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What Is a Split Sheet? A split sheet is a legal document used to define and confirm who owns what percentage of a musical composition. It’s a private agreement between all songwriters, producers, and contributors involved in the creative process. A properly signed split sheet ensures: • Everyone gets their fair share of royalties • PRO and mechanical registrations are accurate • Legal ownership is clearly documented Is There an Official Version? No.There is no single “official” split sheet issued by any government or music rights organization. PROs like ASCAP or BMI do not provide or require one specific format. Split sheets are not filed with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, or The MLC. They are internal legal agreements, much like a contract, that creators use to protect their rights and accurately register songs. However, there are industry-standard templates used widely by labels, music attorneys, and publishers. What Information Should Be on a Split Sheet? A good split sheet should include the following details for each contributor involved in the song: • Song Title – The full legal name of the song. • Legal Name – The real, full name of the contributor (no stage names here). • Stage Name (Optional) – The artist or producer name they go by, for clarity. • Role/Contribution – What they did (e.g., Lyricist, Composer, Producer). • Ownership Percentage – Their agreed share of the song’s copyright. All shares must add up to 100%. • PRO Affiliation – The performance rights organization they’re registered with (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SOCAN, etc.). • IPI/CAE Number – Their unique writer ID, which you can find in their PRO account. • Contact Info – Best way to reach them (email or phone). • Date of Agreement – The date everyone agreed and signed the document. • Signature – Each person signs to lock in their share. This info protects everyone involved and helps ensure royalties are correctly tracked and paid by PROs, publishers, and distributors. Should You Create Your Own Template? Yes, especially if you: • Collaborate regularly with others • Need consistent formatting across sessions • Want to offer a clean document to clients or artists you work with • Require a tool to attach in your onboarding, session wrap-up, or release workflow Final Advice If you’re collaborating on music, don’t wait until the song is out. Handle splits before release — preferably as soon as the song is complete. Attach your split sheet to your session folder, and use the same info to register your track with: • ASCAP or BMI • The MLC: https://www.themlc.com • Your music distributor For questions, contract walkthroughs, or music business support, reach out here on the forum or contact Sarcasmix directly.

What Are Music Royalties? Royalties are payments made to rights holders (like artists, producers, and songwriters) when their music is used or played. If your music is on Spotify, YouTube, radio, TV, or even performed live there’s likely a royalty involved. There are three main types of royalties you need to understand: 1. Performance Royalties 2. Mechanical Royalties 3. Sync Royalties If you’re not set up correctly, you’re probably missing money. 1. Performance Royalties Performance royalties are generated when your song is: • Streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc. • Played on the radio • Performed live (by you or someone else) • Played in a public place (bars, stores, etc.) These royalties are collected by Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) like: • ASCAP • BMI • SESAC (invite only) Who Gets Paid: • Songwriters • Publishers If you’re both the writer and publisher (like most indie artists), you can collect both shares. How to Collect: 1. Sign up with a PRO (ASCAP or BMI are the easiest for U.S. artists) 2. Register each song you release 3. Make sure you have a publishing entity registered (ASCAP lets you register both; BMI requires a separate publisher account) 2. Mechanical Royalties Mechanical royalties are paid every time your song is reproduced — digital downloads, streams, physical CDs/vinyl, etc. You earn these when someone: • Buys your song on iTunes or Amazon • Streams your song (yes, streaming also generates mechanicals) • Covers your song and releases it Who Pays Out: • Streaming services like Spotify and Apple pay mechanicals through a Mechanical Rights Organization In the U.S., the key org is: • The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) How to Collect: 1. Register for free at themlc.com 2. Add all your released tracks 3. Make sure your metadata is accurate (songwriter, publisher, ISRC, etc.) If you don’t register with The MLC, you could be missing out on hundreds or thousands in unpaid royalties — especially from Spotify and Apple. 3. Sync Royalties Sync royalties come from sync licensing, which is when your music is used in: • TV shows • Movies • Commercials • Video games • YouTube videos These are often one-time payments negotiated upfront. If the music airs publicly, it may also generate performance royalties later on. Who Gets Paid: • Whoever owns the composition (songwriter/publisher) • Whoever owns the master recording (usually the label or the artist) How to Collect: • You need a licensing agreement with whoever’s using your song • You can pitch your music to music supervisors, sync libraries, or via licensing platforms Some sync licensing platforms include: • Songtradr • Musicbed • Artlist • Pond5 Or you can handle it DIY if someone approaches you for usage — just make sure you get it in writing. Bonus: Digital Royalties for Producers & Beatmakers If you produce beats and sell or lease them, you should be collecting: • Your producer share of publishing • Royalties from beat placements (register your beats with ASCAP/BMI just like full songs) • Mechanical and performance royalties if the artist releases it on DSPs Don’t rely only on beat sales, get that backend. If you’ve got a question or need help figuring out which royalties you’re missing, post below or reach out to the Sarcasmix team. Let’s get you paid.

What Is Sample Clearance? Sample clearance is the process of getting legal permission to use part of someone else’s song in your own music. If you release your track on streaming platforms, in a sync placement, or for sale, you must clear any samples you didn’t create yourself. There are two separate rights you need to clear: 1. Composition Rights – the songwriting (melody, lyrics, etc.) 2. Master Recording Rights – the actual sound recording you sampled Skipping either can lead to takedowns, demonetization, or lawsuits. What You Need Before You Reach Out Before you try to clear anything, have this information ready: • The full name of the original song • The artist’s name • The length and portion of the sample used • A copy or draft of your song (if possible) You’ll also want to know who owns both the publishing and the master recording rights. How to Find the Rights Holders To get clearance, you need to know who owns the rights. Here’s how to find out: Step 1: Check Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) Look up the publishing info using these databases: • ASCAP Repertory Search • BMI Songview Search • SESAC Repertory Search by song title or writer to find the publisher name(s). Step 2: Find the Master Owner If the song was released on a label, that label likely owns the master. You can: • Check the credits on Spotify, Apple Music, or TIDAL • Use WhoSampled.com to trace the original song • Google: "original song" + master rights + label How to Contact Them Once you know who owns the rights: • Search for the publisher or label's licensing department • Email or submit a request through their site • Include a short message explaining: • Who you are • What song you’re sampling • How much of it you’re using • Where you plan to release your music Pro Tip: Be respectful and professional. Even small samples can require a deal, and ghosting is common — persistence matters. Example: Let’s Say You Sample “Ms. Jackson” by OutKast Step 1: Find Publishing Info Search “Ms. Jackson” on BMI and ASCAP. You'll find publishing split between Sony/ATV and other companies. Step 2: Master Rights OutKast is signed to LaFace/Arista, which is under Sony Music. Sony owns the master. Step 3: Reach Out You’d contact Sony’s sync/licensing team with your sample request and wait for them to respond with terms. Alternatives: What If I Can’t Get It Cleared? If you can't get in touch or the license is too expensive: • Recreate the sample (interpolation) with your own instruments • Use a sample clearance service like: • Tracklib • Sample Clearance Services • The Sample Lab • Use royalty-free sample libraries with clear licenses (like Splice, Loopcloud, etc.)