American Songspace Help

HELP TOPICS
Uploading & Editing Music
Submitting to Artist's Needs and Film/T.V./Video Licensing Opportunities
Contest Submissions
Uploading Photos
User Reporting

FAQs

General Questions

Q. I'm not an artist/musician. Can I still enjoy the site?
Q. Is American Songspace a publishing company?
Q. Will American Songspace use my material to sell American Songspace products?
Q. Should I copyright my songs before uploading them to American Songspace?
Q. Are songs uploaded to American Songspace searchable on Google and other search engines?
Q. How do I delete my account from American Songspace?

Creating your Songspace Profile Questions

Q. I'm trying to sign up but keep getting a "URL" message.
Q. Does my phishing filter or pop-up blocker prevent me from signing up?
Q. How do I fill out my "Writer Profile" information?

Song Opportunities such as Artist Needs, Film/T.V./Video Music Licensing Needs Questions

Q. What are my chances of landing a record deal or publishing deal if I create a profile?
Q. I was billed twice for a single submission to a Songspace contest. How do I go about getting a refund or credit for the error?
Q. What does it mean when the songs I've submitted are listed as "pending" or "processing"?
Q. What does it mean when a submitted song is deemed "ineligible" and requires an information update?

Contests Questions

Q. Will I receive a confirmation number when entering an American Songspace Lyric Contest?
Q. I submitted to the Lyric Contest and proceeded to "Checkout" but the song disappeared. What happened?

Uploading and Editing Questions

Q. What is the maximum file size for mp3s on Songspace.
Q. I have not been able to upload my song. Can I e-mail it in?
Q. Is mp3 the only available format for uploading a song?
Q. I am strictly a lyricist. Can my lyrics alone be posted on American Songspace?
Q. How do I update or edit an uploaded song[s] in my profile?
Q. How do I crop an uploaded song[s] in my profile so that someone can only listen to a clip of my song?
Q. I just submitted a "writers" post but noticed there wasn't a link to my page. How do I remedy this?
Q. How do I upload a Profile Photo?
Q. I recently submitted a number of songs in response to several "needs" postings. How can I be sure the songs made it to their intended destination?
Q. Do the record labels give American Songspace writers priority when considering song pitches?

