A production music library is a database of hundreds to thousands of pieces of music that are written in advance with no specific project in mind. The music is categorized by concepts like mood, instrument, tempo, etc. Most music libraries are searchable via tags embedded in the metadata of the file.

For instance, if a director wants a piece of music for their project, they could type in terms (also known as “keywords”) such as “cheerful,” “acoustic,” and “guitar.” The database then filters the search results to show only pieces that are tagged with those terms, therefore, narrowing down the search.

While films and games still tend to hire composers to create a bespoke score, productions like reality TV shows, commercials, corporate training videos, and internet and radio advertisements are more and more using a production music library to find what they need.

While library music has been around for a long time, in the past decade its use has skyrocketed. The shift to more “reality-style” shows and internet streaming services has contributed to its rise in popularity for these reasons—The first: Using library music is typically cheaper than hiring a composer. Two: obtaining a license is relatively easy. And three: Instead of writing the music to the picture, a production company will edit the picture to the music.

Getting Started in Production Music Libraries

Because of their growing popularity, there are now many large music libraries in existence that contain hundreds of thousands of pieces of music, all tagged, all searchable. Do a Google search of “Production Music Libraries,” and you should get a list of the current heavy hitters.

A lot of major record labels like Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell Music have also thrown their massive hats into the library game, making it difficult for smaller independent libraries to get noticed.

The good news is that most of the major music libraries, minus the record labels, are reasonably open to new composers submitting their music. The bad news is, you need have a fairly exhaustive list of material before they will even consider you. Music libraries look at composers like a numbers game. The more composers and material they have, the more likely they’ll be able to license and make money off of them.

However, don’t think that because it’s relatively easier to submit to a library that they’ll just accept any old piece of music. There are protocols and requirements for submissions, the most important being that your tracks have to sound professional, polished and finished, so that they could grab your piece of music, plop it into a show, and they’re done. There is no room or time for demos in library music.

Therefore, make sure that before you submit or pitch your music to a library, it sounds broadcast ready.

Tips for Production Music Library Success

While each library may have some different protocols for how they handle their music, there are some universal standards that they all abide by.

Following these standards from the start can greatly enhance the possibility that your music will be picked up.

• Make sure the music is broadcast ready.
• Keep your tracks under three minutes long. One minute-thirty seconds to two minutes is optimal.
• Follow an A, B, A structure. Start with an idea, change to something else, then readdress the initial idea with more musical development.
• Add edit points every thirty seconds. This allows an editor to cut and possibly rearrange the music to fit the scene on which they are working.
• Create a thirty-second version for use in commercials.
• Make stems of each instrument group. Stems (short for “stereo masters”) are files from a recording separated by instrument or group of instruments, often for the purpose of creating an alternate mix.
• Learn the naming protocols of the library. It may be something like “Sunrise(title)_95bpm(tempo)_Amin(key)_Sad(mood)_24/48(sample rate).” Each library will have its own naming protocols, with which you should familiarize yourself.
• Embed the metadata for the track. The metadata within the files is how the tracks become searchable within a database. This is where you can tag the track with any relative search terms (keywords) based on mood, tempo, key, feel, etc. It’s also obligatory to embed all of your personal information, such as your name, your publisher, your PRO information (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc.), and any splits with other writers. Most DAWs have the ability to add this information to your files while exporting. Familiarize yourself with this process. It's absolutely necessary if you want to be paid for mechanical uses and streaming.

The big thing to remember when you sit down and write music for a library is that it needs to evoke a mood or a feeling, the same as if you were writing music for a film—the biggest difference being that you won’t have someone guiding you as to what they’re looking for. This can be both frustrating and liberating at the same time. When composing library music, I sit down with a mood in mind. It may be with the intention of writing some upbeat pop/rock tracks, or I may be feeling a little melancholy, so I write something moody.

The point is, as long as it evokes a feeling, it has the potential to be used in a production. So, write what you feel in the moment. -Kris Hawkins

KRIS HAWKINS is an Emmy-winning music producer, award-winning educator, and author of The Working Musician’s Handbook for Professional Success (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers). For more information: krishawkinsmusic.com, info@krishawkinsmusic.com

 Copyright

Copyright in its most basic form is how you prove ownership of a “work.” A “work” can be anything from a screenplay, a book, a piece of art, or in a musician’s case, a song. A work is considered protected under copyright law when it is fixed in a tangible form of expression. Meaning, when you write it down, record it, or print it out, in that moment it becomes protected and belongs to you. And will belong to you for the rest of your life plus seventy years. After which it becomes what’s known as public domain.

