How licensing works
One-stop music licensing, explained
One-stop music licensing means one company controls both the recording and the song, so one agreement clears both. Here’s how licensing works at Sonomore: the two rights in every track, the four steps, what a quote depends on and what we deliver. There’s no price list. Every license is quoted for the way you’ll use the music.
The rights
Sync and master: the two rights in every track
Every piece of recorded music carries two sets of rights.
The composition is the song as written: the melody, the chords and the lyrics. It’s owned by the songwriters and their publishers. Putting a composition to picture needs a sync license (short for synchronization).
The master is one specific recording of that song. It’s owned by whoever paid for or made the recording, often a label. Using that recording needs a master use license.
To use a recording in a video, you normally need both: a sync license for the song and a master license for the recording. For most commercial releases those come from different companies, and a song with several writers can have several publishers to agree terms with.
One-stop
What one-stop means
One-stop means a single company controls both the master and the publishing, so a sync and master license come together in one agreement. At Sonomore, master and publishing are controlled in-house for the music we license.
That’s what buyers mean by pre-cleared or easy-clear music: there’s nobody else to ask before we can say yes. You get one quote, one agreement and one contact, from first listen to delivery.
Licensing
How licensing works
Four steps from brief to a cleared, delivered track.
-
Send your brief
Tell us about the project: media, territory, term, the edit and your deadline.
-
Hear the shortlist
We send you tracks from our catalog that fit the picture, or suggest custom music if nothing does.
-
Get a quote
We reply with a custom quote based on how the music will be used. No price lists.
-
Cleared and delivered
One agreement covers master and sync. We deliver WAVs, plus stems and cutdowns if you need them.
- WAV
- Stems
- :15
- :30
- :60
Quotes
What a quote depends on
We don’t publish a price list. A local social campaign and a national TV spot use music very differently, so we quote on five things.
-
Media
Where the work runs: TV, cinema, online video, paid social, in-store or events.
-
Term
How long you need the license: a few months, a year or longer.
-
Territory
Where it runs: one country, a region or worldwide.
-
Exposure
How big the campaign is: the number of spots, channels and paid media behind it.
-
Edits
What you need delivered: cutdowns, stems, alt mixes or a custom edit.
Step by step
How to license a song for a commercial
- Gather the details. Where the ad will run, in which countries, for how long, how many versions and lengths, and when it airs.
- Send a brief. Use the brief form or email us. The more of the details above you include, the faster we can quote.
- Hear the shortlist. We send you tracks from our music for commercials or indie songs that fit the spot.
- Agree the quote. We send a quote for that use. Once it’s approved, we issue one agreement covering both master and sync.
- Get the files. We deliver the music, plus the instrumental, stems and cutdowns you asked for.
Deliverables
What we deliver
The license and the files, together.
-
One agreement
Master and sync rights in a single license, from one company.
-
WAV files
Full-quality WAV files of the final mix, ready for the online edit.
-
Broadcast‑ready mixes
Produced, mixed and mastered to broadcast standard.
-
Instrumental
The track without vocals, for dialogue and voiceover.
-
Stems
Separate parts so your editor can rebuild hits, lifts and endings.
-
Cutdowns
Edits to common spot lengths, on request.
-
Alt mixes
Ask about alternative mixes for the track you have in mind.
-
Cue sheet details
Writer, publisher and PRO details for your cue sheet.
FAQ
Licensing questions
Plain answers on rights, costs and deliverables.
What does one-stop mean?
One-stop means a single company controls both rights you need to put a recording to picture: the master (the recording itself) and the publishing (the composition). Sonomore controls both in-house for the music we license, so one agreement and one point of contact clear the track. There is no separate label or publisher to chase, which keeps clearance quick and predictable.
How much does a license cost?
It depends on how the music will be used: the media (for example TV, online, cinema or social), the term, the territory and the level of exposure, plus any edits you need. We don't publish a price list because every use is different. Send us a brief and we'll come back with a quote.
Can I get instrumentals, stems, alt mixes or cutdowns?
Yes. On request we can supply the full mix, an instrumental, stems and cutdowns to common lengths such as :15, :30 and :60, so your editor can shape the track to picture. If you need an alternative mix, tell us which track and what you need in your brief.
What's the difference between a sync license and a master license?
A sync license covers the composition, meaning the melody and lyrics as written, synchronized to picture. A master license covers one specific recording of that composition. To use a recording in a video you normally need both. Because we control both, we issue them together in one agreement.
Can you provide cue sheet information?
Yes. Our writer is PRO-registered, so we can supply the writer, publisher and PRO details your production needs for its cue sheet.