The Sync-Ready Checklist
25 things every independent artist needs before pitching their music for film, TV, and media sync placements.
Rights & Ownership
Own your masters
You recorded it, you control it. If a label, distributor, or producer has a claim, get it in writing before you pitch.
Clear your samples
Every sample, loop, or interpolation must be legally cleared. One uncleared sample can kill a deal instantly.
Document your splits
Every songwriter, producer, and contributor should have a signed split sheet. No handshake deals.
Know your publishing
Do you control 100% of the publishing? Is it with an admin publisher like Songtrust? Supervisors need to know who to pay.
Resolve disputes first
If there’s any disagreement about ownership, credits, or splits — resolve it before pitching. Supervisors won’t touch disputed tracks.
Metadata & Organization
Professional track titles
“Midnight in Brooklyn” not “beat_final_v3_MASTER.” Supervisors browse by title.
Accurate genre tags
Be specific. “Indie Pop” is better than “Pop.” “Dark Trap” is better than “Hip-Hop.”
Mood & energy tags
How does the track FEEL? Uplifting, melancholic, tense, dreamy? This is how supervisors search.
Tempo & key
Document BPM and musical key. Supervisors need tracks that match the pacing and tone of their scene.
Scene/use-case tags
Where would this track work? Montage, road trip, love scene, dramatic reveal? Think like a supervisor.
Track duration
Supervisors need to know if your track fits their scene. A 6-minute song won’t work for a 30-second spot.
Audio Assets
High-quality masters
WAV files, 44.1kHz/16-bit minimum. No MP3s for licensing.
Instrumental versions
Almost every sync placement needs an instrumental. Have one ready for every track.
Clean versions
If your lyrics contain explicit content, have a clean edit. This opens up commercial and network TV opportunities.
Stems on request
You don’t need to upload stems everywhere, but be ready to deliver them within 24 hours if a supervisor asks.
Consistent file naming
ArtistName_TrackTitle_Version.wav. Makes it easy for supervisors to organize and find your files.
Pitch Materials
One-sheet per track
A clean, formatted document with track info, mood, genre, similar artists, and your contact info.
Elevator pitch
Can you describe each track in 1–2 sentences? “A dreamy indie-pop track with ethereal vocals — perfect for a coming-of-age montage.”
Reference artists
3–5 “sounds like” artists per track. Helps supervisors understand your sound without listening first.
Curated pitch folders
Don’t send your entire catalog. Send 5–10 of your BEST, most relevant tracks for the opportunity.
Streaming pitch page
Supervisors want to listen, not download. Give them a page with streaming audio, not a folder of MP3s.
Business Readiness
PRO registration
Register with ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. This is how you get paid performance royalties from sync placements.
Professional contact
A real email address that you check daily. Include it on everything.
Licensing agreement template
Have a standard sync license template ready. Don’t scramble to draft one when an opportunity comes.
24-hour response time
Sync deals move FAST. If a supervisor emails you, respond within 24 hours or lose the placement.
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