Graham Cochrane (DIY Music Biz)
Music creator/business educator discussing streaming compensation, production music, and sustainable careers.
One Yes Can Overturn a Year of Rejection
You only need 1 yes to make a year's worth of rejection look stupid. For a long time it's ➝ A fat stack of no's ➝ Beats that never leave the laptop ➝ A bunch of doubt in a folder. Then one morning, the email comes in. A music publisher says yes and sends the agreement. That email puts you one step closer to making your music carry some weight around the house.
90-Day Blueprint to Land Sync Placements From Zero
Age 42 Still learning Still landing sync placements Here’s how I’d approach sync licensing in 90 days if I had to start over with 0 placements... 0 contacts Let’s break it down 👇🏽
Rejection Today, Acceptance Tomorrow: Keep Pitching
One sync company rejects your pitch. Months later, another accepts it. Around and around we go.
Speculating Substack’s Trending: Possible Controversy or Heist Connection
I'm afraid to ask but... Why is Substack trending? Did they piss someone off? Were they responsible for the 12 ton candy bar heist?
Even Top Producers Started From Scratch—Keep Persisting
LATE NIGHT REMINDER: The music producers you look up to were once in your shoes. Some were worse off. But they just stuck with it.
Consistent, Well‑formatted Music Builds Sync Licensing Success
If you want to break into sync licensing Write music that’s easy to use Format it properly. Pitch it consistently. Build your catalog over time. Yes, it's tiring But it works. I promise.
One Synced Library Unlocks Belief in Your Music
Sync Plug Of The Day 9 ☕ All it takes is 1 sync music library to believe in your music ↴
Most Artists Chase Sync Deals without Researching Libraries
Sync Licensing Fact A lot of artists and producers say they’re looking for an 'in'... Very few are actually researching music libraries, what they place and following submission guidelines.
Silence Isn't Rejection—Keep Pitching Your Track
You send out a track to a music library You’ve played it a hundred times, you know it knocks... 2 weeks go by No reply No feedback No Nothing ^^^ That's where a lot of people quit
Make Tracks Easy to Scrub, Avoid Being Skipped
Music supervisors and editors have deadlines If they can’t find usable sections as they're scrubbing through your tracks they skip them
5 Sync Licensing Lessons Every Young Producer Must Hear
I’m 42 Spent 5–7 years being cocky and ignoring sync licensing advice from music publishers... Here are 5 lessons every 20 to 30 year old music producer needs to hear ↓
Music Mastery Delayed Until Opportunity, Then Cycle Repeats
Gonna say what many won't say Some people don't take their music seriously until an opportunity pops up. Then they scramble to learn what they should've mastered years ago, fail, and blame everything from saturation to gatekeeping. And then... they...
How to Leverage Your New Music Industry List
Someone sold you a big ass list of music libraries/sync agents and music supervisors Here's what you do next ↴
New Sync Licensing Spot: Submit Your Music Today
🔌 Sync Plug of the Day 8 Here’s another company you can submit music to for sync licensing opportunities ↴
Turn Invisible Producer Into Sync Licensing Success
If you feel invisible as a music producer, but you’re serious about making sync licensing work This resource is for you ↴