owner is required.  The copyright office search must be performed.
• Perform a public domain (PD) search
• Performance Rights Organization (PRO) registration searches must be done:
  • ASCAP Repertory Search
  • BMI Repertory Search
  • SESAC Repertory Search
• License each song (right granted from author, publisher, or label)
  • A Notice of Intent (NOI) document served on copyright owners in order to comply with Compulsory Licensing under Section 115 of the Copyright Act, or
  • Negotiate a  Voluntary License with the right’s owner or publisher for a negotiated rate and terms, or
  • Request A voluntary Limited Mechanical License for a fixed number of mechanicals and pre-pay for the fixed number of licensed units rather than report monthly sales.
  • Do pay the Rights’s Owner or publisher mechanical license royalties in any case.
• Record, engineer, and master the recordings
• Assignment using ISRC and UPC codes.
• Distribute as CD’s, vinyl records, and digital downloads
• Register the remake cover song with a PRO so you can also receive royalties.

Once these clearances are successfully completed, you can lawfully record the cover songs.  Once recorded, engineered and mastered,  register the new music works (songs) on a PRO (We are affiliated with ASCAP and BMI).

Winding Way Music publishing can provide any or all of these services for a reasonable fee under a Publishing, Producers and Master and Sync Representation agreements.

When you distribute as CDs, vinyl (yes vinyl) or digital downloads, Mechanical Royalties are paid to the original author of the song.  The new artist(s) and their label share the net revenue on the distribution and sales of the recordings after deducting processing  fees and the License royalties paid to the original rights holder.

As the creator of the new cover song master you too are entitled to receive Mechanical Royalties from the use of the new recording.

FAQ-Music Video Process

Our process for music video production, download here.

Development

The first stage in which the ideas for the music video are created, rights are decided.

• Style – Is the video a simple lyric video, studio video, lip-sync video, documentary or dramatic.
• Synopsis  –  short description of music video including the figurative or literal components.
• Scriptment  – scenes and shots written out with explanatory notes.
• Treatment  –  description of the story, its mood, and characters.

Pre-production

Arrangements and preparations are made for the shoot, casting and production team, selecting locations or constructing sets if needed.

• Story board – sketches of the scenes
• Choreography – all timings and movements of actors and subjects, dance routines etc.
• Production Style (fixed cameras, steady cams, hand held, booms and aerial shots.
• Location, time of day , conditions

Production

The raw footage and other elements for the video are recorded during the video shoot.

• Location scheduling
• Choice of Cameras and lenses
• Lighting
• Shooting video
• Shooting images

Post-production

The images, video, sound, and visual effects are edited and combined into a finished product.

• Cutting scenes
• Syncing
• Editing
• Light balance
• Effects
• Credits
• Review
• Creation of trailer promos

FAQ – Making Money

How do artists make money?

Artists typically receive public performance royalties from Public Performance Royalty Companies (PROs) and those firms are tasked with collecting royalty payments from radio, television, streaming services and other public use of their music at nightclubs and concert halls (played or covered) that are then shared with the artist. The big PRO firms are ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESAC.

Artists make money from Mechanical Royalty payments from Record Labels that provide the artist payments based on the number of units sold when a record is in mechanical form (CDs, Download, etc). The payment rate is determined by the Copyright Royalty Board as a Stat rate (9.1 Cents per song per record sold for songs 5 minutes or shorter) .  Streaming services royalty rates vary;  Spotify’s royalty payment rate to the artist is 10.5% of gross income less what royalty payment the service pays to the PROs or about 6%, this changes over time.

Artists also make money from Master and Synchronization (Sync) fees from a Synchronization Representative (Sync Rep) who in turn works with producers of radio, television and movies that pay the artist for the exclusive or non-exclusive use of their Music Works and/or Sound Recording . The term Sync means synchronization of the sound recording with the existing audio, video or film. The artist also receives mechanical royalties for those uses covering the publishing (song composition) or writer’s share.

FAQ – Digital Distribution

Digital Distribution is a big part of the industry so it is important to understand the terminology and best practices.

First, digital distribution falls into two main categories – Streaming and Permanent Digital Download (PDD).

Streaming services are Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, Napster, iHeartRadio, ClaroMusica, Saavn, Anghami, KKBox, MediaNet, etc.  They pay royalties to the artist/label  based on the number of streams each song gets.  These rates vary widely but average is about $1,300 per 1 million streams.  The streaming royalties are subject to fees and expenses so they may actually be lower.

