Questions? We want you to know everything that indie911 and the hoooka have to offer. Search through our Frequently Asked Questions to find your answer.
Why should I sign up with indie911?
There are MANY reasons for people, musicians, labels, filmmakers, and others who love entertainment to join us: indie911 combines the community and networking of MySpace with the digital sale opportunities and exposure of iTunes into a unique user-friendly site that is fun and useful for everyone.
I signed up, but I can't see where to edit my profile, all I see is an option to create an artist page.
You probably joined the music or film network by accident when you registered. If you're not a musican/label or filmmaker, you should be in the people network, where you can create a profile, upload images and videos, and create a customized hoooka using your images and videos along with any other media being shared on the entire indie911 network. If you intended to join the people network but ended up in the music or film networks, or if you are a musician/label or filmmaker and you ended up in the people network, please contact us to have your account moved to the correct network.
What is the URL (web address) of my page?
All profile pages can be found at http://www.indie911.com/users/username, where "username" is the username you chose when you registered for the site. All music and film network pages can be easily found at the following address: http://www.indie911.com/your-name, where "your-name" is the name listed as the title of your page. All artist URLs are also listed under the page name when you click the "add/edit artist page(s)" link on your dashboard. Additionally, you can click the "email this page" link at the top right of the page to share it with your friends or fans.
How do I add pages to my favorites? How do I remove them?
To the right of the name on the top of every page is an "add to my favorites" option. Simply click this to add a band, person, or film member to your favorites list. To remove them simply revisit their page, and the option should now read "remove from my favorites". Click this to remove them from your favorites lists. Your favorites will appear in a section on your people profile, so other users can see who on the indie911 network you are a fan of.
I forgot my password. What should I do?
There is a field on the log in page where you can type in your email address you used to register for the site, and we will email your password to you. It's recommended for your own security that you change your password often.
So it's easy to search through artists, but how do I manage my own areas of the site?
It's also pretty easy. If you're logged in you should see a "my dashboard" link in the upper right hand corner of the page. In the box on the top left corner of the dashboard you'll find the area to edit your profile. On the right hand side of the dashboard you'll find additional options for managing your account settings and features.
Can I be listed in more than one network?Sure, but you'll need to register for multiple accounts. If you are a musician and a filmmaker, you can create a page for each network with your existing account. If you also wish to have a personal profile listed in the people network you will have to register a new account in the people network. If you are representing a roster of artists (roster is defined for our purposes as more than one artist) then you can contact us for information on creating a roster account. Please refrain from creating a page in a network that you do not actually belong to. People profiles concerning musicans or music pages created by non-musicians will be deleted.
I have something to post in classifieds, but it doesn’t fit any of the categories you have listed? What do I do?
Well, if you can, try to fit it in an existing category. Perhaps there’s one that’s more general then the specific category you are requesting. If not, then don’t be afraid to send us an email, we would love to add more categories. We can’t always anticipate everything you need, though we try our best!
How can I link to indie911.com?
We would love for you to help promote your individual page, any of our features, or the site in general. Think what we're doing is cool? Then by all means spread the word! In your my dashboard area you can find html code for four different graphics that will lead people back to your indie911 page wherever you post them. Add them to your email signature, blog, myspace or other social networking page, anywhere that html code is accepted. Additionally, please visit our banners section for a selection of banners and graphics you can post anywhere.
How do I cancel my indie911 account?
If you have a free account (basic music, film, or people) and you no longer wish to be listed in the directory, simply go to edit your artist page or profile and choose the option to make your page private (not public). If you are an artist with a paid account, all of our memberships are for a 12 month term, whether paid yearly or monthly. All memberships automatically renew unless you cancel your subscription at least 30 days prior to the one year renewal date by contacting 
to cancel. We require a 30 day advanced notice to give us time to process the request. Any account cancellation request submitted after the account has automatically renewed can still be processed, but will incur a $10 rebilling fee. Memberships cannot be cancelled, refunded, or credited (in part or in whole) during the one year membership term. For more information review our policies on the terms of service page.
What is a hoooka?
A portable digital locker that allows users to share, promote, sell and play their personal media favorites, via the Web. The hoooka is a unique technology that combines the community and networking aspects of MySpace with the digital sale opportunities and exposure of iTunes. Anyone, from artists to fans, can easily create their own portable digital locker and post it anywhere - blogs, MySpace pages, or Web sites - and instantly become their own mobile media store.