When a work becomes public domain, anyone can recreate and distribute it without having to obtain permission. Music such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach are all considered public domain. However, what you cannot do is sample another artist’s recording of a piece of music; while the song may be public domain, the recording may not be. This is because there is another copyright at play with the sound recording of a work.

When dealing with music and copyright it’s important to understand that there are two copyrights involved; the first is the song you write, (the “song itself”). The second is the recording of the song, sometimes referred to as the “master.” If you write and record your own music, congratulations you own both copyrights. If you’re signed to a label, or someone paid for your recordings, chances are that they own the master. 

 Master Use License

A quick sidenote about the master recording. If you want to license your music for a movie, television show, or advertisement, you will need to obtain a master use license as well as a sync license (see below). If you own your own masters, this is relatively easy. If you have signed some form of record deal, the label will have control of it. The fee for usage of the master will typically go to the owner of the recording as well. 

 Sync Licenses

The other type of license needed for film, television, advertising, and video games is known as a sync license. Synchronization or sync is the process of combining music with some form of moving imagery. These licenses are worked out between your music publisher and the producer or music supervisor of a project. 

The rates for a sync license vary depending on a few factors, such as how popular your song is, how it will be used within the project (background, main title, end credits, etc.), or how much of the song they use (just the verse or the entire work). 

The music publisher will collect these fees and distribute them to the songwriters, usually for a negotiated fee.

 What is Considered a Music Copyright

Copyright with music typically refers to the melody and the lyric. A beat, chord progression, or rhythm isn’t considered protected, although recent lawsuits have challenged this idea. More specifically, the “Blurred Lines” v. “Got to Give it Up” lawsuit, where it was determined that “Blurred Lines” did infringe on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.” Even though there was no melody or lyric overlap.

Because of this ruling, a huge number of lawsuits have been filed against major artists like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and most recently Ed Sheeran, making the longstanding rule of melody and lyric only a little grayer.

 Co-writes and Copyright

If you are collaborating with other songwriters or writing with your band, the copyright and ownership is normally split evenly among all of the writers. Some situations, like if you’re a new writer collaborating with an established artist, you may receive a smaller share of the ownership. This should be discussed before-hand to avoid any miscommunications or hurt feelings.

What happens if you co-write a song with someone you have a falling out with, and you want to use your lyrics to write another song? Due to the way copyright law works, the moment you put your lyrics to someone’s music, it is considered “fixed in a tangible form” and cannot be undone. 

I’ll put it this way: If you are baking a cake with your friend, they bring the eggs, and you bring the flour. Once you combine the two ingredients you’ve created something new. And it’s impossible to take your ingredients back once they have been “baked” together.

It’s important that you understand this concept when deciding to collaborate with another writer. 

 Music Publishers

So, what is a music publisher and what do they do? A music publisher is an entity that represents your music. The main job of a publisher is to get your music earning you money commercially. A good publisher will work to get your music placed in things like movies, television shows, video games, commercials, etc. Which will then generate revenue for the songwriters (and the publishers) via licenses and royalties.

A publisher will also handle the administration of your music, which is: registering your songs with your performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI, etc.), negotiating and collecting any licensing fees or royalties (both performance and mechanical) for getting your music used commercially, handling distribution and reproduction rights, as well as handling any printed sheet music that may be created.

 Do you need a Publisher?

Short answer: yes, absolutely. 

Long answer: kinda, but still yes. 

   While a publisher is generally a third party that represents your music, you can act as your own publisher. And I would advise you to do so until you are represented by a third party. To do this, when you register with your performing rights organization you have the option to sign up as either a “writer” or a “publisher.” I advise you to do both. Currently, the cost to do so is negligible. 

The downside of acting as your own publisher is that you become responsible for all the administrative tasks that a publisher would perform. Unless you’re well versed in all the ins and outs of how music publishing and licenses work, this could be slightly overwhelming. Even if you don’t fully understand everything, you still should sign up. You can always assign your publishing to a third party later. But it’s best to be ready should an opportunity arise.

