Guides
Plain-language guides for artists who buy beats: what you actually buy, what a beat should cost, which licence fits, what a type beat is, and how to release a song on a leased beat without surprises later.
Beat licensing, explainedHow beat licensing works: leases, stream limits, exclusives, master and publishing splits, samples and Content ID, in plain language from producer TH6.How much does a beat cost?What a beat really costs: free beats, leases, unlimited, exclusive and custom, what drives the price and the costs nobody mentions up front. By producer TH6.Lease or exclusive?Lease or exclusive? When a lease is the smart buy, when you need exclusive rights, what an exclusive does not change and what to ask first. By producer TH6.What are stems?What stems are, how they differ from trackouts and a WAV, when you need them for your mix, and how to use them in your session. Explained by producer TH6.Master and publishing, explainedMaster rights and publishing explained: what each is, which royalties they earn, who collects them, and how the splits work on a song made with a leased beat.What is a type beat?What a type beat is, why producers name beats after artists, whether it is legal, what free for profit means and how to use one on a release. By producer TH6.Can I use a beat from YouTube?Can you use a beat from YouTube in your song? What free for profit means, why songs get claimed by Content ID and how to release safely. By producer TH6.Releasing a song on a leased beatRelease a song on a leased beat the right way: licence, distributor, title and credits, splits, registering the song, Content ID and your stream limit. By TH6.How to credit a producerHow to credit a producer: the producer field at your distributor, why "prod. by" does not belong in the title, YouTube, Genius and the songwriter split. By TH6.What is a producer tag?What a producer tag is, why producers use one, whether you may remove it from a leased beat, and how to work it into your song. By TH6.How to record vocals at homeRecord vocals at home on a beat: the room, mic distance, input level, recording dry, takes and doubles, and exporting for the mix. By TH6.Free beats: what you can use, and when to payFree beats explained: free for profit, non-profit, royalty-free and no copyright, where free beats come from, the risks, and when a lease is worth it. By TH6.