Playlist Curators on streaming platforms are important to success  because they present music to their listeners.  It is crucial to submit your unreleased music to the curators 6-12 weeks ahead of the music release to give them time to listen and decide if they want to add your songs to their playlists.

Permanent Digital Download stores like iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Music sell the music at a fixed price per song (typically $0.99 or $1.29) and share the net revenue (after fee reduction) with the artist/label.  It is crucial to advertise the release of new music on PDD sites and draw attention to new artists, albums and single releases.

**Digital distribution is also used in promotion of new music to radio station DJs and Program Directors (PDs), Bloggers and Podcasters. Promotional distribution should occur 8-16 weeks ahead of any release.  This distribution is done through email and messaging directly using links to files hosted on dedicated servers.

Winding Way Records offers all of these services with appropriate and  timely promotion

FAQ – Getting Signed – Secrets

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How to get signed?

The best way to “get signed” is to be seen during a live performance; our favorite artists sound good not only in recordings but on stage too.  Our A&R reps regularly scout venues in the Philly region and other major cities looking for talent, but feel free to invite us to your show if you are playing in the area and would like us to see you.  We also attend festivals, and accept demos and full EP recordings for consideration. Your can submit your tunes here, or on our Submithub.

What does it take to get signed?

Talent, hard work, live performances, and consistency are really important but having fun goes a long way. Fans feel the energy you bring and positive energy brings more fans. We look for talented singer-songwriters who are in-love with their craft and enjoy what they do. Its ok to have a down day but picking yourself up on the next is what makes it work. Professionalism is important too, especially showing up, delivering and being reliable helps. Don’t worry, you probably have what it takes, if the time is right it will happen. Don’t worry about being amazing, we look for growth!

About Record Label Contracts – What does it mean to be signed?

Being signed generally means that the artist and record label sign a contract  governing the terms of their relationship.  You can download our Terms Sheet here. Getting signed means you have a partner, it means you will have a professional strategy put into place. It might mean you and the team work even harder but if all goes well the result will be bigger than the sum of the parts.

What are some of the legal agreements used in the music industry?

There are many legal agreements that artists might sign when working with Record Labels or Publishers.  Some of these agreements are:

• Recording Contract (record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between the record label and a singer songwriter or band.  This contract facilitates making the record(s) for the label to sell and promote.  The contract forms a partnership that makes the artist exclusive to the label.
• Work Made for Hire Agreement – This agreement between a session musician and Label for a recorded performance “Sound Recordings”.  The musician is compensated in exchange for the ownership rights under the US Copyright Laws.
• Artist Manager Agreement – This agreement between the singer-songwriter, musician or band and a Manager sets the terms, expectations and obligations for the manager and artist(s).
• Sync Rep Agreement – This agreement grants permission to a  Sync Rep to promote music works and to negotiate sync deals on behalf of the artist for use in a Radio show, TV show,commercial, or motion picture.
• Master and Sync License – These agreements are negotiated and signed by a Sync rep on behalf of the artist to set the terms and payment for the use of the artist’s music in a Radio show, TV show, commercial, or motion picture.
• Co-writer Agreement – This agreement is used when the lyrics and composition known as “Music Works” is created by more than one signer-songwriter.
• Producer Agreement – This agreement is between the singer-songwriter and a producer that will help the singer-songwriter produce a music works and sound recording.  The agreement sets the term and compensation to the producer for their contribution to the project.
• Mechanical License Agreement – This agreement licenses non-exclusive Mechanical rights of the Master Recording to a Label or Publisher so that the recording can be distributed to the public or licensed to a third party as part of a “One -Stop” Master & Sync Deal.
• Exclusive Mechanical License Agreement – This agreement licenses exclusive Mechanical rights of the Master Recording to a Label or Publisher so that the recording can be distributed to the public or licensed to a third party as part of a “One -Stop” Master & Sync Deal.  This is essentially a retroactive record deal.
• Merchandising Agreements – These agreements set the terms between the artist, the label, the graphic artists, designers, manufacturers and distributors of merchandise in support of the artist or band.
• Performance Agreements  – Set the terms, conditions, expectations and compensation with and between the artist(s) and venues such as clubs and larger shows and their promoters.

FAQ – Label and Artist Partnership

Winding Way Records, LLC is an Artist Advocate;  we partner with the artist to help them be commercially successful.  The roles and responsibilities help make this partnership successful.  As partners we expect that you will be part of the success so we provide complimentary services to your roles.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is without warranty and provided to help explain the process only. Music rights licensing is complicated, consult a publishing professional and attorney before producing and publishing any music.