Complete Music Contract Vault - 27 Music Contract Templates
Every music contract you will ever need, in one vault. The Complete Music Contract Vault is a single-purchase library of the agreements an independent music business actually signs : producer deals, featured artist deals, songwriter splits, remix licenses, sample clearances, a label recording agreement, a sync license, management and booking paper, and the crew forms around a release. It is the largest collection in this shop. Written by Adam Freedman, a music attorney with more than 10 years of experience, admitted in New York. Every template is drafted to industry standard, written in plain English, and ready to customize the day you download it. Which bundle fits you? The short answer: buy the Producer Agreement Bundle if producer deals are the only paper you sign, the Label Starter Kit if you are launching a label, and the Vault if you want the whole library in one purchase. The row highlighted below is this page. Bundle What is in it Buy it when Producer Agreement Bundle$75 All five producer agreement structures, and nothing else You produce, or you hire producers, and that is the only paper you sign Indie Record Label Starter Kit$65 Recording agreement, producer agreement, featured artist agreement, NDA You are signing your first artists and need label paper immediately Complete Music Contract Vault$75 (this page) All 27 documents listed below, covering every deal type in the shop You release, collaborate, and hire, and you would rather never buy a template again Bought one at a time, the documents below come to more than $500. The Vault is $75. What's included, all 27 Producer agreements, 5 Advance, royalty and publishing: the standard producer deal, with producer royalties typically running 3 to 5% of net master receipts Advance and publishing, no royalty: for producers taking a publishing percentage instead of backend 50/50 profit split, no advance: nothing upfront, equal share of net profits Furnishing company: when the producer delivers through their LLC, with the inducement provision built in Multi-track: one agreement covering an album or EP rather than a deal per beat Featured artist agreements, 3 Royalty and publishing split: for guests taking a backend percentage, usually 5 to 20% depending on their profile Direct artist deal: the guest signs personally, no loan-out involved Furnishing company: the guest signs through their entity, inducement included Songwriter agreements, 2 Co-writer publishing split: splits a co-written song in writing before it earns anything Company and songwriter: a publishing or production company acquiring rights from a writer Remix agreements, 2 Advance and royalty: for remixers taking a percentage of streaming and sales Flat fee buyout: one payment, full transfer of the remix master Sample clearance, 2 Composition side: licenses the melody and lyrics from the publisher Master recording side: licenses the original recording from the label or master owner, and ships with the SoundExchange letter of direction packet A sample almost always needs both. One clearance without the other leaves the release exposed on the side you did not clear. Label, sync and live, 4 Artist recording agreement: the full label deal, covering advances, royalties, option periods and delivery Sync licensing agreement: for placing music in film, TV, ads and other visual media Artist management agreement: commission, term, duties, termination and the sunset clause Concert booking agreement: guarantee, deposit, rider, cancellation and recording restrictions for one show Collaboration and crew, 6 Music collaboration agreement: two creators as equal partners, 50/50 on the master and the publishing Session musician contract: work-for-hire buyout for session players Vocalist agreement: flat fee buyout for a hired vocal Graphic designer work for hire: album art, logo and visual assets, with ownership transferred Appearance release: likeness and right of publicity release for music video talent Non-disclosure agreement: protects confidential information before you share it Guides and business forms, 3 Producer Agreement Negotiation Toolkit: the clause-by-clause negotiation guide, a signing checklist, and a real producer agreement shown clean and redlined. Sold separately for $24 Producer Agreement Handbook: the plain-English explanation of every clause in a producer deal Producer invoice template: for billing the work once it is delivered What you actually receive Most of these ship in three forms, which is worth knowing before you compare this against a cheaper template pack. There is a clean Word file you can fill in and send, an annotated version with drafting notes explaining what each clause does and where the negotiation usually happens, and a PDF for reference. The annotated versions are the reason a template teaches you something rather than just filling a gap. The producer agreements that carry a royalty, and the master use license, also include the SoundExchange letter of direction packet, which is what actually routes a producer's digital performance royalties to them. Most template sellers leave that out, and most producers never find out it exists. Common mistakes this vault helps you avoid Using one template for every deal. Producer, remix and sync deals have different structures, and the wrong template leaves the gap exactly where the money is. Skipping sample clearance. An uncleared sample means takedowns, injunctions and a claim on the profits, with statutory damages reaching $150,000 per work for willful infringement. No written agreement with collaborators. Handshake deals hold until the song earns, which is the moment you needed the paper. Missing the furnishing company structure. If your producer or featured artist has an LLC and you contract with them personally, you have a document that binds the wrong party. Papering the deal after the session. The leverage to set splits, credits and ownership exists before anyone records. Afterward you are negotiating with someone who already has what they want. Who this is for Independent artists producing, releasing and collaborating at a level where the paperwork has started to matter. Music producers working across several deal types who need the right structure for each placement. Indie record labels signing artists, licensing masters and wanting one consistent set of paper. Music managers and executives who need templates on hand for whatever a client brings them. Music attorneys and business managers who want a drafted starting point for common independent deals. Frequently asked questions How is this different from the Producer Agreement Bundle?The Producer Agreement Bundle is the five producer structures and nothing else. The Vault includes those five plus everything above, at the same price. If you do anything other than producer deals, the Vault is the better buy. How is this different from the Label Starter Kit?The Label Starter Kit is the narrow set a new label signs first: recording agreement, one producer agreement, one featured artist agreement, an NDA. The Vault is the full library for $10 more. If you are certain you only need those four, the Kit is cheaper. Most labels are not certain. Do I get editable files or just PDFs?Both. Microsoft Word (.docx) for everything you fill in, plus PDFs, plus the annotated versions with drafting notes on most of the agreements. Are these templates state-specific?They are drafted under general US contract law principles and each lets you choose the governing law. For state-specific requirements or an international counterparty, a short consultation is the faster route. Can I use these for commercial deals?Yes. These are the structures used in professional transactions, not simplified versions. Can I use each template more than once?Yes. One purchase, permanent access, no per-use license and no subscription. Which template should I use for my situation?Each is labeled by deal type and structure, so start with the section that matches your deal. If you are not sure whether your situation calls for the direct or the furnishing company version, the music law practice page explains how the deal types differ, and the Producer Agreement Handbook, which is inside this vault, walks through the producer side clause by clause. What format are the files delivered in?Microsoft Word (.docx) and PDF, editable immediately in Word, Google Docs, or Pages. What happens after purchase Instant download: all 27 documents delivered immediately via email and your order confirmation page Editable .docx format: open in Word, Google Docs, or Pages and customize within minutes Annotated versions included: drafting notes on most agreements, explaining what each clause does Attorney-drafted: every template is used in real music industry transactions No subscription required: one-time purchase, permanent access Want your rights covered before you commit? Book time and we will go through the agreement with you. Want it handled for you instead? See the flat-fee producer package. *DISCLAIMER: These templates are provided for informational and general business purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by jurisdiction and individual circumstances differ. Consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation before entering into any legally binding agreement.