Frequently Asked Questions

(updated 1/6//09)

Please see questions and answers below....

1. How often are the 'current songs' on the home page updated?
2. Who is able to access the songs on Song Central?
3. Do I lose control of my material should I submit it to Song Central?
4. Can songs be submitted by professional songwriters?
5. Can songs not submitted by professional songwriters qualify for professional recognition or "P" status on Song Central?
6. How do I request a review?
7. Who reviews my songs?
8. How do I submit 'lyrics only' material and how much does it cost to showcase?
9. How much does it cost to become a member of Song Central?
10. Once a member, how much does it cost to showcase a song?
11. How safe are my songs on Song Central?
12. What is an industry 'tender'?
13. What is involved with responding to a tender? Does it cost anything to the songwriter?
14. Can I hear my own songs on Song Central?
15. Can I hear other songwriters' songs?
16. What happens if someone samples my song(s) and likes it?
17. Does Song Central have any part in finding (or benefiting from) song outcomes?
18. Does Song Central make money from song outcomes?
19. How does Song Central make money?
20. How is Song Central different from YouTube, MySpace etc.?
21. Can I submit a song to Song Central that is (or has been) on YouTube, MySpace etc.?
22. How well produced should my demo(s) be for Song Central?
23. What music file format is required for submission to Song Central?
24. If I have a song in 'repository only' am I able to submit it to a tender?
25. How do I select the right genre classification for my song(s)?
26. How does Song Central define a Professional songwriter/music composer?
27. How do I pay for Showcase and other services?
28. How do I pay membership subscription to Song Central?
29. What is the Crotchet Program?
30. Who sees the Crotchets?
31. Do industry users listen to a 'download' of my music?
32. Can I upgrade my membership during a subscription year?
33. How long can a song be? Is there a restriction of song length?
34. How do I submit my song(s)?
35. How do I submit 'lyrics only' material?
36. How do I search for 'lyrics only' material?
37. How do I know who is a registered industry user and who could potentially sample my material?
38. Where do I find the Flashplayer plugin?

1. How often are the 'Current Songs' on the home page updated?

The 'current song' list information displayed on the homepage is updated on a regular basis but not updated in realtime.

2. Who is able to access the songs on Song Central?

Only registered Industry Users can search and play songs which have been submitted to Showcase. They are not able to search or sample songs that are in repository only.

Song Central seeks to provide a wide range of Industry users with access to Showcased material. These industry users could come from industries that include: music, film, radio, television, advertising, events, games, theatre - even corporates (seeking original songs/music to incorporate in multi-media presentations etc.)

3. Do I lose ‘control’ of my material should I submit it to Song Central?

Absolutely not. Song Central has no part in any outcomes for your material on its platform. You negotiate your own outcomes for your material following being contacted by an interested party.

4. Can songs be submitted by professional songwriters?

Yes, songs by professional songwriters are tagged with a professional status symbol - P and become an option for searching in showcase.

5. Can songs not submitted by professional songwriters qualify for professional recognition or "P" status on Song Central?

Yes, songs by other songwriters whose material has had some some recognition by a professional will qualify for professional recognition status and be tagged with a P symbol in showcase. Songs/music will qualify for this status once one of the following is confirmed:

1. Achievment of success in a Song Competition. If you achieve a result in a “known” songwriting competition and advise Song Central with details for confirmation, your song will be tagged with a P symbol for the duration of its time in showcase
2. Achieving a successful Review
   If you submit a song for review by one of Song Central’s professional reviewers that results in your song being deemed to have “commercial potential” your song qualifies for a P symbol.
3. Co-write or collaborate with a Professional
   If your song was developed by working with a music professional contact Song Central with the details. We will verify the status of your co-writer/collaborator and apply a P symbol to the song in showcase.

6. How do I request a review?

If you wish to submit your song for a review: (1) click on your song and (2) select song in song grid (options will highlight) (3) click 'review' and you will be taken to PayPal to pay for the service.

Once you have requested and paid for your review Song Central staff will endeavour to assign it (ASAP) to an appropriate reviewer. Once the review is completed you will receive notification and will be able to access your review in your home page.