 Co-writers and Multiple Publishers

Chances are, if you are co-writing with different writers, they will have their own publishing company that represents them. In some cases, it can be as many as five or six publishers associated with one song. As you can imagine, this could cause issues with licensing opportunities as all the publishers need to agree to give permission. 

The way this is normally solved is one publisher is chosen as the administrator to act on behalf of all the other publishers and make decisions in the best interests of all involved. This should be decided on sooner than later. Otherwise, it’s like herding cats.

 Performing Rights Organizations

As mentioned previously, a performing rights organization, or PRO, is an organization that will collect any performance royalties from your music when it is played or performed in a public venue. This could be television, radio, clubs, or the grocery store. Every time your music is publicly broadcast, your PRO will collect the royalty money and distribute it equally among the writers and publishers the song is registered to. The rates of the royalties vary depending on the medium that the music is being used for. (That’s a discussion for another article.) Every country has at least one PRO that provides this service. In the U.S. the big three are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. If you are a songwriter or composer and you want to make a living from your music, you need to be registered with a PRO. ASCAP and BMI are available to anyone who wants to join. SESAC is the outlier, as you must be invited. If this is all new to you, and you are writing your own music, I urge you to sign up as soon as you can. 

 Royalty Distribution

Here’s a quick breakdown of how royalties are distributed through your PRO. The first thing to understand is that a song in and of itself is worth 100% (200% if you’re with BMI) of the performance royalties it generates. However, that 100% when collected is split into two equal shares known as the “writers share” and the “publishers share.” What this means is that the money earned from the use of the song will be split evenly between the writer and the publisher. So, if $1,000 in performance royalties is collected, $500 will go to the writer’s share, while the other $500 will go to the publisher’s share.

If you are self-publishing your music, you will receive all the royalties. If you have signed a publishing deal, this may change depending on the deal and any advances you may receive. 

 Mechanical Royalties

While performance royalties are collected and allocated by your PRO, another type of royalty you should familiarize yourself with is the mechanical royalty. 

A mechanical royalty is generated though the reproduction of a song via either the creation and sale of a physical copy, such as vinyl or a CD (not so much anymore), or digital formats such as streaming and digital downloads. 

These royalties are collected and paid to the publisher by organizations such as The Harry Fox Agency and Songtrust. The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) is now the only entity that collects digital audio mechanical royalties.

With streaming, there has been some debate about what is considered a mechanical royalty vs. a performance royalty. And who collects what. To understand it almost requires an advanced degree in mathematics. Here’s an oversimplified explanation:

Permanent downloads of a song generate a mechanical royalty. Non-interactive streaming, meaning you don’t choose the music but listen to an online radio station like Pandora, generates a performance royalty. Interactive streams and limited downloads (on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music) generate both a performance royalty collected by your PRO and a mechanical royalty collected by The MLC. If you are an independent artist, you can sign up to collect your digital audio mechanical royalties directly from The MLC or use an administrator or distributor (like Tunecore or CD Baby) to collect your streaming mechanicals on your behalf.

 Publishing Deals

A publishing deal is when you assign a portion of your copyright (publisher’s share) to a third-party. Your new publisher will now handle administrative tasks, such as registering your songs or securing licensing for film, television, or video games. They will also collect any royalties that your music may be entitled to, such as performance royalties and mechanical royalties from physical sales and streaming.

Signing a publishing deal is like giving power of attorney to the publisher to make decisions on your behalf. Which is why it’s very important to know two things; 1.) What kind of deal are you signing, its terms and conditions, and 2.) Is the publisher willing to put in the effort to exploit your music?

There are a few different types of publishing deals that can be offered, so it is important for you to know what you’re getting into before you sign your rights away. 

 Admin Deals

An admin deal is the type of deal that concerns handling all the administrative tasks of your music. For a small percentage of the income, your administrators will collect royalties and help with licenses. This is normally around 5% - 20% of the revenue. 

Admin deals typically don’t come with an advance (although some may). They also won’t provide some of the creative services that a co-publishing deal or a traditional publishing deal would provide. They are, however, a good choice if you want to retain full ownership of your copyrights. These deals are most common with well-established writers and artists who don’t need as much promotion for their music as, say, an up-and-coming writer. 

