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Hey, just wondering if i were to get signed onto a label, what things should i do and what shouldn't i do to protect me from getting screwed over by the label?

Are you in the process of being signed, or are you thinking about the future? Either way. Follow your instinct, if some one wants to screw you over they will do that. If they really make a lot of coin on music you initially have produced but never signed over or got royalties from - I´m sure your project files will go a long way in court.

Get everything in writing

hold off signing anything as long as you can, and when you do get a contract, read everything at least 2 or 3 times.

read one of the 958495894 threads about it

ehbrums1 wrote:

wub wrote:Get everything in writing

^^

I've heard some horror stories about labels fucking over artists in a big way, the written word is probably your best defence against that happening to you.

rekon wrote:Hey, just wondering if i were to get signed onto a label, what things should i do and what shouldn't i do to protect me from getting screwed over by the label?

*Talk to some of the artists on the label and get their experience being on the label.
*If someone has multiple releases on a single label it probably means they like them/had a good experience.
*If the label has been around a long time, it's probably safer/less likely to screw you over. (NOTE: I said "probably", I know of labels that have been around a while that are still shit to artists.)
*99.9999% of the time, they're not gonna ask for your project files/patches/etc. (Only reasonable time for them to ask for your stems are if they are doing a remix competition of your tune, but surely you'll have a part in that happening.)
*Follow your gut. If they seem dodgy, perhaps you should save your tune; if they want it, surely someone else will want to release it.
*Get everything in writing.

Chat to them first, like a lot to sus them out. talk to the artists also on the label.