What value does the hoooka offer to consumers and artists?
hoooka for Consumers:
- The hoooka empowers fans to share in the commercial success of marketing and selling the work of their favorite artists.
- Create a personalized digital store-front to share, promote, sell and play your favorite digital media.
- The current split is 70% to the artist, 20% to indie911, and 10% to the “hoooka owner.”
- Artists receive 80% of the revenue if material is purchased directly from the artist. These are the best splits in the industry.
- The hoooka is an expressive tool to reflect the personality, through choice of digital media and a completely customizable player, of each individual creator.
- The hoooka is mobile media store that can easily be posted on a Web site, MySpace page or blog, for everyone to enjoy.
hoooka for Artists:
- The hoooka is an easy way for artists , labels and filmmakers to distribute and sell their content online to fans everywhere.
- The hoooka provides value to artists by becoming a tool in which fans can use to become a retail partner.Artists that own the rights receive up to 80% of the revenue made for any song or video sold through a hoooka.
Are there any sample hoookas that I can review?
Sure. Visit www.hoooka.com for some examples.
Can consumers sell music they’ve downloaded from other sites on their hoooka?
Due to copyright restrictions, consumers will only be able to sell music and videos on their hoookas that have been uploaded through the indie911 site, which would indicate that the media is authorized and conforms to our terms of service.
How does the hoooka differ from other online retailers such as Snocap, Burnlounge or Musicane?
Although indie911’s hoooka is similar in concept to other “embed code” based widgets that play or sell media, there are compelling differences that make the hoooka both more technically advanced for artists and convenient for consumers:
- Live Chat Feature enables instant messaging from hoooka to hoooka, ANYWHERE online - No similar player or store offers this function.
- Hoooka features video - including feature films for stream or sale
- The hoooka is a stronger value proposition for artists and labels because it offers a higher revenue share to rights holders – 80% of all income
- Offers fans the opportunity to earn commissions for sales generated by hoookas on their own page – thus monetizing their own presence on social networks.
- Offers options for wide internet based distribution via syndication (podcasts, mobile partners, P2P platforms)
- The hoooka is integrated into indie911’s social network and robust artist services division
- The hoooka can be custom skinned to fit any branding of an artist, label, company, or fan.
Do I need to be exclusive with Hoooka/Indie911?
No. Creating and using the Hoooka is completely non-exclusive. You are free to work with any other similar services as you see fit.
Why would an artist use the hoooka versus using their own website or iTunes?
The hoooka allows artists to maintain their existing structure online – a hoooka can be added to an artist’s social networking page, existing site, or simply exist on the indie911 network, as well as a campaign alongside a presence on iTunes. The hoooka is not competitive with iTunes. The hoooka empowers fans to share in the commercial success of marketing and selling the work of their favorite artists.
Can a hoooka sell photos through its flash widget? Can I set the price?
The hoooka can be put on any website and can sell any music uploaded to the indie911 site as long as the rights holder places it for sale. There are plans to offer video and photos for sale in the near future. To inquire about selling these other media types please contact us. indie911 will use a fixed price to start, which will be $.99 for songs and $1.99 for videos.
When and how do hoooka “store owners” get paid? How much do they get paid?
Every sale from a hoooka is tracked by indie911 and the “store owners” can see their sales statistics in real time. Payments are currently paid out to rightsholders monthly.
How much does indie911 earn from content sold and purchased through the hoooka?
The split is 80/20 to the rights owner. If “consumers” help sell media however, the split is 70% to the rights owner, 20% to indie911, and 10% to the “hoooka owner.” These are the best splits in the industry.
Can consumers sell music they’ve downloaded from other sites on their hoooka?
Due to copyright restrictions, consumers will only be able to sell music on their hoookas that have been uploaded to the indie911 site, and therefore reviewed for authenticity by the indie911 team.
Can consumers sell digital photos they’ve added to their hoooka?
We are exploring this option, but at the launch of the hoooka, sales will be limited to music uploaded through the indie911 website.
What if I don’t want to sell the music right away but do want to use the hoooka to promote my artist/label?
No problem. The music will be set to stream until you check the option in your dashboard: “Make this audio file available for purchase and download.”