HELP TOPICS

Uploading & Editing Music UPLOADING SONGS: Click 'Manage Profile' > then 'Music' > then click "Browse" and select the track you wish to upload. Then enter the Song Name > click the "Terms of Use" check box > then finally "upload song." NOTE: The song must be in MP3 format and cannot exceed 8 MB. If you are using a Mac, we recommend, but do not require, that you use either Safari or Firefox as your browser. Make sure your Flash is updated and do not rename iTunes .aff, mpeg or other files types to an MP3 file extension - that will not work. The songs must be saved as MP3 files to upload properly.
EDITING SONGSClick 'Manage Profile' > then 'Music' > then click the "edit" button alongside the song that you wish to edit. You can then crop your song using our Song Cropping Tool or replace the song by re-uploading an MP3 with the button to the left of the cropping tool. To update your "Song Details", see the form below the Song Cropping Tool, where you can enter publishing information, moods, themes, co-writers, lyrics and album artwork. Then click "Save" to ensure all your song details are up to date.
Submitting to Artist's Needs and Film/T.V./Video Licensing Opportunities PLATFORM AmericanSongspace.com provides a "song placement platform" for certain partners that provide legitimate opportunities for our community and for the songwriting community as a whole.
SONG SUBMISSION PROCESS In Step 1, you must enter your contact information so we can reach you in case one of your songs is selected. You must also accept the "Terms & Conditions" that state that you own the song material that you are submitting to this opportunity or have the right/clearance from the copyright owner to submit to this opportunity.
If you are a new member to AmericanSongspace.com you will need to upload your song on Step 2. If you are an existing member to AmericanSongspace.com, you will be able to select a songIn Step 2, click the "submit" button next to the "Eligible" Song Title to move that selected song into the top right "song cart" before proceeding. When updating "Song Details" for eligibility, make sure you click "Save Changes" before you hit "submit." If you don't "Save Changes" and click "continue" then you'll be taken to Step 3 but won't have anything in your song cart. For a song to be "Eligible" a member must enter certain information about the song, the "Song Details," so our partner[s] can have the necessary information to improve the process of listening, considering and hopefully licensing to your song. Song Details include Lyrics, Co-writers, song type, Copyright and Master Ownership information.
If you are already a member and have previously uploaded songs, as detailed above in Step 2 you can choose from your Portfolio of songs to submit to each opportunity. You may still need to update "Song Details" for those already uploaded songs and you must click "Save Changes" to save the song data correctly.
SONG SUBMISSION PROBLEMS If you have problems with the process, NOTE: the song must be in MP3 format and cannot exceed 8 MB. If you are using a Mac, we recommend, but do not require, that you use either Safari or Firefox as your browser. If the problem persists, please submit the error to faq@americansongspace.com, or click the "Support" button to submit your request.
Contest Submissions PLATFORM AmericanSongspace.com provides a contest platform for certain partners that provide legitimate opportunities for our community and for the songwriting community as a whole. Certain Winners of the contest will be notified personally by AmeicanSongspace.com or the partner which creates the contest. American Songspace LLC or its employees are not responsible for listening or judging certain partner opportunities — however, we do not allow partners to participate in our platform unless they provide a professional and responsible organization that works in the best interests of our community and for the songwriting community as a whole. See above for Song Submission Process or Problems for contest submissions.
Uploading Photos To upload properly, AmericanSongspace.com requires that images are under 3 MB and saved as a ".jpg," ".jpeg," or ".gif" files. Please make sure you have download the most recent version of "Flash" before reporting any problems with the image uploading tool.
PROFILE PHOTO UPLOAD OR EDIT PROCESS After logging into your account, clicking "Manage Profile" > then click the "Photos" tab in the right hand, middle blue Nav bar > then just below the top option of "UPLOAD YOUR PROFILE PHOTO" click the button "Upload Image" in the box to the right > then adjust the image to your preference > then click "Submit Avatar."
PHOTO UPLOAD PROCESS After logging into your account, clicking "Manage Profile" > then click the "Photos" tab in the right hand, middle blue Nav bar > then the second well down is the option of "UPLOAD PHOTOS" click the button "Choose File" and select the image you wish to upload. Then click the "Terms of Use" button that states that you own the rights to upload the image > then click the "upload photo" button. PROFILE TOP BANNER UPLOAD PROCESS After logging into your account, clicking "Manage Profile" > then click the "Photos" tab in the right hand, middle blue Nav bar > then the second well down is the option of "UPLOAD PHOTOS" click the button "Choose File" and select the image you wish to upload. Then click the "Terms of Use" button that states that you own the rights to upload the image > then click the "upload photo" button.
User Reporting/Harassment Please notify American Songspace of any harassment. American Songspace strives to be a user-friendly environment and takes all disclosures seriously. We will further investigate this issue and take necessary action if needed. Do not hesitate to keep us informed of any other related problems.

FAQs

General Questions

Q. I'm not an artist/musician. Can I still enjoy the site? A. Of course. We want songwriters (both non-performing and performing) to find receptive ears. Lyricists, vocalists, session players, non-performing songwriters, bands and artists are all welcome on the site. To create a "Writer Profile," all we ask is that you have written and/or recorded one piece of original material. But you don't have to be a songwriter or industry professional to listen to songs.

