Herb's email is so great and thorough and thoughtful.

I would add, if you can, let an attorney read it and advise. It would be worth a few hundred bucks.

In the USA you generally set yourself up as your own own publisher if you can. I think Herb said this.

ASCAP recommended I do this and so did a music lawyer.

So, at ASCAP I have a publishing ID and a songwriter ID with a 50/50 split equaling 100%

Why?

Well according to ASCAP (as I understand it), many buyers are set up to pay publishing and songwriter royalties, and if they don't see a publisher ID they *may* only send you 50% and the publishing money will get left sitting around. This part always seemed a little murky to me though, Herb can maybe clarify. Still, ASCAP told me the best platform is to have a publisher ID and a songwriter ID so I did it, and that is how I submit all of my songs, and register them. It is also how I submit to SongTradr.

The biggest thing is though, a music lawyer here told me to NEVER sign a publishing deal with anyone unless they are like, Sony, and promise to do X, Y, and Z for you and have a proven track record. He also said" "Don't bother coming to see me after the fact if you have already signed it."

So, it sounds like that firm has done diddly squat and you need to get out clean. Be careful though. I am sensing the "you need to talk to a lawyer" vibe. If there is a statuatory damages clause in there and you make a misstep in the severance they could sue you for a lot of money even if you haven't made any. That is their racket.

So, my advice is, show it to a lawyer, dot every i as you cancel, and never talk to another publisher again unless they are helping you with a 7 figure record deal.

Herb, please correct me if I have been wrong anywhere.

David Snyder
Songwriter/Renaissance Man
Studio + Fingers

https://davidsnydersongs.com/
https://spoti.fi/359Gigs
www.davidsnydermusic.com/
www.reverbnation.com/davidpsnyder
www.soundcloud.com/davidsnyderchannel
https://www.songtradr.com/user/profile/david.snyder