How to License Your Music for Sync
Licensing your music for sync—short for “synchronization”—means giving someone permission to use your music in a visual project like a film, TV show, commercial, or video game. This process might sound intimidating, especially if you’re an independent artist or new to the business side of music. But licensing doesn’t have to be complicated, especially if you understand what rights are involved and how to protect yourself.
When your song is used in a film or show, two separate licenses are at play: one for the composition (the underlying song—melody, lyrics, structure) and one for the sound recording (the actual audio file that’s used). If you own both, you can license the entire track yourself. But if, for example, you wrote the song and someone else produced it, or you sampled someone else’s work, things can get more complex. In those cases, you’ll need permission from everyone who owns a share of the song or recording. Without those clearances, your track isn’t legally licensable.
Before licensing your music, make sure you have a written agreement that outlines how rights are split between collaborators. If you’re working alone, great—you already own 100% of both the composition and the master. If not, agree upfront on who owns what and whether any co-creators are okay with you licensing the track. Use split sheets for this—simple documents that outline percentage ownership between all parties.
When it comes to the actual licensing process, there are two main types: exclusive and non-exclusive. Exclusive licensing means you give one person or company the right to pitch or use the track, and you can’t license it to anyone else during the contract period. Non-exclusive licensing means you can license the same track to multiple people. There’s no right or wrong—exclusive deals sometimes come with higher fees or more focused pitching, while non-exclusive deals give you more flexibility.
It’s also important to understand what rights you're granting. A standard sync license allows someone to use your song in a specific project for a specific purpose (e.g., background music in an indie film trailer). You should clearly define how long they can use it, where (just online? in theaters? worldwide?), and in what context. You should also agree on a fee—or decide if you're allowing a free license in exchange for exposure or future opportunities. Either way, get it in writing.
You don’t need to be a legal expert to handle licensing, but you do need to be organized. Keep track of which songs are available, what rights you own, and who else might need to approve a license. There are also licensing templates available online, and some platforms offer built-in licensing tools that make the process easier.
That’s one of the advantages of working with platforms like SyncIt. The tracks in the system are pre-tagged, rights-cleared, and ready to license—making them far more appealing to time-strapped supervisors and producers. SyncIt’s licensing workflow helps cut through the red tape, so artists can focus on the creative, and buyers can focus on finding the right sound without the legal headaches.
