Frequently Asked Questions
For Clients
For Composers
For Clients
- I'm not familiar with Music Licensing. What is it? Why do I need it? And what's with the ducks?
Let's start with the basics. The Ducks are part of our name. There are a million of them and we represent them all. Moving along, let's discuss Music Licensing 101. Say you need a song for a commercial, radio spot, a parade, etc. Depending on the use of the song (unless your blasting it out of your car or some mp3 playing device) the composer of the song still has rights to it. By licensing the song you are being given legal permission to use the song for _________ (fill in the blank). It goes back to the grade school rule "ask before you use".
- Got it. So why do we need to use your service to ask permission? Can't we just email the songwriter/publisher directly? Why go through a Million Ducks?
Good question. Better Answer: Million Ducks gives you a license to use great music to entertain your customers, enhance your commercials, power up your performances without having to contact every single songwriter, participant, composer of the song(s) you wish to use. Unless you have the time to send 25 e-mails, 4 handwritten letters, 18 faxes, and 1 carrier pigeon… Why not go through a Million Ducks and take care of your license(s) in one fell swoop.
- Where do you get your music?
Once upon a time we carefully screened every piece of music we received to ensure we only selected the best of the best of the best. How do we do this you ask? (You did ask, trust us) We base our search on the quality, versatility and accessibility of the song. On occasion, we request music from an elite group of award winning artists and composers to expand our continuously growing catalog (We don't just know ducks, we know people.)
- Why is the sound a little distorted on most of the previews?
We lower the bitrate a bit for the previews. But rest assure that you will get the song in full quality when you download it. If you are not satisfied with the quality you will get your money back.
- Ok. Let's talk Bucks. How much?
Our prices are based on industry standards and may range from $30 to $30,000. Ultimately, the composers set their own price. We do, however, have the distinct ability to allow the licensee to make an offer to the composer in order to negotiate a price that fits their specific budget for a particular production or specific use.
- Why do I still need to license a song if the composer will receive royalties when I complete the cue sheet?
Licensing songs is an industry standard. Music is considered intellectual property and as such, is owned by the copyright holder. The musical work must be licensed for use and U.S. Federal Copyright Laws state that the use of intellectual property without a license is penalized both legally and financially (and we don't duck with the Law.)
- What license and/or clearances do I need to use your music?
Our proprietary ALG technology (Automatic License Generator) will create the specific type of license needed according to the usage you select during your search. We know that sometimes deadlines are tight and there's no time for negotiations; so everything is done automatically for you to speed up and simplify the whole process.
- Do I also need to obtain a performance license from ASCAP, BMI or SESAC when using your music?
Normally, No. Typically it is the responsibility of Radio, TV, Cable station or other venue that will be broadcasting (performing) the production. In some situations, however, these venues do not have a Performance Agreement with ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. In these instances the venue may require you to obtain a Performance License directly from us.
- What is a cue sheet and do I need to fill one out?
A cue sheet is a document that lists all of the musical elements of an audio/visual program. So, if you are licensing music for a film or a television program, you need to fill out a cue sheet to make sure the composers get paid their respective royalties.
- How long will it take to get the track after purchasing?
You will receive the track immediately upon confirmation of your payment. Our proprietary ALG technology (Automatic License Generator) will create the specific type of license needed according to the usage you select during your search. We know that sometimes deadlines are tight and there's no time for negotiations; so everything is done automatically for you to accelerate and simplify the whole process.
- Where does my money go? Who gets it?
50 to 60% of the license fee goes directly to the composer or copyright owner, we keep the other 40 to 50% to keep managing and expanding the library.
- Ok. You sold me. So what do I do now? Where do I go? Tell me!!
Whoah… everything will be ok. Click here to start licensing some pretty nifty music. The rest is easy, our ducks will guide you through the process.
For Composers
- What format should I submit my music in?
WAV / AIFF 44Khz - 16 bit minimum or MP3 encoded at 320Kbps (192Kbps minimum).
- Are the contracts exclusive or non-exclusive?
You have a choice for each individual song to license it exclusively or non-exclusively. If you chose an exclusive license then you will receive a greater share of the licensing fee and your songs will show first on the search results. This is a win/win situation where we have a unique collection of songs and you make more money for giving us exclusivity over the song.
- Do I need to pay a subscription to join the library?
Nope.
- Do I need to pay a submission fee?
Nu-uh, nope. Not at all. No.
- What if you don't like my music?
All of the music submitted to the site will be reviewed by our experts and screened accordingly. If we don't think something will be a fit for our library we will send you an e-mail notifying you the reason for this. Please… don't take it personal and feel free to look for a way to improve the song and resubmit it!
- Who the f@#k do you think you are to reject my song!!!!
First of all.... What do those symbols mean? You should consider using those as a stage name. Second and most important: there may be a few reasons why your song was rejected. We listen to every song submitted to the library and assure that the best goes into the production of the music. We're willing to give you feedback on how to improve your song and resubmit it- provided your submission doesn't include those little symbols aforementioned. We not only want to build a library of ducktastic music, we want to network with the quackiest of the music quacks out there (best of the best daddy-o or mommy-o... We also don't discriminate). Don't be discouraged and resubmit the song, you'll get there!
And furthermore, last, but certainly not least, none-the-less, however, and heretofore, we're A Million Ducks- we outnumber you. But please be nice... We like our feathers :)
- How do I make money?
First, you apply for a— oh… you mean here. You will get between a 50% and 60% share of the license fee plus your writer's share through your PRO whenever it applies.
- How much money can I make through you guys?
Good question… But we're not Psychic Ducks. It really depends on the need for that specific music style and how many songs you have in the library. You will see a detailed report on your songs where you can find how many times the song has been listened to and licensed. You can find all of this on your dashboard. Knowing this will give you a good idea of how much you can make.
- Can I set the price of my songs?
Yes You Can! You may select the price the price you want to license your song for (remember you get 50% / 60% of this fee). You can also opt out certain uses (i.e.: websites or podcasts, ringtones, background noise, etc.)
- If I already set the price of my song why am I getting an e-mail with a lower offer?
Settle down Sparky. In our experience we found that sometimes producers have a pre-determined budget and a very quick turnaround. So we decided to add this feature for these circumstances (which by the way you can opt-out of on a per-song basis). We've found doing this will increase the chances you have of getting your songs licensed. We know numbers, we're geeks too.
- How do I get paid?
We issue our payments through paypal. If you live in the U.S. we will send you a check.
- Site looks good. How do I send music?
You click on the Submit Music button and login or register if you haven't done so yet.
- Is it safe to enter my Social Security number?
Yes it is. We encrypt your personal data on our databases.
- Can I send a song that ends with a fade out?
You can but it is not recommended. Our clients usually like good strong endings.
- How should I tag my music?
Good question. First of all, don't use terms like "great for a TV commercial", or "film music". Think of how you would search for your music once you got to our site. Use terms that describe the song in terms of mood, instrumentation, tempo, vibe, style, genre, etc.
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