Is the hoooka available outside of the United States?
Yes, because of the borderless nature of the web, we are available to anyone in any territory that can access US based sites.
Is all of the music on indie911 legally-licensed? How can you be sure?
Yes. We have a team at indie911 that reviews all content submitted for sale on the site to ensure its authenticity. Additionally, the users are bound by the TOS that requires they acknowledge that they have the right to post and exploit the content.
How will indie911 protect against misuse of the site for illegal activities and inappropriate/adult content sharing?
Certainly there will be times when inappropriate material is uploaded to the site, however, we will do everything within our power to ensure that artists’ work is respected and that our community will not be subjected to material that is obscene in nature.
Does indie911 have a component that needs to be downloaded to run the hoooka or is it completely web-based?
The hoooka is a completely web-based media tool. It requires only adobe flash player which can be downloaded free at http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/
How safe is it to create a hoooka? Does it interfere with the security of my system?
It’s totally safe to create a hoooka. It doesn’t reside on your system at all. It can’t affect your personal computer in any negative way. Some older computers or slower connections might have performance issues using the player, but that is the extent of a potential negative impact.
Does a hoooka work on all browsers?
We’ve tested the hoooka on the most popular browsers such as Safari, Explorer and Firefox on both Mac and Windows operating systems with no reported compatibility issues.
Will songs and videos that users download off hoookas work on an iPod?
Yes. most portable media players, including iPods have the ability to play mp3 formatted content. Therefore, once content is downloaded onto a computer, you can then move it into your iTunes library and subsequently onto your iPod or other portable media player.
Can I put my own MP3s on my hoooka?
There is no problem putting any mp3 onto a hoooka once it has been uploaded and approved into the indie911 catalog and the user has confirmed that they are the content rights holder. Keep in mind that whatever quality mp3 you upload to your hoooka, that's the quality mp3 your fans are purchasing and downloading. If you are selling music through the hoooka, we recommend uploading a higher quality mp3 with a bit rate between 192kbps and 320kbps (320kbps preffered). All mp3’s must be encoded at a 44.1khz sample rate. When you encode your music using iTunes, Windows Media Player, or any other program you should be able to set these preferences. Any other audio file format, such as wma, aac, and m4a are unacceptable. If your sample rate is larger or smaller than 44.1 khz your music will play back at a different speed than what it should be.
Does indie911 support DRM (Digital Rights Management)?
indie911 is not a supporter of DRM and while we allow people to sell tracks for download, we do not add DRM features to those files.
What is DRM?
Digital Rights Management (generally abbreviated to DRM) is an umbrella term that refers to any of several technologies used by publishers or copyright owners to control access to and usage of digital data or hardware, and to restrictions associated with a specific instance of a digital work or device. The term is often confused with copy protection and technical protection measures; these two terms refer to technologies that control or restrict the use and access of digital content on electronic devices with such technologies installed, acting as components of a DRM design for more on DRM, please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Rights_Management
Can I change the tracks, photos, and videos in my hoooka?
Sure, simply log into to your account and choose your hooka to edit from your dashboard. Add, edit, update and make any changes you wish in the hoooka editor interface. We encourage you to keep your content updated with new material. Changes are made in real time. All updates will reflect in the corresponding hoookas you have posted on the web.
My question isn’t covered here. What do I do?
Please read through the entire FAQ and if you can’t find what you are looking for, please contact us and a customer service representative will be glad to help.
TECHNICAL HELP
I can't see videos or hear music, or the player won't appear?
You're using an outdated version of flash or you are missing the flash plugin. Please visit www.macromedia.com and download and install both the flash player and the shockwave player. Both are free and both are required to experience music and video on indie911.com.
I'm trying to join your site, but when I go to check the box that I'm over 13, it won't let me check it. What gives?
Well, we put that safeguard in so we know you've had a chance to review the terms of service (TOS) for the site. Simply click the link next to the check box, and the terms of service will pop up in a new window. Once you've read the TOS, simply close that window and your signup window should be underneath. Now you can check the box and register. If you click the link and nothing appears, your browser is most likely set to block popup windows. Check your browser settings and either disable your popup blocker or list indie911.com in your allowed sites list. In addition, make sure your browser is set to use javascript, this should be found in your options/prefereces.