You may also create an "Industry Profile" if you are a music publisher, record label, manager, music supervisor, entertainment attorney, publicist, or other music professional that works with songs or songwriters.
Q. Is American Songspace a publishing company? A. We are not a publishing company. We are also not a record label and do not represent artists. We provide a user generated platform that songwriters can store all their song data on and thus we provide some technology that publishers or independent songwriters can value. We may become a site that provides further services for songwriters, but for now, we simply provide an online platform for songwriters to use for free.
Q. Will American Songspace use my material to sell American Songspace products? A. No. American Songspace is prohibited from using any person's name, likeness or image to promote American Songspace products (e.g. AS t-shirts or posters) without the artist's prior approval. The right of publicity prevents the unauthorized commercial use of an individual's name, likeness, or other recognizable aspects of one's identity and gives an individual the exclusive right to license the use of their identity for commercial promotion.
Q. Should I copyright my songs before uploading them to American Songspace? A. If you've written down your songs on paper or recorded them on your computer (or tape, etc.), then you have already copyrighted your songs. Copyright protection attaches to an original work the moment it is fixed in a tangible medium of expression. This question you are probably asking is whether you should register your copyrights with the Copyright Office. You are not required to obtain a copyright registration to be entitled to copyright protection. However, there are several benefits that come with registration that would not be otherwise available, and are generally worth the minimal expense. For example, registration creates a public record that constitutes public notice the work is protected, which may deter others from copying the work without permission. If you are truly worried about it, read the FAQ by the Copyright Office at http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/; email the Copyright Office at http://www.copyright.gov/help/general-form.html; or contact a lawyer. If you have any further questions, you can e-mail copyright@americansongspace.com.
Q. Are songs uploaded to American Songspace searchable on Google and other search engines? A. Yes. Any profile or song featured on Songspace can be accessed through general Web searches.
Q. How do I delete my account from American Songspace? A. Please send request for account deletion to faq@americansongspace.com. Please include your reasons for discontinuing your membership in the e-mail.

Creating your Songspace Profile Questions

Q. I'm trying to sign up but keep getting a "URL" message. A. In Step 1 of the sign-up process, when asked to enter your AmericanSongspace.com URL, simply add your name (e.g. johndoe) after the backslash "/" (your URL will be: www.americansongspace.com/johndoe).
Q. Does my phishing filter or pop-up blocker prevent me from signing up? A. The website, www.americansongspace.com, is a legitimate website and should not be filtered by a phishing filter. We here at American Songspace try to avoid annoying pop-ups, however we do use a few pop-ups in the Terms & Condition section, and other places. We have had a few problems in the past where the Safari web browser will block pop-ups by default without alerting the user that a pop-up was blocked.
Q. How do I fill out my "Writer Profile" information? A. After creating an account and confirming your email, click "Manage Profile" on the top right of the screen if you are not already dropped into your backend. Along the left-hand side of your backend, under your Profile Picture, you will see a vertical well "writer profile >." Click edit to any of the sections of your writer profile to edit the contents and then click "save" for each one to show up on your profile page.

Song Opportunities such as Artist Needs, Film/T.V./Video Music Licensing Needs Questions

Q. What are my chances of landing a record deal or publishing deal if I create a profile? And will my song get placed in a movie/TV show/commercial? A. The site was designed to create an online facility that industry professionals will use as much as songwriters. We envision industry professionals searching Songspace for songs for their label’s artists to cut, or searching for unknown talents to sign as staff writers. Industry professionals can also find tracks to license for films. There are countless other scenarios. So sign-up, and give your songs a fighting chance.
Q. I was billed twice for a single submission to a Songspace contest. How do I go about getting a refund or credit for the error? A. Please e-mail all pertinent information to faq@americansongspace.com, and the issue will be attended to.
Q. What does it mean when the songs I've submitted are listed as "pending" or "processing"? A. If you have submitted a song to a contest or opportunity, the song is being evaluated by either the partner who has posted the song opportunity or contest - or by the American Songspace A&R Director.
Q. What does it mean when a submitted song is deemed "ineligible" and requires an information update? A. These songs are not eligible due to incomplete song details. Please click "Update" to add details for eligibility. For a song to be "Eligible" a member must enter certain information about the song, the "Song Details," so our partner[s] can have the necessary information to improve the process of listening, considering and hopefully licensing to your song. Song Details include Lyrics, Co-writers, song type, Copyright and Master Ownership information.

Contests Questions

Q. Will I receive a confirmation number when entering an American Songspace Lyric Contest? A. Members will receive a confirmation e-mail through their registered e-mail account, as well as a message in their Songspace Inbox detailing the date, name and number of songs submitted.
Q. I submitted to the Lyric Contest and proceeded to "Checkout" but the song disappeared. What happened? A. Please try again to submit your song[s], as the problem sometimes involves your internet connection. NOTE: The song must be in MP3 format and cannot exceed 8 MB. If you are using a Mac, we recommend, but do not require, that you use either Safari or Firefox as your browser. Make sure your Flash is updated and do not rename iTunes .aff, mpeg or other files types to an MP3 file extension - that will not work. The songs must be saved as MP3 files to upload properly. If the problem persists, please submit the error to faq@americansongspace.com, or click the "Support" button to submit your request.