Songs on Song Central are reviewed by professional songwriters/musicians who are paid to conduct the song reviews. If, in the opinion of the reviewer, the song is 'deemed to have commercial potential' the song will be provided with a ''P'' in showcase.

 

7. Who reviews my songs?

Song Central selects its reviewers carefully. Reviewers are songwriting and music professionals who are committed to the art of songwriting and composing. Song Central will seek to match your song for review with a professional who understands the genre of your song.

8. How do I submit "LYRICS ONLY" material and how much does it cost to showcase?

To submit lyrics only material, the songwriter must advise Song Central admin@songcentral.com.au the name of the lyrics or song so the songwriter is credited with appropriate number of tokens for submission. Fees for showcasing Lyrics only material are based upon $15 per annum per piece however, with the new members discount, prices for showcasing ''lyrics only'' material are discounted. Contact Song Central admin (above) for more information.

9. How much does it cost to become a member of Song Central?

Membership Levels and Fees - see the songwriter page about terms and free showcasing offer for new member9

10. Once a member, how much does it cost to Showcase a song?

Once you are a full member of Song Central and have uploaded your songs to the repository, you can elect at any time to showcase any of your songs. The fee for showcasing is based upon $30 per year per song. However, with the new members special showcasing fees can start from $15 per year. See the songwriter page for more information.

11. How safe are my songs on Song Central?

www.songcentral.com.au is hosted in a secure web hosting environment with an organisation who provide industry best practise security and file access. The Site and data are behind an Internet Firewall that manages access to the server and data that is password protected. All music files are “streamed” to registered industry users on-demand. Music files are not downloaded. Whilst 100% security cannot be guaranteed, the risks are similar to having your songs/music played over the radio.

Whilst Song Central can’t be held responsible for any incident that could lead to unauthorised use of information and material held on its system, it takes all care to ensure that such risks are minimised. Song Central recommends all users to seek their own legal advice regarding the risks they take exposing their intellectual property in the context of this online marketplace. It also is important that all songwriters/composers understand the protection offered by existing (and any future) Copyright laws. We recommend you obtain independent advice or contact organisations like APRA for further information.

12. What is an industry “tender”?

An industry “tender” is a “brief” submitted by an industry user that describes a song or piece of music for which they have a commercial requirement. Industry users submit a request to lodge a “tender” and will agree to specific terms and conditions prior to Song Central agreeing to publish the request to its songwriter/composer members. Once approved, Song Central administrator will publish the details of the “tender” to songwriter/composer members in their home pages.

13. What is involved with responding to a Tender? Does it cost anything to the songwriter?

Anyone can submit a song in response to an industry Tender. However, Song Central requires that all songs submitted in response to a tender must be in Showcase. This enables the song to remain in showcase for a year should it not be selected for the particular tender and thus become accessible for other potential industry users to view and sample.

14. Can I hear my own songs on Song Central?

Once you have become a Song Central songwriter/composer member and completed membership payment via PayPal you can proceed with uploading your song(s). Once uploaded to the Song Central Repository, your songs can be played back by you anytime from your personal Home page.

15. Can I hear other songwriter’s songs?

No, songwriters are only able to play their own songs on Song Central. Howver, professional songwriters or professional singer/songwriters (who qualify and become registered Industry Users on the site) looking for new songs 'as is' and/or for co-writing or collaborating will be able to hear other songwriters’ songs.

16. What happens if someone samples my song and likes it?

When an Industry User samples your music they are able to see the “bio” information you entered as part of your membership registration along with a link to your email. If they are interested in your music they will contact you directly by email.

17. Does Song Central have any part in finding (or benefiting from) song outcomes?

Song Central is an independent platform and does NOT have any part in song outcomes. However, we are extremely happy when Songwriters and Composers gain a positive outcome for their music through our website as this is our “raison d’etre”! And, in this regard, we want to acknowledge the songwriter's success by awarding them a ''crotchet'' (see Crotchet program below) that becomes visible any time anyone listens to any of their songs - that will help them build their profile as a songwriter on Song Central.

