Welcome to Exploring How and Where to Submit Your Music – Exploring the Music Submission Process Together
Hello there, and welcome. I’m Trevor—a longtime music teacher and a newly returning amateur composer. After 25 years (and counting) of pouring energy into helping students grow, I’ve started carving out some time to reconnect with my own creative work. I studied composition in the past, but now I’m approaching it with fresh eyes and a willingness to figure things out from the ground up.
Some of the music I’m creating is for fun, some for teaching, and some I’d like to share more widely. But I’ve learned pretty quickly that writing the music is only one part of the process—getting it out into the world takes a whole other set of skills. That’s what this blog category is all about.
What This Category Is About
This section of the blog is where I’m documenting what I learn about preparing and submitting music for different purposes—whether that’s publishing it, licensing it, releasing it on streaming platforms, or just getting it into the hands of performers.
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved in organizing, formatting, and managing everything from audio files to sheet music to metadata. I’m learning as I go, and this space is where I share those discoveries.
Why Follow Along?
Because if you’re also trying to get your music out into the world, you’ve probably realized there’s more to it than just clicking upload. Whether it’s formatting PDFs for publishing, tagging tracks for licensing, or figuring out what rights you retain and which ones you give away—it’s a lot to navigate.
I’m not an expert in any of this (yet), but if you’re figuring it out too, maybe some of the posts here will save you time, give you ideas, or at least show you that you’re not the only one wondering how it all works.
What Kind of Posts to Expect
Here’s the kind of content you’ll find in this category:
- Submission Checklists – Notes on what I’ve learned about preparing files and formats for different platforms.
- Where I’ve Submitted – Reflections on the platforms I’ve tried and how the process went.
- Metadata Matters – Discoveries about how to label and tag your work so people (and algorithms) can find it.
- Copyright & Admin – Thoughts on how I’m handling rights, splits, distribution setup, and agreements.
- First-Time Mistakes – A few things I wish I’d known before submitting my first pieces.
Come Along for the Journey
Getting music out into the world can feel like a maze, but I’m finding my way through it. If you’re doing the same—or even just thinking about it—I invite you to explore more posts in this category. You might come across something useful, or at the very least, feel like you’ve got some company on the road.
Until next time,
Trevor
