I see a lot of questions from new composers asking things like "What is the best library for hip hop music"? Hopefully this post will clear things up a bit.
While some libraries have a specific niche, most of them deal with all types of music. Clients come to a library looking for a variety of music, and most libraries will have something to show them in every style. If they can sell music to them, they will. Think of it like a grocery store, you would hope they have everything you need.
In fact, it is a good idea to shop your album to a library that currently DOESN'T have that style of music. They will be more likely to take it, because it fills a need that they don't currently represent. When libraries take a ton of the same style, the competition will be higher, and that means less placements for each composer who has that style in the library.
All of this being said, there are some libraries with specific genre specializations. For example, you might see libraries specializing in:
- Trailer music (probably the most common)
- Orchestral
- Sound Design, Sound FX
- Live instruments
- African, Latin, other types of world music
- Tension
- Electronic, hip hop, pop
For most of the libraries I work with, they deal with a large variety. My best advice to anyone shopping their music is to find a list of libraries and check them out individually. If you have trailer or other specific types of music, try one library that specializes in that. If you have some style of music that isn't one of the first few on the list above, try any library that has a variety. When shopping to a "variety" library, make sure they don't have a similar album to yours from the last 2-3+ years. The good libraries care about their composers and don't want to siphon their success by having new albums of the same style.
I hope this post helps you decide where to pitch your music!
Email RandyMcGraveyMusic@gmail.com for more info, or to sign up.
Join My Mailing List on my Home Page
#synclicensing #tvplacements #musiclicensing #musiccomposer #syncclass #musiclibraries #bespokemusic
