Understanding Songs, Recordings, Rights & Registrations

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A song is:

• melody
• lyrics
• underlying composition

It exists even if no recording has ever been released.

Song rights belong to:

• songwriters
• and/or their publishers

Song revenue typically comes from:

• Performance royalties (radio, streaming, live, TV, etc.)
• Mechanical royalties (streaming & physical)
• Publishing income

In StudioNotes:
All of this lives in the Song record.

A recording is:

• a specific recorded version of the song

Each recording is its own “asset” with its own ownership.

Recording rights belong to:

• artists
• labels
• whoever owns the master

Master revenue typically comes from:

• Streaming payouts
• Sales
• Neighboring rights
• Licensing of the recording

In StudioNotes:
All of this lives in the Recording record.

They are not the same — and often very different.

Song Splits

These divide songwriting ownership, usually totaling 100%.

Examples:

• Two writers → 50% / 50%
• A band → maybe 25% each
• A topliner + producer → maybe 60% / 40%

These should be documented in:

• Split Agreements
• Songwriter registrations
• PRO documentation

Stored in StudioNotes:

• Song record → Co-writers + split %

Master Splits

These divide recording ownership.

Examples:

• Artist owns 100%
• Artist 50% / Producer 50%
• Label 85% / Artist 15%

These apply to:

• Master rights agreements
• Performer agreements
• Royalty splits

Stored in StudioNotes:

• Recording record → Master Rights Owners + split %

🎼 On Songs (Compositions)

Put these on the Song in StudioNotes:

• PRO Registration
  (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SOCAN, PRS, etc.)
• ISWC
  International Standard Musical Work Code
  Identifier for the song itself
• Copyright / Work Registration info
  (where applicable)
• Publisher info (if you have one)

🎧 On Recordings (Masters)

Put these on the Recording in StudioNotes:

• ISRC
  International Standard Recording Code
  Identifier for the recording
• SoundExchange registration (U.S.)
• PPL / neighboring rights registration (U.K. & elsewhere)
• Master rights agreements
• Performer credits & agreements

🎧 On Releases (Singles, EPs, Albums)

Put these on the Release in StudioNotes:

• UPC code

🌍 Different Countries, Different Systems

Unfortunately, there isn’t one global system. Managing all of these registrations is often the work that a label or a publisher provides and it can save you a lot of work if you have someone doing that work for you but for many of us, that is not an option. 

Since the list of places that you will register your songs and recordings is going to be specific to your situation, StudioNotes gives you the ability to set up additional registration identifiers and links that you can use to add any places that are not part of the default set that comes with the application. 

You may need to register:

• Songs with your PRO
• Songs with your publisher (if you have one)
• Recordings with SoundExchange / PPL / neighboring rights orgs
• Sometimes additional collecting agencies depending on territory

StudioNotes doesn’t replace those systems.
It helps you:

• track where each thing should be registered
• keep proof and identifiers of where they have been registered
• know what’s missing
• see your progress at a glance

Registering correctly:

• prevents lost royalties
• avoids disputes
• speeds up licensing conversations
• protects relationships
• ensures everyone gets credited fairly

Mis-registering or not registering is one of the biggest ways musicians accidentally leave money on the table.

StudioNotes helps by:

• keeping song and recording info separate but connected
• letting you store information about splits, rights, and agreements connected to the songs and recordings
• showing clear badges so you can see what’s done and what’s missing
• helping you stay organized across multiple songs and releases

Here are a few practical ways StudioNotes users (including me) stay on top of registrations, agreements, and follow-ups:

Collections are great for keeping track of songs and recordings that still need attention.

For example, you might create Collections like:

• Need to Register with PRO
• Follow Up with PRO
• Need Co-Writer Agreements

When a song or recording is finished and worth registering, just drag it into the right collection.
Then you can do registrations in batches, and you’ll always know what still needs to be done.

When you’re finished with something, simply remove it from the collection.

To-Dos are great for one-off tasks.
Checklists are perfect for repeatable workflows.

Many users create Checklists in Settings for things like:

• Songs with Co-Writers
• Collaborative Recording Projects
• Recordings with Guest Performers

Those Checklists might include steps such as:

• Create master agreement document
• Send agreements for signature
• Confirm all agreements signed and stored

As you refine your workflow, you can keep improving your Checklists.

When a song, recording, or release reaches the stage where it needs that process, open its To-Dos tab and apply the appropriate Checklist. Now you can clearly see progress for each individual project.

StudioNotes includes a default set of Identifiers and Link Types, plus additional optional ones you can enable.

In Settings, you can:

• Turn off identifiers you don’t need
• Enable optional ones (like MLC or PPL IDs) when they become relevant
• Add entirely new identifier types if you work with organizations not in the default list

This ensures StudioNotes reflects your region, your career stage, and your workflow — not someone else’s.

Music rights are complex, especially across different countries — but staying organized doesn’t have to be. StudioNotes is designed to help you manage this part of your creative life so you can stay focused on making music.