Writer's Split Sheet Example
Among the secrets to a successful co-write is
not just about writing and rewriting the song.
It's about taking care of business, too.
not just about writing and rewriting the song.
It's about taking care of business, too.
Congratulations! You've found yourself writing a song with a co-writer (or several)!
One of the ways to prevent or curtail problems in the future is
establishing who owns what portion of the song.
A Writer's Split Sheet will help.
There are many different ways to draft a Writer's Split Sheet,
so it is highly recommended that you seek the advice and counsel of a qualified
legal representative, ideally a lawyer who specializes in Music Law.
Below is an example of a typical Writer's Split Sheet.
One of the ways to prevent or curtail problems in the future is
establishing who owns what portion of the song.
A Writer's Split Sheet will help.
There are many different ways to draft a Writer's Split Sheet,
so it is highly recommended that you seek the advice and counsel of a qualified
legal representative, ideally a lawyer who specializes in Music Law.
Below is an example of a typical Writer's Split Sheet.
However, before writing, it's a good idea to have an upfront discussion
with all your co-writers and collaborators about:
with all your co-writers and collaborators about:
- What is the purpose of the song? Is it to pitch to a music publisher, artist, or Film/TV opportunity?
- Does everyone agree to get feedback on the song, if necessary? If there's a cost for feedback, who will pay?
- How will you all agree when the song is finished and ready to be recorded?
- Will the song be demoed to pitch to a music publisher, or does it need to be "broadcast quality" for Film/TV?
- Is there an agreed-upon deadline of when to record the song, and who will be at the session(s)?
- Who will type up the lyric sheet and create a chord chart (if these are even necessary)?
- Who will sing and play on the (demo and/or master) recording, and is the talent up to professional standards?
- Who will pay the costs for the recording, and will these costs be shared equally?
- Who will communicate to the producer, artist, and musicians about the grooves and style of the song?
- Who will own the master recordings? (Usually, this is the person who owns the studio and/or records the song)
- Is everyone in agreement about whether the song needs to be mixed and mastered? Does it need to be?
- Who will pay for the costs if the producer/studio does not do mixing and mastering?
- Who will be pitching the song? Will it be pitched to music publishers, recording artists, or sync agencies?
- Who will be the coordinator making certain all the paperwork will be signed, copied, and distributed?
- Who will be responsible for registering the song with the PROs, MLC, SoundExchange, and the Copyright Office?
- Who will make sure the music/mp3s are labeled and tagged with metadata before sending it out for opportunities?
- Who has connections to where the song should go (such as directly to a publisher, pitch service, etc.)?
- Who will be the "go-to" or liaison person who answers phone calls and follows up with emails?
- Does everyone agree to get feedback on the song, if necessary? If there's a cost for feedback, who will pay?
- How will you all agree when the song is finished and ready to be recorded?
- Will the song be demoed to pitch to a music publisher, or does it need to be "broadcast quality" for Film/TV?
- Is there an agreed-upon deadline of when to record the song, and who will be at the session(s)?
- Who will type up the lyric sheet and create a chord chart (if these are even necessary)?
- Who will sing and play on the (demo and/or master) recording, and is the talent up to professional standards?
- Who will pay the costs for the recording, and will these costs be shared equally?
- Who will communicate to the producer, artist, and musicians about the grooves and style of the song?
- Who will own the master recordings? (Usually, this is the person who owns the studio and/or records the song)
- Is everyone in agreement about whether the song needs to be mixed and mastered? Does it need to be?
- Who will pay for the costs if the producer/studio does not do mixing and mastering?
- Who will be pitching the song? Will it be pitched to music publishers, recording artists, or sync agencies?
- Who will be the coordinator making certain all the paperwork will be signed, copied, and distributed?
- Who will be responsible for registering the song with the PROs, MLC, SoundExchange, and the Copyright Office?
- Who will make sure the music/mp3s are labeled and tagged with metadata before sending it out for opportunities?
- Who has connections to where the song should go (such as directly to a publisher, pitch service, etc.)?
- Who will be the "go-to" or liaison person who answers phone calls and follows up with emails?
Many of the above duties are necessary but tedious and can take as much time,
effort, knowledge, money, and resources as it does to write and rewrite the song!
It's part of the music business; yet, unknowing songwriters don't consider
these important steps before going into a co-writing session.
This separates the professional songwriter from the amateur or hobbyist.
When each songwriter has had not only a creative role, but a business role in the song,
chances are the song (and the songwriters) will succeed because each person has
a common goal, a mutual understanding of the possible outcome, and something at stake.
Answering all of the above questions honestly,
either before or immediately after writing and finishing a song,
will (hopefully) prevent entanglements, bruised egos, someone getting stuck with a bill,
and other obstacles that can sour relationships and keep a great song from being heard.
effort, knowledge, money, and resources as it does to write and rewrite the song!
It's part of the music business; yet, unknowing songwriters don't consider
these important steps before going into a co-writing session.
This separates the professional songwriter from the amateur or hobbyist.
When each songwriter has had not only a creative role, but a business role in the song,
chances are the song (and the songwriters) will succeed because each person has
a common goal, a mutual understanding of the possible outcome, and something at stake.
