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Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - Printable Version

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Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - Python Blue - 01-08-2015

Thoughts about this?

As an example, I wrote a blog post on my site the other day expressing interest in making Bandcamp releases of soundtracks for mods of games. The problem is how I can monetize the music AND abide the terms made by typical game developers.

The reason I wish to pursue this route of soundtracks: as much as I love composing, I've grown to realize how picky most upcoming game developers are when it comes to musical taste and whether it conflicts with the composer's ideas: of the offers I got for paid game music, only one of them let me go the direction I wanted to with the music.

RE: Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - JayRay - 01-08-2015

Your best bet in this case, isn't to do a soundtrack, but to do micromanaged paid songs per song (Soundcloud or Itunes)

For instance, I personally wont purchase a CD of game music unless I personally have a need or desire for at least half of the songs of the CD. Some game design people are even more fickle. By offering each song, you are guaranteed to find a niche for youe songs while saving the prospective buyer money. You also branch your content outside the realm of your original scope, as now, I'm not buying a CD of game mod music, I'm purchasing a song that sounds like game music but also will be an awesome background for my machinima video, or an even better music for my church intermission video!

And a thousand people paying $1 a song with a %100 satisfaction and Net Promotor Scores, beats 100 people paying $8.00 for a CD with even %75 percent satisfaction, and a Net Promotor score based on that.

RE: Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - Python Blue - 01-09-2015

I think you misunderstood the point of my post.

I'm not interested in having indie game developers be the primary audience for such a project, especially given few will be open-minded enough to accept genres that they didn't expect, as I said before. Also, if you're saying I should sell my music to developers non-exclusively, as tempting as that idea is, I've learned the hard way with the Unity Asset Store that developers much prefer exclusive music, not to mention I have yet to find such a platform where all the tracks can be auditioned.

RE: Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - DerVVulfman - 01-09-2015

ADMIN NOTICE: The Creativity section is not meant for discussion but for the posting of actual works (understanding that viewer commentary is expected). As such, this discussion has been moved into the General Discussion board and had the appropriate flag applied.

RE: Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - MetalRenard - 01-09-2015

I haven't had any problems with this. I'm very open from the start about what is for sale and what isn't:
As the developer you:
- Can use all music and sound effects within the scope of your game and advertising of the game in videos.
- Can modify the length and bit rate of the audio to suit your needs but nothing else.
- Cannot resell the music or make it available for download outside of the game itself.
- Must only provide audio previews using the links I provide.
- Must credit me in full at any mention or use of my work (e.g. Music and audio by MetalRenard; http://metalrenardmusic.com )

Now for me, this is the bit that changes. I either grant exclusive, timed exclusive or non-exclusive contracts. The price varies greatly.
- Exclusive: The music will never be used for any other project. You essentially own all reproduction rights outside of my personal use and use in my portfolio. Most expensive.
- Timed exclusive: Your exclusive rights expire after an agreed date (usually 2 years after release of the game).
- Non exclusive: I will write the song with your request in mind but I retain all rights and ownership of the music. I can resell the music for other projects as I see fit. (of course with this I am careful, I usually wait a while before reselling anyway).

RE: Selling Music Meant for Game Mods? - Python Blue - 01-09-2015

Et tu, MetalRenard? XD

The reason I made this post was to express my desire to make music on my own pace without a game developer pushing for their own way (which I've learned is what exclusive music is all about). While non-exclusive music is tempting, the cases I've heard are generally exclusive in that it was written with one thing in mind.

Still, I have since found a better solution than selling mod content, which is admittedly a dark-gray area legally. My YouTube channel was recently enabled to accept donations, so I'll probably go that route with game music I upload to YouTube.