 Co-Publishing Deals

A co-publishing deal (also referred to as a songwriter deal) is when you assign a portion of your copyright to a third party. Most co-pub deals take half of your publisher’s share. You will retain all of your writer’s share and the other half of your publisher’s share, thus giving you an opportunity to make more money off any royalties your music makes. You may also receive an advance against any future royalties. More on this later.

Be aware that some publishing deals also have an admin fee baked into the deal. Which could mean that you are paying an extra 10% of your royalty for the publisher to administer your music. This is sometimes written into the fine print of the deal. You can always ask a potential publisher if they charge an admin fee on top of your earnings.

 Traditional Publishing Deal

With a traditional publishing deal, you will assign the entirety of your publishers share to the publisher, giving them full control over your copyright. These types of deals are usually accompanied by a much larger advance. 

With both types of these deals, the publisher will perform all of the duties that you would receive with an admin deal, with the added benefit of providing creative services. These services could be anything from pitching your music to advertisers, television shows, and video games. Larger publishers will have a greater ability to get your music in more places than you could do on your own. You may also receive a substantial advance for your deal, as well. These are all good things about signing a deal like this. However, there is a trade-off when you take such a deal.

 Advances

While receiving a large sum of money upfront for your publishing may seem enticing, one thing most people don’t understand is that an advance on a publishing deal is essentially like a loan. And that loan has to be recouped. The publisher is taking a chance that they will make their advance back from future royalties your music generates. The way this happens is through the collection of your royalties. More specifically, your writer’s share. 

If you receive a $100,000 advance from your publisher, the publisher will use the royalties from your writers share to pay down the advance. What this means is that you will not earn any new money from your music until your advance is fully recouped. The good news is that unlike a personal loan, if you fail to recoup your advance, you’re not obligated to pay it back out of pocket, unless you sign a very bad deal. 

Failure to recoup, though, could harm your chances of receiving another publishing deal in the future. It will ultimately boil down to two things. One, is having a consistent and marketable collection of music and two is how hard the publisher works to get your music to generate income. 

 Quotas

Some publishing deals will require you to deliver a quota of songs per each year that you are signed with them. The average is between 10 to 20 songs. However, co-writes typically will only count for the percentage of ownership that you have. If you co-write a song and have only 50% ownership, then that only counts as half a song towards your quota.

 Music Libraries and Publishing

Music libraries have been around for decades. Recently, however, there has been a sharp uptick in the number of libraries available and the content of their catalogs.

A music library is an entity that has hundreds of songs and instrumental pieces for use for sync purposes. If you decide to become affiliated with a music library, they will act as your defacto publisher, handling any licenses needed and collecting money from royalties and sync fees.

In most music library deals, they will take all of the publishing and split any sync fees with the writers associated with the tracks being used. Some deals may vary, depending on the library. 

It is always important to look over any agreements you may be presented with and ask questions about anything you don’t understand. If they are unwilling to give you a straight answer, it may be time to find another deal.

 How Do You Get a Publishing Deal?

Easier said than done. If you’re writing with an established artist or producer, and getting your songs released commercially or are earning royalties on your songs already via ads, video games and the like, that is a huge advantage that most publishers would jump at. 

However, if you are still trying to establish yourself as a writer or an artist, the three most important things you will need are great songs—a lot of them—and the connections. If you’re serious about getting a deal, you will need to write every day. Know that not everything you write will be good. Regardless, finish even the bad ones, as it opens up the channel for the good ones to come through. Collaborate with as many writers and artists as you can. It’s a numbers game. 

For reference, while choosing the songs to record for Michael Jackson’s classic album Thriller, Quincy Jones listened to 800 songs to get nine. Six of which became top 10. 

For the connections, you need to be where the publishers are. While the internet is a great resource to find opportunities, joining societies like The SCL (Society of Composers and Lyricists), ASCAP, or BMI and going to their in-person events can open lots of potential doors for your career. 

 And In Conclusion…

Music publishing is an onion with many complex layers to it. My hope is that this article has helped shed some light on some of the more misunderstood concepts. If you’re interested in more information about making a living as a musician, check out my book; The Working Musician’s Handbook for Professional Success.  

