Music Licensing Made Easy

Welcome to the FAQ page!

Technical Help

The SoundVault system is designed to use the latest standards-compliant browsers, including Firefox 3, Internet Explorer 7, Safari 3 and Opera 9.5. A list of supported browsers may be found in the system requirements section.

SoundVault requires JavaScript to be able to function. If you get that message then probably JavaScript has been turned off in your browser settings.

Upon creating your account we will have sent you an email confirming your log in details. Be sure to double check your log in information and remember that it is case sensitive. Still not working? Try hitting the "forgot password" button to reset your password.

Searching

We recommend that you either select a production or create a new one before searching, although it is not absolutely essential.

You can locate tracks by genre, keywords, tempo and instrumentation. Use the coloured tabs on the search bar, and select keywords and genres that best describe the music you’re looking for.

Yes - in the search bar, click on “advanced search”. Here you can add in a more detailed criterion, including track duration, vocal preferences and music types.

This simply means there are sub-genres - click on the plus sign to see and you’ll see the sub-genres available.

Yes, by clicking on the labels tab on the search bar. This allows you to view music from individual Music Partners

Playlists

To create a playlist you must be logged in to your SoundVault account. Click on the heart icon in the top right corner of your browser window, then click New. Give your playlist a name and then you're ready to start adding music.

Once you've created a playlist and found a track you wish to save, simply click on the heart icon situated to the right of the track

Click the cross (X) icon beside the track you want to remove from the playlist. If you want to remove all of the tracks then click on the cog icon and select "empty"

Productions

Yes, you have 90 days from creating a production in the system to completing a cue sheet for that production.

Licences

Please refer to the rate card section for full details on the types of license uses we offer

Click on the trolley icon to the right of the track and it will be added to your shopping cart. Once you have selected all the music you require, go to the check out page to purchase licenses. Please ensure you have the correct use selected before making payment.

In order to license and download tracks SoundVault needs a few details about your company. To complete these details please visit the My Profile page and add in any missing information.

No, SoundVault licenses only cover the mechanical synchronisation rights. A separate fee, often called the performance royalties or secondary royalties, will need to be paid to the relevant performing rights organisation (PRO) by the licensee

Downloads

As standard we offer high-quality mp3s at 320kbps or you can opt to receive a broadcast quality WAV file for a small additional fee

Once you have purchased track licenses you'll see your basket orders in the My Profile section. Click on the downward facing arrow beside each track to download your audio file.

If you can't find the perfect track for your project it's worth dropping us an email with your brief as we have a strong network of labels, publishers and composers that we can reach out to.

Yes, payment is made through well established third party payment gateways that have a proven track record. We do not store any of your credit card information at SoundVault.

No, SoundVault only licenses tracks on a per project basis. For example if you wish to license a track in three projects then you will need to purchase three licenses for that track.

Unfortunately no. It is a condition of SoundVault licensing that you complete a cue sheet within the time limit (90 days after purchase) before using it in any media production. You are therefore not licensed to use the music in any production that has expired within the SoundVault system. However you can create a reversion of an expired production that will enable you to use the music previously licensed.

- the heart icon allows you to add tracks to a selected playlist

- the blue icon allows you to share the track on social media

- the purple i symbol displays track information

- the scissors icon indicates any edits of other versions of the track

  1. - the shopping trolley adds a track to your shopping cart

Yes, the principle account holder for your company will be automatically emailed about productions that are to expire soon. A warning message will appear when anybody from your company logs into the system to serve as a reminder that a production is going to expire.

Unfortunately, it is part of the SoundVault User Licensing Agreement that music is not licensed for an expired production that has not had its cue sheet completed. However, there are two options if a production does expire. Firstly, if you think that you will need additional music to that already purchased then it would be best to create a whole new production. However, if you are certain that you have already purchased all the music that you need for that production then you can reversion the expired production. That will be a cheaper option than creating a new production.

The SoundVault licence is a worldwide one. However, regulations may vary according to performing rights fees.

Cue Sheets

You have 90 days from when a production was created before it expires. You must complete the cue sheet within that 90-day limit or the music licences for that production will become void.

