How do I get sync licensing deals for my music?
Founder & CEO, Futureproof Music School
Getting sync licensing deals requires uploading your music to sync platforms like Musicbed, Artlist, or Disco, building relationships with music supervisors through direct outreach, and ensuring your tracks are properly cleared with instrumental stems ready to send. I've found that success comes from creating at least 50 to 100 high-quality tracks across different moods and tempos, because music supervisors need options and catalog depth increases your chances of placement. Most placements happen when your music fits a specific brief, so I organize my catalog by mood, energy level, and genre to make it easy for supervisors to find what they need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best way to pitch my music directly to music supervisors?
I recommend building a targeted list of music supervisors who work on projects that match your genre, then sending personalized emails with a single track link and a one-sentence description of how it fits their current shows. Skip mass emails—personalization is what gets responses.
Should I register with a PRO before getting sync placements?
I always tell producers to register with a PRO like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC before pitching for syncs because you'll need it to collect performance royalties when your music airs. It's free to join and takes about 10 minutes.
Do I need an exclusive publishing deal to land sync opportunities?
I've found that staying non-exclusive gives you way more flexibility—you can pitch through multiple libraries, work with Futureproof Music School's sync opportunities, and keep 100% of your publishing. Exclusive deals only make sense if they're guaranteeing significant placements upfront.
John von Seggern
Founder & CEO, Futureproof Music School
John von Seggern is the founder and CEO of Futureproof Music School. He holds an MA in digital ethnomusicology (the anthropology of music on the internet) from UC Riverside, and a BA in Music, magna cum laude, from Carleton College. A techno producer and DJ since the late 1990s, he released as John von on his own net.label Xeriscape Records while working at Native Instruments, where he co-authored the MASSIVE synth manual. He contributed sound design to Pixar's WALL-E (2008), was a member of Jon Hassell's late-career Studio Group on Hassell's final two albums, ran Icon Collective's online program with Max Pote for eight years before Icon closed in May 2025, and authored three books on music technology including Laptop Music Power!. He architected Kadence, the AI music coach at the core of Futureproof.
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