PMApub / Artist guides

How to Get Your Music Ready for Sync Licensing

By PMApub Academy · Last reviewed 2026-10-13 · About 8 min read

What sync licensing actually is

Sync, short for synchronization, is when music is paired with visuals: a TV episode, a film, an ad, a trailer, a game, an online video or a brand's social campaign. Because the music is locked to the picture, the people making the production need permission from whoever owns the music.

That permission is a license, and the fee is usually negotiated for each use. It can depend on how the music is used, how long, in what media, in which territories and for how long. There is no standard price list you can rely on, so be wary of anyone who promises one.

Sync is separate from the other ways you can earn from music. Streaming royalties, performance royalties and mechanical royalties flow through their own systems. If you want a refresher on how those pieces fit, see our lessons on PROs and the MLC. The MLC handles mechanical royalties for U.S. digital streaming and downloads, so it is not where sync deals happen. Sync is arranged directly with the rights holders or through someone who represents them.

It also is not a shortcut to a career. Think of it as one possible income stream that rewards organized, well-prepared artists, not a lottery ticket.

Two copyrights, two permissions

Here is the idea that unlocks most of sync: every finished song usually involves two separate copyrights.

• The master (sound recording): the specific recording, the performance and production captured in the file.
• The composition (musical work): the underlying melody and lyrics, which exist independently of any one recording.

The U.S. Copyright Office treats these as separate works, and the recording copyright does not cover the underlying music and lyrics. If you want the deeper version, read songwriting vs. master copyrights.

A production that wants to use your recording as it is generally needs two licenses: a master use license from whoever controls the recording, and a sync license from whoever controls the composition. If the same person or company controls both, the production can often clear the song in one conversation.

If you wrote it, recorded it and released it yourself, you may control both sides. If you co-wrote it, used a producer's beat, or signed a publishing or label deal, it gets more complicated. Our lesson on writer and publisher splits will help you sort out who owns what before anyone asks.

Be a one-stop: make clearance easy

Supervisors work under tight deadlines. A song that requires six emails to figure out who owns it will often lose to a song that can be cleared in one.

A one-stop is a song where one party can approve both the master and the composition, quickly. You can make your songs one-stop friendly by doing this homework:

1. List every contributor to each song: writers, co-writers, producers, featured artists, session players, mixers.
2. Write down the split for both composition and master, and get every collaborator to confirm it in writing. A simple signed split sheet is a start.
3. Confirm who can approve a license. If a co-writer has to sign off on every deal, say so, and agree in advance how quick decisions are made.
4. Check any work-for-hire or producer agreements that could affect ownership or approval rights.
5. Confirm there are no unlicensed elements in the track: samples, loops, vocals, plugins presets with usage restrictions.
6. Check your publishing and distribution status. If you have a publisher, administrator or label, find out who controls sync. Our lesson on publishing administrators explains how that works.

Keep all of this in one folder with the songs. Being easy to clear is a real advantage.

Prepare your files: versions, stems and metadata

Editors rarely use a song exactly as released. They cut it down, pull the vocals out or lay it under dialogue. If you give them what they need up front, you save everyone time.

Versions to prepare

• Full mix (the release version).
• Instrumental with no lead vocal.
• Clean version if the full mix has explicit lyrics.
• TV or no-lead mix that keeps backing vocals but removes the lead, if it works for the song.
• Shorter edits such as 30-second and 60-second cuts, if they cut naturally.
• Stems: separate groups like drums, bass, music, vocals, so an editor can adjust the balance.

Export at the same sample rate and bit depth you mixed at, as high-quality WAV files, and label them clearly. A consistent file naming system, such as ArtistName_SongTitle_Instrumental.wav, will prevent confusion.

Metadata

Embed the basics in each file or keep them in a spreadsheet: song title, artist, writers, publishers, split percentages, PRO affiliation, ISRC for the recording, ISWC for the composition if you have one, tempo, key, genre, mood and a short description. Also note whether the lyrics contain explicit language or sensitive topics. Our guide to essential release metadata lists what to track.

Finally, make sure your lyrics are available as a text document. Supervisors often search by theme and need to check the words quickly.