I've created a page, why don't I see it in the directory?
Music pages cannot be published to the music network until they have music uploaded. Film network pages cannot be published to the film directory until they have content, such as photos, videos, and bio information. Music pages will publish automatically to whatever category you choose in the edit page area.
I've uploaded music to my music page, but it won't appear when I view my page?
Make sure you aren't using quotes " or parentheses ( ) in the song or album titles. In addition, check the actual filename to make sure there are no # symbols or other non alphanumeric characters in the filename (space, dashes, and underscores are OK)
When I uploaded my mp3 I got an error. What should I do?
First, check and see if the song uploaded. If it did, hit cancel on the error and don't worry about it. If it didn't, check the size of your mp3. If it is larger than 10MB, you'll need to encode it smaller - 10MB is the limit. If the mp3 file is smaller than 10MB and still didn't upload, it may be that your internet connection fluctuated during the upload process. If this is the case, log-in and try again. All mp3’s must be encoded at a 44.1khz sample rate and between 192kbps and 320kbps bit rate (320kbps preferred). When you encode your music using iTunes, Windows Media Player, or any other program you should be able to set these preferences.
What's a browser?
A browser is the program that you use to look at web sites. Some examples of a browser are Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Mozilla Firefox and AOL. When we ask you to "type or paste an address into your browser window" we need you to type in the website address, like www.indie911.com, into the area where you normally see the address of the web site that you are looking at. This address is also called the URL.
What is a link?
A link is specific instructions to make a word or section of text so that you can click on it to go to a different page, either within the indie911 website, or outside of it to a different website entirely. Links, or hyperlinks have a line under them and your cursor should change from a pointer to a hand when you hover over a link. When you click on a link, you will be redirected to a different page. Some links will be a full URL, like http://www.indie911.com and others will be a word or sentence with a line underneath. Because we cannot control what sites our users link to on their pages, we are not responsible for the content of third party sites linked to from indie911.
What is an MP3? Do I need any hardware to listen to MP3s?
MP3 stands for "MPEG 1 Layer 3", which is a compression technology for audio. The MP3 format compresses sound files down to one-tenth of their normal size, with very little noticeable degradation in sound quality. This is done by making use of data redundancy and of psycho-acoustic theory. Because compressed audio takes up far less storage space, each song may be transmitted using far less bandwidth than standard uncompressed digital audio, such as that stored on a compact disc. Compression allows for quicker uploads and downloads of audio files, making it less time-consuming and more realistic to transmit music files over the Internet. Computer users can create their own MP3 files by placing any audio CD into the computer's CD-ROM drive. Using encoding software (we recommend iTunes), CD tracks can be converted into MP3 files. In addition, MP3 files may be downloaded from sites on the Internet. Upon downloading, the files are stored on a users hard drive, and may be transferred to other storage media, such as CD-ROMs.
Can I download a song? Do I need a Mac or a PC?
All of the music available on our website is for streaming. We have a built in player that works on both Mac & PC. Artists can designate one or all of their tracks for sale as a digital download. Tracks for sale are indicated by a "$0.99" symbol next to the song(s) on the playlist. These files can be downloaded to your computer once you have paid for them, currently $0.99 cents per track.
How can I upload video to my page?
ARTISTS: If you are an artist you can upload your videos directly to the hoooka player on your artist page. Simply go into the edit artist page area, then select the video option in the right hand menu. Here you can upload videos from many different formats (currently .mp4 is not supported, we recommend .mov). The video will be automatically converted after upload and added to your player. Conversion may take several minutes to several hours, but your video should appear in the "pending videos" area after the upload is completed until the video is converted and added to your page.
PEOPLE: If you are a regular community member you may also upload your user generated video to your "my media" area. Simply edit any of your hoookas (or create a new one) and click the "my media" tab in the hoooka configurator. Here you can upload videos from many different formats
(currently .mp4 is not supported, we recommend .mov). The video will be automatically converted after upload and added to the "my videos" section of the "my media" tab. Conversion may take several minutes to several hours, but your video should appear in the "pending videos" area after the upload is completed until the video is converted and added to your account. Once the video is converted it can be added to your hoooka using the + symbol in the hoooka configurator. You can also click the pencil icon to edit your video's title and description. Your my media tab can be accessed when editing any of your hoookas, so don't worry about having to upload anything again to get it into another hoooka. Simply visit "my media" in the configurator and all of your uploaded content (video and photo) will be available for you to add or remove from the hoooka using the + or - icons, or edit the description and titles using the pencil icon.