Answering all of the above questions honestly,
either before or immediately after writing and finishing a song,
will (hopefully) prevent entanglements, bruised egos, someone getting stuck with a bill,
and other obstacles that can sour relationships and keep a great song from being heard.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Single Song Writer's Split Agreement - Example
This Agreement will confirm that we, the sole writers of the composition listed below, hereby agree between ourselves to the following writers’ divisions:
SONG TITLE: BEST SONG EVER
WRITER NAME: SPLIT %: PRO: PUBLISHING COMPANY:
Susan Songwriter 33.3 BMI Song Girl Publishing Co.
Craig Composer 33.3 SESAC Slick Publishing Co.
Lydia Lyricist 33.3 ASCAP Great Lyrics Publishing Co.
Year in which above-titled song was completed: _______ /______ / 20??
(month / day / year)
We hereby represent and warrant that there are no samples contained in the above-titled composition. Each writer is granted permission to engage the song in synch placement licensing. The above-mentioned song was written, performed, and produced by the writers signed below. No work-for-hire or additional talent/musicians were used on this song and on this recording.
Administration and Contact Person is Ms. Lydia Lyricist at (800) 555-SONG / Email: Lydia@LydiaLyricist.com / Website: www.LydiaLyricist.com / Mail: Great Lyrics Publishing Co., Attn: Ms. Lydia Lyricist, P.O. Box 1001, Songland, CA 90210 USA.
Your signature below will indicate your agreement of the above.
READ AND AGREED:
X_________________________________ / PRINT NAME: Susan Songwriter DATE:__________________
X_________________________________ / PRINT NAME: Craig Composer DATE:__________________
X_________________________________ / PRINT NAME: Lydia Lyricist DATE:__________________
SONG TITLE: BEST SONG EVER
WRITER NAME: SPLIT %: PRO: PUBLISHING COMPANY:
Susan Songwriter 33.3 BMI Song Girl Publishing Co.
Craig Composer 33.3 SESAC Slick Publishing Co.
Lydia Lyricist 33.3 ASCAP Great Lyrics Publishing Co.
Year in which above-titled song was completed: _______ /______ / 20??
(month / day / year)
We hereby represent and warrant that there are no samples contained in the above-titled composition. Each writer is granted permission to engage the song in synch placement licensing. The above-mentioned song was written, performed, and produced by the writers signed below. No work-for-hire or additional talent/musicians were used on this song and on this recording.
Administration and Contact Person is Ms. Lydia Lyricist at (800) 555-SONG / Email: Lydia@LydiaLyricist.com / Website: www.LydiaLyricist.com / Mail: Great Lyrics Publishing Co., Attn: Ms. Lydia Lyricist, P.O. Box 1001, Songland, CA 90210 USA.
Your signature below will indicate your agreement of the above.
READ AND AGREED:
X_________________________________ / PRINT NAME: Susan Songwriter DATE:__________________
X_________________________________ / PRINT NAME: Craig Composer DATE:__________________
X_________________________________ / PRINT NAME: Lydia Lyricist DATE:__________________
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT SONG SPLITS:
Customarily, in Nashville, ownership of the finished song is split (divided) evenly among the songwriters. So, for two writers, the split would be 50/50, or 50% each. For three writers it's 33.3% each. For four writers, it's 25% each, and so forth. It does not matter who wrote the lyrics (or number of words), chords, melody, chorus, bridge, or who came up with the hooks, guitar lick, or groove. What matters (usually) is the number of people who contributed to the song in the writing session and in the process until that song is finished.
However, this is not always the case. In other circles, the producer, artist, topliner, recording musicians, and beat maker may all want to negotiate a percentage of the song split, even if they weren't involved in the actual writing session. Be sure you know and understand what the splits are before doing anything with the song. Get these splits in writing, signed and dated, and make copies.
Once a split sheet is signed, the split percentages cannot be changed unless everyone agrees to the changes. A new split sheet would need to be signed and dated. Obviously, if the song is signed to a sync company or music publisher, the publisher will likely take all or a portion of the publishing share, but the songwriters' splits should remain the same.
Also, if there is NO signed and dated split sheet (or contract or agreement) specifically tied to the song, the song's ownership/copyright is, by law, deemed to be split equally among the songwriters, unless proven otherwise. It gets complicated! Again, have a conversation with all of your co-writers, collaborators, and music attorney. And sign that split sheet.
Customarily, in Nashville, ownership of the finished song is split (divided) evenly among the songwriters. So, for two writers, the split would be 50/50, or 50% each. For three writers it's 33.3% each. For four writers, it's 25% each, and so forth. It does not matter who wrote the lyrics (or number of words), chords, melody, chorus, bridge, or who came up with the hooks, guitar lick, or groove. What matters (usually) is the number of people who contributed to the song in the writing session and in the process until that song is finished.
However, this is not always the case. In other circles, the producer, artist, topliner, recording musicians, and beat maker may all want to negotiate a percentage of the song split, even if they weren't involved in the actual writing session. Be sure you know and understand what the splits are before doing anything with the song. Get these splits in writing, signed and dated, and make copies.
Once a split sheet is signed, the split percentages cannot be changed unless everyone agrees to the changes. A new split sheet would need to be signed and dated. Obviously, if the song is signed to a sync company or music publisher, the publisher will likely take all or a portion of the publishing share, but the songwriters' splits should remain the same.
Also, if there is NO signed and dated split sheet (or contract or agreement) specifically tied to the song, the song's ownership/copyright is, by law, deemed to be split equally among the songwriters, unless proven otherwise. It gets complicated! Again, have a conversation with all of your co-writers, collaborators, and music attorney. And sign that split sheet.