The Independent Songwriter: Legal & Administrative Playbook
You Wrote The Song. You Recorded It. You Put It Out. So Why Is Someone Else Getting The Money?
Here's the truth: writing a song and getting paid for it are two completely different skill sets. This course teaches the second one — step by step, platform by platform, exactly like a tutorial class.
You'll walk through the real registration process, in order, across 4 phases:
1. CREATION → Lock down who owns what before a single stream happens. You'll learn how to properly complete a split sheet, a producer agreement, and a work-for-hire form. The paperwork that prevents a dispute later.
2. REGISTRATION → Step by step, you'll register your song the right way: filing with the Copyright Office, getting your IPI/CAE number, registering with a PRO like ASCAP or BMI, and generating your ISWC. Miss one, and the system literally can't find you to pay you.
3. DISTRIBUTION → You'll learn exactly how to upload and link your release through a distributor like DistroKid or TuneCore, so it's tracked correctly from day one. This is where most independent artists lose money without ever knowing it.
4. MONETIZATION → Then you'll open the accounts most artists never do: your PRO collections, your mechanical royalties, The MLC, and SoundExchange so every dollar you're owed actually has somewhere to land.
Then you're tested on it.
The final exam isn't multiple choice. You'll work through four real-world case files. The Metadata Collision, The Ghost ISWC, The Hidden LOD Heist, The Ghost Cue Gridlock. Each scenario a real category of royalty failure. You diagnose exactly where the money got lost, the same way you'd have to for your own catalog.
14 steps. 4 phases. One final exam. Zero guesswork.
Get The Full Course — $49
This section is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Royalty School, a DBA of Music Business Lab LLC, and its founder make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of this information, and assume no liability for any actions taken based on it. Every artist's situation is different — for guidance specific to your contracts, splits, or releases, consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.