B - Background music: incidental music in the background that is solely for the benefit of the audience (not heard by characters in the production). Often synced with dialogue or dubbed with sound effects as well as the normal production audio

F - Featured music: refers to music that falls into one or more of the following categories

1. music performed by one of the characters (sung, whistled, hummed etc.) or music that can be heard by characters in a scene (e.g. music being played in a restaurant).

2. music performed in music video clips

3. music performed 'on camera' as part of the scene (e.g. a band/artist performing in the scene)

S - Signature music: often the main theme or reoccurring brand sound for the production

M - Sponsorship music: used for advertising products

Four-way directional arrow: enables you to reorder/rearrange the cue lines using a drag and drop method

Paper icon: reveals track information

+ icon: enables you to insert a cue line

Pencil icon: enables you to edit any non-SoundVault tracks

X icon: enables you to delete a cue line from the cue sheet

The additional information is necessary for auditing requirements and so that our Music Partners can trace where their music has been used and broadcast.

Yes, you can save the cue sheet in either CSV or XML format, by using the buttons at the bottom of the cue sheet. You can also print the cue sheet.

Reversioning

A reversion is an edit of a production where the SoundVault music tracks have not changed. The length of the reversion may change from the original and you can change the duration of the tracks in the cue sheet

Unfortunately you cannot add new tracks, as a reversion is the be used only for productions where the set of music tracks has remained the same.

Getting Started

When you sign up for a SyncVault subscription we automatically give you a free trial for the first month.

You’ll have full access to all our music and sound effects and can publish an unlimited number of productions on your social channels. Don’t forget to make sure they are correctly linked in your account. Full details here.

Following the trial period your subscription will automatically renew with the monthly subscription price agreed at the time of commencing the trial. However, you can cancel 24 hours before the subscription is due to renew and you will not be charged.

Log in to your SyncVault account and navigate to the Channel Management section in My Profile. In another tab or window navigate to your YouTube channel and right click on the name then select ‘copy link address’. Paste this into the YouTube field in the Channel Management section of your SyncVault account and then click ‘Save’.

Receipts for your subscription can be found in the My Profile section.

To reset your password please click ‘forgotten password’ in the login window.

Licences and Payments

Yes! Your subscription covers the use of music for podcasts.

Yes! SyncVault music is cleared for use on Facebook and Instagram. Please remember to add your social channels to your subscription.

The Creator subscription only covers the use of music in personal channels. If you wish to use music in a corporate or commercial channel, or if you manage multiple channels then you'll need to select our Commercial subscription plan.

Yes! You can view our Terms of Services, Privacy Policy, and End User Licensing Agreement - links to these are located in the footer.

Nothing! Each time you download a song for final use from the site, it is licensed in perpetuity. This means any song you license and use in projects you create while you’re a SyncVault member remain legally licensed forever. However you are not able to create new projects using SyncVault songs if you are do not have an active subscription.

You can cancel whenever you’d like, but you are responsible for cancelling before your subscription renews. A refund will not be issued for failure to cancel.

Copyright and Claims

Content ID is a system used by rights holders to manage and identify their copyrighted content on YouTube. Videos uploaded to YouTube are scanned against a database of files that have been submitted by content owners. Copyright owners get to decide what happens when content in a video on YouTube matches a work that they own. When this happens, the video gets a Content ID claim.

To ensure your videos are cleared from claims you need to connect your channel with us!

A Content ID claim is a copyright notification applied by a rights holder in order to protect their copyrighted content on YouTube. It is up to each individual rights holder to decide which policy they want to apply to matched content. If you upload a video to YouTube with SyncVault music without a valid license, you may receive a monetization claim.

All videos published during an active subscription will stay cleared from claims forever! However, if you use SyncVault music in videos published after you’ve ended your subscription, SyncVault (or our Music Partners) will monetize them. You can reactivate your subscription at any time to continue using our music claim free.

Yes! Once you have an active subscriptions you’re able to use SyncVault music in your content and you can monetize your videos right away!