18. Does Song Central make money from songs being found?

Song Central considers it has been successful in its goal when Songwriters and Composers gain positive outcomes for their music through our service and website. We do not take any royalty nor any financial fee for outcomes. You negotiate directly with the interested party with full “control” of your material. We ask only, that you tell us when your songs have achieved an outcome so we can award you with a 'Crotchet' and, depending upon the outcome (and your approval) we may seek to promote you and your success on our website and/or via the press.

19. How does Song Central make money?

Songwriters and Music Composers pay to become members of Song Central. Once you are a financial member you can submit songs for storage. Songwriter and Music Composers also pay for additional services such as Showcasing and song Reviews.
The subscription and showcasing fees provide Song Central with income and enable us to support, manage, host the infra-structure we have developed and continue to provide and develop services for our members.

20. How is Song Central different to YouTube / MySpace, etc.?

Song Central is about original songs, not performances. In some ways it is similar to a ''library'' where songs (as opposed to books) are available for industry users to visit any time to conduct searches based on their current needs. Searches will bring up short lists of songs (as opposed to books) that the user can then sample for further consideration.

This gives industry users the ability to access songs, music and talent from the wider community.

The music on Song Central is available for industry users only and NOT the general public.

21. Can I have songs on You Tube / MySpace, etc and also on Song Central?

If you have submitted your own original music to YouTube, MySpace (and other similar) websites this does not prevent you from joining Song Central and Showcasing your material. However, you may need to be careful when submitting a song/music to a tender that has already been showcased in the public domain. Some industry users may be looking for previously unheard music. It is your responsibility to check and comply with the terms and conditions of any tender and submit music/songs accordingly.

22. How well 'produced' should my demo(s) be to be put on Song Central?

It is up to you how you wish to present your song/music. However, the advice we have is not to try and over produce it — remember, it is not meant to be a “finished song” but a demo. The best way to present your material is to keep your production simple. Vocals and a guitar or keyboards should be fine — even just vocals! Your aim is to present your song so that its potential for further use is discovered. A bit like buying a house — present it in its barest form and let others see its potential rather than clutter it with your vision of how you want it to be and potentially cloud other’s vision.

(Hint....the word is at the very least - make sure the VOCALS do the best job possible presenting your song!)

23. What music file format is required by Song Central?

The Song Central Site will ONLY accept the MP3-128bps file format. Any other file format (eg WAV / MP3-256 etc.) will NOT be accepted by the system and therefore won’t complete an upload request. If you are experiencing problems due to an incompatible file format - contact Song Central and we will help you convert your file etc.

What are MP3 Files?

Song Central uses MP3 files to store music. MP3 files are compressed audio files. If you would like to know more about MP3 files, follow the links below to sites that have useful information about this type of file:

1. How Stuff Works - http://www.howstuffworks.com/mp3.htm
2. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP3

You can also do a Google search for information on MP3 files.

 

24. If I have a song in 'repository only' am I able to submit it to a Tender?

No, only songs in the showcase database will be able to be submitted in response to an industry tender or brief.

25. How do I select the right genre classification for my song(s)?

Classifying songs/music seems to be a 'moveable feast' and there is no one point of reference that provides all the answers. Different genres mean different things to different people. For the purposes of classifying songs/music on Song Central we have prepared a chart of genres and sub-genres. We ask all songwriters to approach this sensibly and not apply inappropriate genre classifications to songs.

Please note: inappropriately classified songs will be brought to the attention of Song Central who will respond by re-classifying the song with the songwriter or removing the song from the site altogether.

26. How does Song Central define a Professional songwriter / music composer?

A professional songwriter/composer is someone who:

• derives his/her major source of income from writing songs and/or
• has, or has had, songs released commercially on album(s) by record label or in a film or other and/or
• is published as a professional in a known music directory

27. How do I pay for Showcase and Other Services?

You may purchase Showcase and Review services on the Song Central Website. Purchasing these services is via Paypal and that can be accessed by selecting “submit to showcase” option from your homepage. Once in this section you will be able to purchase $5 Tokens online.