Uploading and Editing Questions

Q. What is the maximum file size for mp3s on Songspace. A. MP3 files cannot exceed 8 MB.
Q. I have not been able to upload my song. Can I e-mail it in? A. No. See the Help Topic for Uploading and Editing Music. Please not that MP3 file sizes cannot exceed 8 MB.
Q. Is mp3 the only available format for uploading a song? A. Yes, at this time only MP3 are accepted as the file format for AmericanSongspace.com. Please email faq@americansongspace.com if you need instruction on how to change files to MP3 format or if you have feedback on other file types that you would like the site to support.
Q. I am strictly a lyricist. Can my lyrics alone be posted on American Songspace? A. At this time, only songs uploaded with an MP3 are posted on your Writer Profile page [e.g. www.americansongspace.com/yourname] in your song player. All songs upload create a "Song Profile" for your song, which is a URL specific page for each song which contains the lyrics and other forms of song data you have chosen to enter in the edit song details page.
Q. How do I update or edit an uploaded song[s] in my profile? A. After logging in, click Manage Profile in the top right > then click the "Music" tab in the right hand, middle blue Nav bar. Under the "CURRENT SONGS" well below the "upload song" button click "edit" to the song you wish to update or edit. You will be taken to the Song Details page where you can re-upload an MP3 or edit all the details of your song.
Q. How do I crop an uploaded song[s] in my profile so that someone can only listen to a clip of my song? A. After logging in, click Manage Profile in the top right > then click the "Music" tab in the right hand, middle blue Nav bar. Under the "CURRENT SONGS" well below the "upload song" button click "edit" to the song you wish to crop. You will be taken to the Song Details page where you can use the Song Cropping Tool. Drag the orange "30 sec Snippet" oval to the area of the song which you wish to play on your profile. You can preview that song cue point if you wish and then click the "Save The Set Cue Point" button in the cropping tool with the third button to the right. After setting the cue, below click the "Only Play Cropped Song on Profile" button or "Allow Industry Only to Hear Entire Song" if you wish for only Industry Profiles to hear the non-cropped version of the song.
Q. I just submitted a "writers" post but noticed there wasn't a link to my page. How do I remedy this? A. Needs that you post will show up in the "Feed" of the other users in your "Network" and also on the "Needs" page. If someone makes a reply to your post, it will show up in your message center and you will be able to see the user who replied to the post and respond if you wish.
Q. How do I upload a Profile Photo? After logging into your account, clicking "Manage Profile" > then click the "Photos" tab in the right hand, middle blue Nav bar > then just below the top option of "UPLOAD YOUR PROFILE PHOTO" click the button "Upload Image" in the box to the right > then adjust the image to your preference > then click "Submit Avatar."
Q. I recently submitted a number of songs in response to several "needs" postings. How can I be sure the songs made it to their intended destination? If you receive a confirmation message from American Songspace that your song was in fact received and is being processed, then you can be sure that it has made it to the intended destination — which is the American Songspace A&R Director. You will be contacted directly ONLY IF a song is officially approved to be pitched to our Placement Partner's (Label A&R, Music Supervisor, Producer, etc.) particular Need/Opportunity.
Q. Do the record labels give American Songspace writers priority when considering song pitches? No they do not give priority to American Songspace writers. HOWEVER, in fact, they're really just looking for great songs that ALSO "fit" their artists. So ultimately, it is a "best song wins" scenario. Record label A&R execs couldn't care less if the right song comes from a music publisher, a manager, AmericanSongspace.com, a trusted friend or tastemaker, etc. Direct relationships are, and have always been, the only viable way to make headway in the Song Placement arena. Our trusted personal relationships with our growing Placement Partner clientele, coupled with AmericanSongspace's fresh and easy-to-use "backend technology," have provided a firm foundation for future Song Placements.