Samples, PROs and cue sheets

Samples and loops

If your track includes a sample from another record, it generally needs clearance from both the recording owner and the composition owner, and that can make the track hard to license. Royalty-free loops usually come with terms; read yours to make sure sync use is allowed and that the license does not prevent you from licensing the track to others. If you are unsure, keep a clean, sample-free version in your catalog for sync.

Join a PRO and register your songs

When a sync placement airs on television or other broadcast media, performance royalties can be generated, and a PRO collects them for writers and publishers. Register as a writer, and register your works so they can be matched. If you need the basics, see what a PRO is and our royalties setup checklist.

What a cue sheet is

A cue sheet is an official log of all the music used in a production. BMI explains that production companies prepare and submit cue sheets, and that a cue sheet includes things like the title of the series or film, the song or cue title, the composer, publisher and performing rights society, plus the duration and type of use. PROs use it to track music in film and television so writers and publishers can be paid.

What can you do? Make sure your song title, writers and shares are consistent everywhere, and give the production your correct information at the time of licensing. If you ever notice a placement that does not show up in your PRO account, ask the production and your PRO. A mismatch in a title or a missing writer name is the usual cause.

How supervisors find music, and where libraries fit

Music supervisors and editors look for songs through many channels: direct pitches, publishers and labels, sync agents, music libraries, online catalogs and word of mouth. Searches are usually practical: genre, mood, tempo, instrumentation, lyrical theme, and whether the song is available as an instrumental or can be cleared fast.

That is why your descriptions matter. Tag each song honestly with the real mood and genre, a few theme words and a one-line summary. Over-tagging with every trending keyword just wastes people's time.

Music libraries: read the contract

Libraries and sync agencies pitch music for you in exchange for a share of the license fee, and some work with up-front fees. Before you sign anything, understand these basics:

• Exclusive vs. non-exclusive. An exclusive deal generally means only that company can license the track for the term, which can block you from placing it elsewhere, including pitching it yourself. A non-exclusive deal lets you work with others.
• Term and territory. How long does the agreement last, and does it cover the entire world?
• Ownership and publishing. Are you assigning copyright or a share of publishing, or only licensing the right to pitch the track? What happens to your writer share?
• Fees and splits. Is there an upfront fee, and how are license fees divided?
• Content ID. Check how the library handles YouTube Content ID claims, so your own uploads do not get claimed by a library's registration.
• Exit terms. Can you remove songs, and what happens to existing licenses?

Consider asking a music attorney to read any contract before signing. Beware of anyone who guarantees placements or charges high fees for promised access.

Realistic expectations and common mistakes

Sync is competitive. A single song can sit in a catalog for a long time, and nobody can promise placements or income. Many artists treat sync as a long-term catalog play: build a body of professional, well-documented, easy-to-clear songs, pitch consistently and keep making new music.

Also keep in mind that placements range widely. Some uses, such as small online productions, may pay modestly, while others pay more. Treat any fee as negotiable and specific to the use, and check current practices rather than relying on rumor.

Common mistakes

• Unknown ownership. Not knowing who co-wrote or who owns the master stalls a deal fast.
• Uncleared samples or loops hidden in the track.
• No instrumentals or stems when an editor asks.
• Messy metadata with mismatched titles or writer names across files, distributors and PRO accounts.
• Signing exclusive deals without reading and then being unable to place the song elsewhere.
• Pitching everything. A focused set of your strongest, best-fitting songs beats a data dump.
• Ignoring your PRO registration so performance royalties from placements go uncollected.
• Expecting speed. Responses can take weeks or never come.

If you want to organize your pitch materials, tools like ReleaseReady can help you assemble an EPK and smart pages. Use whatever keeps your catalog easy to review.

Your next 3 moves

1. Audit your five strongest songs. For each, write down every contributor, ownership split, samples used and who can approve a license.
2. Build a sync folder: full mix, instrumental, clean version if needed, stems, lyrics and a one-page metadata sheet for each song.
3. Confirm your registrations: PRO membership, work registrations, and consistent titles and writer names across your distributor and PRO accounts. Read our royalties setup checklist to be sure nothing is missing.

Then start with a small number of targeted pitches, and keep notes on what you send and where. Policies, fees and industry practices change, so verify current terms for any company you work with.