Apr 1, 2020
If you’ve ever licensed a song from Soundstripe for use in cable television or film, you probably noticed that we ask you to fill out a cue sheet.
Similar to call sheets and storyboards, these simple documents are super important for a couple of reasons.
First, they help us track which songs are being used in film or TV. These mediums don’t have vast databases of songs that are tracked by algorithms like YouTube or Facebook. So without cue sheets, we can’t document when a Soundstripe track is used.
Second, cue sheets help us collect royalties when our artists’ music is used in TV or film. “Wait, isn’t Soundstripe’s music royalty free?”
Yes, it is for you, the creators. But broadcast platforms are legally obligated to pay for publicly performing copyrighted music in their content.
By collecting these royalties, we can better compensate our artists who write, compose, and record the stellar music you hear in our library.
But to get the royalties that help support Soundstripe and our artists, we need your help. The only way for us to know when one of our songs is used is for you to fill out and submit a cue sheet every time you plan on using our song in your next amazing TV advertisement, show, groundbreaking film, or other broadcast video production.
Here's a quick walk-through:
Step 1: Add a Project Title
When downloading a song, you'll notice a checkbox asking if you will be using the song for film or TV broadcast. If you are, please check this and enter the project title. Please be specific about the title of your project. The same title you use here needs to match the title on the cue sheet. For example, if it’s for a TV show, please include the episode number and title.
Step 2: Download Your Cue Sheet
Your download history is where you will find all the cue sheet information you'll need. Find the song you need to submit a cue sheet for and select the dotted button towards the right. This will pop up a few options. Select "Cue Sheets".
Selecting the Cue Sheets option should open a pop-up window.
This is where you can download all the documentation you'll need
- A copyright info sheet that has the information (song name, writer, publisher, etc.) that you need to fill out the cue sheet
- A cue sheet template if you need help getting started
Step 3: Submit Your Cue Sheet
Now, all you’ve got to do is fill out the relevant cue sheet and email it to broadcast@soundstripe.com.
If you listen closely, you can hear the entire Soundstripe music team cheering for you.
Using the Same Song in More Than One Project
If you want to use the same song in different projects, you need to fill out a new cue sheet for each project.
So if you want to use the same song for different advertisements, each advertisement requires a different cue sheet. The same goes for using one song in the opening or closing sequence of two different episodes of the same show.
And that’s it. You did it. Great job!
If you have any questions, hit us up on live chat or email us at help@soundstripe.com.