28. How do I pay for membership subscription to Song Central?

Membership payment is managed & facilitated online by PayPal and billed as an annually recurring charge. If you wish to have your re-curring billing date confirmed after you have joined - just email admin@songcentral.com.au and we will forward the information.

29. What is the Crotchet Program?

The Crotched Programme is Song Central’s way of promoting its songwriters/music composers to industry users. It works in a similar way to hospitality *star ratings or “chefs hat” ratings for restaurants. Basically, if a songwriter/composer’s material is selected by an industry user for some commercial opportunity, Song Central will award that songwriter/composer with a crotchet symbol that will be visible in their songwriter bio profile whenever their song(s) are being sampled by industry users.

30. Who sees the Crotchets?

Crotchets are visible within a songwriter/music composer’s profile. This profile is displayed when an industry user is sampling a song or piece of music by the songwriter/composer.

31. Do industry users listen to a download of my music?

Industry users sample songs/music that is streamed on-demand to them. Streaming does not require a user to download a song file in order to listen to it.

What is Streaming?

When you play music on songcentral.com.au you are using streaming technology. Streaming is the delivery of media content over the internet using data compression. This approach allows the user to start playing the material as it arrives – you do not have to wait for the entire file before you can start playing the music. Follow the links to see further definitions and information about streaming

1. One definition of streaming can be found at http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/streaming.htm
2. The Wiktionary definition can be found at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/streaming

To listen to audio files, you need a sound card and speakers or headphones for your compute. Streaming enables Song Central users to play music without receiving a downloaded file. To use streaming media, you need players which operate as "plug-ins" in your web browser. The player “plug-in” you need for songcentral.com.au is FlashPlayer 9.0.

 

32. Can I upgrade my membership during a subscription year?

If you wish to upgrade from one membership level to another during your ‘billing year’ you need to cancel your existing subscription and then apply for a new subscription for the membership level you require.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ:

Currently, PayPal does not enable us to offer a one step process of upgrading subscriptions. Song Central plans to develop a process (with PayPal) that will enable a one step approach to up-grading for our members. However, in the meantime, up-grading membership subscriptions relies on a two step approach involving cancelling their current subscription and commencing a new subscription. Should members wish to upgrade during their subscription year, Song Central will re-imburse any out of pocket expenses suffered through this process by depositing $5 tokens directly into their Song Central accounts.

33. How long can a Song be? Is there a restriction for length of song?

The average song is between 3 to 4 minutes long. Song Central allows the maximum length of a song to be 5 minutes. If your song/music is longer than 5 minutes then it is classified as 2 songs and will consume 2 songs worth in your repository allowance.

34. How do I submit my songs?

Once you have selected your membership level (based upon the number of songs you will want to store in one year) and completed membership payment the next time you login you will arrive at your Personal Home page. You will have the option to ‘submit new song’ in the menu. This will take you to a submit song page where you can upload your MP3 demo file, complete song details along with a copyright declaration and your song and its details will be stored in our database.

35. How do I submit 'Lyrics Only' material?

Exactly the same process as above except you will NOT have to submit a sound file. However, you must advise admin@songcentral.com.au when you wish to load 'lyrics only' material to ensure you are charged the appropriate fee for lyrics only showcasing and not the fee charged for showcasing songs (which is more expensive).

36. How do I search for 'lyrics only' material?

Industry users (that include professional songwriters and musicians) are able to search for lyrics only material by selecting the 'lyrics' radio button at the commencement of both the simple and the advanced search. Lyrics only material can be found under specific genres (if the composer has specified) OR in the ''unclassified'' genre section (where most lyrics only material will be found).

37. How do I know who is a registered industry user and who could potentially sample my material?

The majority of registered industry users are listed on the 'whoslooking' page that can be accessed in the main menu bar in the site? This page is updated regularly as new industry users are introduced to and commit to Song Central's services.

38. Where do I find the FlashPlayer plugin?

You can download Adobe FlashPlayer 9 for free from the following internet location http://www.adobe.com. This software is quick to install and provides you with the Plugin to give you the best experience on songcentral.com.au.