KRIS HAWKINS is an EMMY winning music producer, award winning educator, and author of The Working Musician’s Handbook for Professional Success. See krishawkinsmusic.com/book

“The Trap”

There’s a saying that floats around the music industry, “Those that can’t do—teach.” Unfortunately, there is a bit of truth to this.

“The trap” is when you get so comfortable teaching that you actually stop doing the thing that you teach.

My greatest successes as a teacher have come from imparting my experiences as a working professional to my students.

Finding a balance between actually doing the thing that you teach and teaching it, is imperative.

Skills Needed

As a teacher you need to have a developed knowledge of the techniques required to do the instrument or subject that you teach. And you should have a good theoretical understanding of them.

You should possess the ability to articulate ideas in a way that is easy for your students to understand. Think of the saying, “Show me as if I were a two-year-old.”

Most of all, patience is a necessity. Even though you understand the subject, not every student will comprehend the information in the same way. So, never lose your patience with a student.

Where to Find Potential Students

Finding students is all about getting them to know you exist.

Printing up a flyer offering lessons and posting at the various music stores, coffee shops, live music venues, community centers, and schools in town is a great way to target some potential students.

Another option is the internet. You could post an ad on Craigslist offering your teaching services. Join a Facebook group of local musicians and post an ad in the forums. Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, are all viable options that provide great visibility.

Try to show potential students why they should study with you, instead of someone else.

Teaching Private Students

The most common type of music lesson is the private lesson. The benefit of private students is that the student gets a more personalized lesson experience.

If you’re teaching out of your house, make sure you have everything necessary to conduct the lesson as smoothly as possible.

Make sure your house is clean. No one wants to come back for another lesson if your place is gross. If you own pets, it’s a good idea to keep them cordoned off while teaching.

The other option for teaching privately is going to the student’s house and setting the lesson up there. If this is the case, make sure you’re able to bring all the necessary equipment to provide an effective lesson.

If travelling to your students, take into account travel time and traffic. This should factor into the rate you charge, as well.

Teaching Private Lessons for a Music School or Music Store

The benefits of teaching at a private music school or local music store are that the students and teachers show up to one neutral location.

Being brought on board as a teacher at a private music school may require you to have, at the minimum, an Associate’s degree in the subject you teach, and to submit a résumé and be interviewed.

Teaching at a local music store can be a bit easier to get into. You may still have to provide a résumé, but the criteria won’t be as strict.

The upside of teaching at one of these types of places is that the students, most likely, will be brought to you.

The downside is that you won’t have much control over what you charge per lesson. Most schools and stores have a standard lesson rate that won’t be changed. They will also take a percentage of your lesson income as “rent” for use of the lesson space.

Teaching Online

Teaching online via Zoom or any video conferencing platform allows you to connect with students that may not live in your immediate area.

If it is your desire to teach online, you will absolutely need a website. Your website will allow you to connect with your students, accept payment, schedule lesson times, and provide any materials that may be required.

Teaching online also requires you to be a bit more technologically inclined than teaching in person. Whichever platform you decide to use, you will want to make sure there is a screen-share feature, as well as the ability to share your computer’s audio.

Because you’re teaching music in an online format, it is vital that the audio you are providing from your end is top-notch. Don’t rely on the microphone in your computer to capture what you’re doing. You will need to invest in some sort of audio interface and an external microphone to get the best possible sound.

The Pay for Private Lessons

The easiest way to charge students is by the hour. (See October issue of Music Connection, page 45.)

Because lessons typically occur once a week at a certain time, I charge the students by the month. This is to lock them into my schedule and encourage them to show up.

You should also adopt a strict cancellation policy. If a student can’t make their scheduled lesson time, they have to let me know at least twenty-four hours before they’re scheduled to show up. I won’t refund their money, but I will reschedule the lesson. If the student tries to cancel within the twenty-four-hour window, I won’t reschedule, and they will lose the money that they paid for the time. The only time I ever make an exception to this is when the student has some sort of emergency, and it can’t be avoided.

If you have to cancel a student last minute due to an emergency, offer to make up the lesson at another time or pro-rate it to the next month.

All in all, teaching can be both lucrative and rewarding for a musician—always try to find the balance between doing what you teach, and teaching what you do.