Technical Support

You can create playlists to save your favourite tracks. Click the heart icon to the right of a track and you will be given the option to create a playlist.

Click the cloud with the downward facing arrow icon situated to the right of the track you are previewing.

Yes, we enable you to download 40 tracks per day. However you can create playlists and save as many of your favourite tracks as you like with no restrictions.

You can cancel your subscription at any time. You will continue to have access to SyncVault until the current month’s subscription period has expired. To cancel your subscription please visit My Profile and click cancel subscription.

To completely delete your account please contact us on support@SyncVault.com

No, as long you have an active subscription and have added the channels on the day you publish your video, it will be cleared from claims forever.

Yes.  Talent Scout subscription is completely free with no credit card required and gives creators the opportunity to use brand new music.  New releases are updated regularly.  All tracks are available for a limited period only. 

Getting Started as a Music Partner

No, registering for a Music Partner account on SoundVault is free.

To register as a Music Partner please visit www.soundvault.tv and click Sign up on the top right of the home page. We just need to take a few details and hear some samples of your music and then you could be on your way to becoming a SoundVault Music Partner

Our dedicated music team reviews music before inviting you to become a SoundVault Music Partner. Tracks music be professionally mixed and mastered and we'll only accept music we believe can be placed. If your music isn't accepted at this time don't worry - you'll be able to submit more songs to our reviewing panel at a later date.

No, but we strongly recommend that you do in order to receive any performance royalties due to you

Music is pre-cleared for all uses unless you specify otherwise. Our metadata spreadsheet allows you to add sensitivities so that your music will not be available for licensing for specific brands or uses (e.g. violence, political, tobacco etc) or in specific territories. 

We cannot guarantee that your music will be used/placed.

Yes, you retain 100% ownership of your music.

SoundVault gives you the flexibility to set your own pricing provided it does not fall below our minimum prices as stated on the rate card. Music Partners receive 100% of the revenue generated from sync fees - SoundVault simply adds a 20% service charge when a track is licensed.

Should you wish to terminate your agreement with SoundVault we require six months written notice.

We can pay you directly into your bank account or via PayPal. SoundVault will provide quarterly royalty statements if your tracks have been licensed in the previous quarter.

Uploading: Audio Files and Metadata

We strongly recommend that you upload WAV files. These should be at a sample rate of at least 44.1KHz (16 or 24 bit sample). If you only have mp3 files they should be encoded at 320kbps.

It is not essential but we recommend that you upload any instrumental versions if you have them as this will appeal to a wider client base

No limits at all and we encourage you to upload new music.

Metadata is simply the information relating to each track. The key is to provide rich descriptive metadata so that your music can be found during searches. We advise that tracks have a captivating and accurate description too as this can help when buyers are filtering tracks. The more information you can supply the better! Metadata also contains important details about your track such as the writer(s) and their CAE/IPI code(s) as well as publishers, labels, and ISRCs. Supplying us with this information ensures that when music is used it is correctly reported so that rights holders can be accurately paid. 

This is the Interested Parties Information code and is often referred to as the CAE (Composers, Authors and Editors/publishers) number. The CAE/IPI is an international identification code assigned to songwriters and publishers. Upon registering with a PRO you should automatically be assigned a CAE/IPI code.

Be sure the read each step of the process carefully and ensure you're uploading the correct file type. Once the track is uploaded make sure you complete all of the mandatory fields relating to your metadata - please make sure that the audio file name (including extension .wav or .mp3) exactly match the files you've uploaded. 

Glossary

Production music is music that has been specifically written for use in audio-visual and other media productions. Using production music is a cost-effective and straightforward way of accessing high quality music.

Hit music (often referred to a commercial music) is created for the general music consumer, and is not specifically composed for synchronisation. This includes artists, bands and DJs you hear on the radio and see performing live at festivals and concerts - it refers to all kinds of music from AC/DC to Zero 7 and although commercial music frequently gets used in TV and film, it is generally more expensive.

This simply means forever.

A cue sheet is a document that details the music used within an audio-visual production. It contains information about the production and where it is broadcast. Production companies send cue sheets to PROs so that they can calculate the royalties due to them.

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