july 8

Sync Tip Of The Week

How to build your music portfolio for sync licensing: a step by step tutorial

Six steps to build a sync portfolio:

1. Understand the basics of sync licensing

   • Research: Learn about sync licensing and its importance in the music industry

   • Resources: Use online courses, articles, books and online communities to deepen your understanding

   • Key terms: Familiarize yourself with key terms like “sync fee”, “master use license” and “publishing rights”

2. Identify your unique sound

   • Genre and style: Determine the genres and styles of music you excel in. Try to stick to 1-3 and get really good at those genres.

   • Signature sound: Develop a unique sound that distinguishes your music from others

3. Create high quality recordings

   • Professional recording: Invest in a professional recording setup or hire a music producer / audio engineer to polish up your tracks

   • Variety: Create multiple versions of your songs (i.e. main version, instrumental version, vocal only version)

4. Build a diverse music catalog

   • Variety: Include different tempos, moods etc. in your portfolio

   • Volume: aim for a substantial catalog (start with an EP of 5 tracks and keep building from there)

5. Organize and tag your music

   • Metadata: Tag your tracks with relevant metadata (use DISCO.ac)

   • Add your contact info - make it easy for potential clients to contact you

6. Join music libraries and sync agencies

   • Submission: submit your music to reputable music libraries and sync agents. There’s a plethora of directories and lists online. Here’s one for example

   • Follow up: maintain communication with libraries and agencies

Building a music portfolio for sync licensing requires time, effort and dedication. By following these steps, you can create a professional and appealing portfolio that increases your chances of landing sync opportunities. Remember to stay persistent, network actively and keep improving your craft.

Sync Case Study

Jordyn's Journey into Sync: From Jingle Contests to Major Placements with NFL, Disney, and More.

Listen to Jordyn’s album here.

Jordyn’s sync journey started seven years ago when he walked away from a record deal and won a $25,000 jingle contest for Folgers, which felt like fate. This led to another jingle win for The Barnes Firm, setting the stage for a larger sync career.

In 2020, a song he wrote was licensed by Procter & Gamble for a TikTok campaign with Charli D'Amelio, marking a major turning point. This was followed by another song being picked up by the NFL, boosting his profile significantly. Signing with Secret Road Publishing in 2021 cemented his place in the sync industry.

Here are some pointers Jordyn shares:

• Seize Opportunities: Participate in jingle contests and other opportunities to get your foot in the door.

• Collaborate and Network: Work with people experienced in the sync space and be open to new creative directions.

• Think Big: Aim to create universally relatable music, which can open up more opportunities for sync placements.

• Be Consistent and Adaptable: Create music consistently and work hard at finding homes for you music. Sync can provide consistent income and encourage artistic growth.

Read more about Jordyn on No Country For New Nashville Blog here.

New Selling The Soundtrack Podcast Episode

If you haven’t heard this episode yet, check out “What Do Sync Agents Do?” where we sat down with Jamal Vickers, a dynamic sync agent. He shares his journey from DJing to artist management and eventually finding his niche in sync licensing. With a passion for TV shows, films, and video game scores, Jamal represents artists across genres like R&B, soul, rap/hip-hop, reggae, soca, and afro-beats. His significant placements in "The Chi", "Kim's Convenience" and "The Rest Of Us" as well as his roles at Public Records highlight his versatility and success.

In this episode, Jamal offers practical advice for breaking into sync licensing, emphasizing networking, continuous learning, and effective music management. Listen to the full episode here.

Resources to succeed in sync

• Check out our sync outreach email templates - it’ll help you streamline your emails to sync agents, music supervisors and music library owners.

Questions or anything you want to learn more about in sync? 🧐 Let me know here: https://www.sellingthesoundtrack.com/contact-us

Keep hustlin’ guys, you got this and I’m here for you! See you in the next podcast episode and email newsletter :)