KRIS HAWKINS is an Emmy-winning music producer, award-winning educator, and author of The Working Musician’s Handbook for Professional Success (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers). For more information: krishawkinsmusic.com, info@krishawkinsmusic.com

If everything looks good and you can do the job—great! But there is an elephant in the room that hasn’t been discussed yet—compensation.

Compensation

Perhaps, you may feel that you’re not quite ready to ask for it just yet. My advice, rip the Band-Aid off and just dive in. 

Here’s how you bring up the subject in a nonchalant kind of way: 

“Yeah, I’d love to help, what’s your budget?”

How they react will dictate how you are to proceed. 

If they say they weren’t expecting to have to pay you for your time, you’ve just quashed that notion. And now it’s up to you if you decide to proceed or not.

Even if they don’t have the financial compensation for you, you do have options. Here are three:

Say no. Nothing wrong with turning work down. Saying “no” is one of the most powerful words you can learn to use.

Say yes. Maybe it’s a fun project with great people. The point is that you get to decide whether you spend your time on the project or not.

Barter or trade. I love the barter system and still use it to this day. However, the best part about using the barter system is that you are getting used to the idea of getting something for your time, and you are teaching your clients that you need them to come to the table with something, if they want you to provide your services.

Compensation Part II (How Much?)

Now, time to talk money. 

How much is too much? What is this service worth? Trying to figure out your rates can be complicated at first. Here are some thoughts: 

For instance, the client has $1,000 dollars to pay you for your services. Sounds good, right? This is what is known as working for a “flat rate.” While there is nothing wrong with flat rates in most one-off gig situations, working in the studio can be different. Meaning, most artists are never satisfied with their work. It could take six months for the artist to be “happy”; that $1,000 isn’t worth so much now.

     It’s not advisable to do flat rates unless some certain parameters are met. The main one being the project has a firm end date. Live performance gigs are a good example of charging a “flat rate.” The night’s over, you get paid. Boom. Done.  A better use of your time is to get in the habit of charging by the hour. 

Finding Your Rate

Here’s a basic formula that can help you get an idea of what you should charge:

The first thing you need to figure out is what your monthly “survival” budget is. Say that number is $1,500 per month.

Now double that: $1,500 x 2 = $3,000

Next, divide by 20 working days in per month:

$3,000 •/• 20 days = $150/day

Now, divide $150 per day by 8 hours.

$150 •/• 8 hours = $18.75/hour

You’ve come up with $18.75 per hour. What this is, is your minimum wage, your super-bro/sis rate. The idea behind this is just like a car dealership.  What you do is when someone asks you how much you charge, you mark your sticker price up. I like to say that you should double it, so maybe start your negotiation at $40/hour. Your client may respond by saying that that’s too expensive. You now have the ability to say something like “You know, I like the project, I like you. How about $30 dollars and hour?” Make the client feel like they’re getting a special deal. All the while, you are making a living wage for yourself. 

Getting Paid

Now, actually getting the money you are owed can be an issue with some clients. Here are some thoughts about different methods of getting your money. 

Getting Paid Up Font

This one is tricky, especially if you’re charging hourly, as you don’t know how long you’ll be working on the project. However, for live gigs or session work, this could be an option. 

Getting a Deposit

Same problem as getting paid up front: With some live and studio gigs you can do this.

Contracts

While I am an advocate of having a contract with all of my clients, it is in no way a guarantee that you will be able to collect your money. 

Putting it another way: You may end up spending more time and money trying to enforce a contract than you would have been paid.

How I Get Paid Every Time

I have discovered a fool-proof way of getting paid for my work in the studio every single time. And it’s a very simple solution: First of all, I expect to be paid at the end of each day. However, what do I do to ensure payment? I give the client nothing, until I’m paid.  Once you give a client the work that you’ve done, you’ve lost all leverage in the situation. And now you’re chasing them to pay you. Hold on to all the work and tell the client that you’ll be happy to give them everything you’ve done; they just need to pay what they owe.

KRIS HAWKINS is an Emmy-winning music producer, award-winning educator, and author of The Working Musician’s Handbook for Professional Success (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers). For more information: krishawkinsmusic.com, info@krishawkinsmusic.com