Performing the seven registrations

Once the preparation steps are completed, you’re ready to perform the seven registrations for all the music you release. This should take less than an hour per album of music.

1. Register each song at copyright.gov using the PA form.

Registering the composition copyright requires you use the PA form. Before starting this process, make sure that you know the names and contact details for all the songwriters of each song. Note that it may be possible to bundle the sound recording (step 2 below) under the same registration if the exact same people are both songwriter and owner of the sound recording. If so, choose Sound Recording as the registration type and choose the “register both” option so you save money. Otherwise, register using the PA form. To get full statutory benefit, register the song before it’s released to the public—and yes, making it available to people via SoundCloud or other internet sites does count as a publication under the law.

2. Register each sound recording at copyright.gov using the SR form.

Each sound recording you make, including all alternate mixes, is a separate sound recording. All can be registered using the SR form. Similar to the above, make sure that you know the names and contact details for all the sound recording owners of each song. Just like with the PA form, in order to get full statutory benefit, you need to register the sound recording before it’s released to the public. Note that even demos can result in YouTube hits and might end up generating royalties, so they are worth registering in your collection as well.

3. Register the song as a publisher at the composition PRO.

Log in to your publisher account at your composition PRO and register your song(s). Doing this will generate the other half of performance royalties generated by the composition. You can register a song that’s already been released, but it will only generate royalties going forward.

4. Register the song as a songwriter at the composition PRO.

Log in to your songwriter account at your composition PRO and register your song(s). Doing this will generate half of the performance royalties generated by the song. Similar to the above, you can register a song that’s already been released, but it will only generate royalties going forward.

5. Register the sound recording as a sound recording owner at SoundExchange.

To collect one-half of the royalties the sound recording produces, log in to your SoundExchange account and register your sound recording(s). Note that you can register sound recordings even after they’ve been released. Simply search SoundExchange’s database to find out if they’ve already been collecting royalties for your sound recording.

6. Register the sound recording as a performer at SoundExchange.

To collect the other half of the royalties that the sound recording produces, you need to make sure you’re listed as the performer under each recording. Just as with the sound recording owner royalties, you can register this even after it’s been released by searching SoundExchange’s database, where you’ll be able to see if they’ve already been collecting royalties.

7. Generate an ISRC code and register it.

Generate an ISRC for each sound recording and register it according to the ISRC instructions. This will increase the likelihood that the recording gets tracked by Sound- Exchange and generates streaming royalties.

Once you’ve completed the seven registrations, log everything into in your spreadsheet and save all documentation that the services generated for you (for example, the registration information from the Copyright Office and PROs).

This info comes from MusicRadar.com   click on the button to read the whole article.

By Electronic Musician ( emusician ) published March 31, 2020