Why do my play stats read zero?
Currently the player cannot count video plays or page visits, only audio plays. We're working on a future version of the site which will be able to show you how many times your video or page has been viewed.
ARTIST/LABEL QUESTIONS:
Can any musician or artist upload their music to indie911?
YES. But frankly since the focus of the site is on actually USING quality music, we would appreciate you using your judgment: indie911 is mostly for artists and artists' representatives wishing to feature FINISHED, QUALITY RECORDINGS.
I've created a page, why don't I see it in the directory?
Music pages cannot be published to the music network until they have music uploaded. Film network pages cannot be published to the film directory until they have appropriate content, at least one photo and/or biographical information. Music pages will publish automatically to whatever category you choose in the edit page area.
I've created a film/music page but my people page still says I don't control any pages?
As long as a page is still pending it will not appear in the directory, show up in a search, or be listed on your people page. Music pages are no longer pending when at least one song has been uploaded, film pages are no longer pending when they have been approved by our staff. Approval time takes approx. 24-48 hours, if more than three days have elapsed since you added content please contact us.
I just signed up, why do I have two different pages?
Currently, everyone who registers on indie911.com automatically receives a page in the people section. In addition to this if you are part of the music or film professional communities you can create one music page or one film page. If you don't want your own personal page, simply leave it private. People pages are private by default and will not display in the directory. To make your people page public for all to see simply choose to make your page public in the my dashboard area. Even if you don't have a public people page you can still create and edit a film and/or music page; simply don't pay any attention to the people section page. Each network on indie911 is color coded: blue for music, red for film, and green for people. The people section is not intended to list a band or artist, it is only intended for individual people. We reserve the right to edit listings to reflect this policy.
Why does other people's music play on my page?
Pages in the people section are setup to automatically show the most recently played songs for each user. This is to help promote bands that you have been listening to so other members viewing your page can enjoy them and maybe discover their new favorite artist! Songs of artists appearing in your playlist who have designated them for sale will also be purchasable off of your page. This section is automated, so to push songs off of your list, you'll have to just listen to something else! This is only true for the people page, a music artist page is completely customizable and controllable, and no one else's music will ever play on your music page.
I feel I have been incorrectly listed in the wrong genre or category, how can I change this?
If you wish to change your category simply go to the first step of the artist page editor and select a category from the drop down menu. We reserve the right to re-assign pages to new categories at any point if we feel they are incorrectly classified.
What's the deal with the stats/charts/play counts?
Currently stats only show how many times the songs have been played, both that particular day as well as overall plays on that page. This also includes plays of your music that appear on fans' people pages. We do not count how many times your page has been viewed, though we're working to offer more types of stats on all three networks. The indiecharts list the top 100 played songs on the site, as well as the top 25 downloaded (purchased) songs on the site. These are cumulative numbers, though in the future we will be offering charts based on weekly or monthly, not cumulative stats. Recorded plays are associated with individual song files. For this reason if you delete a song from your page you will also delete those plays from your total and that song from the charts. Lost stats cannot be recovered, so please keep this in mind before deleting song files from your account. Plays by the artist who uploaded the music will be excluded when calculating play totals.
I bought a gold/platinum account and I'm selling my music on indie911. How will I know when people have bought my music?
You can check how many downloads you've sold and where people are buying them in your my dashboard area. Just click on the purchase statistics link located next to the edit artist page link. You will receive a report when we make the quarterly payments, which will detail which songs were sold and in what quantities and from what geographical areas.
What about the songwriting and recording rights? Can I include songs that I have NOT written myself?
To submit music to INDIE911, we require that you currently own or control both the appropriate "master" rights and music publishing rights to your material. Furthermore, your music must sound professionally recorded and packaged for release and/or promotion by a label, publisher, music supervisor or distributor. You will be asked to sign our agreement that allows us to stream your music. This means that you are NOT permitted to include “cover” versions of songs. You must own or control the material you upload to the site.
How will I know if my music has been accepted and/or uploaded into the site?
Simply sign up and upload your music. If you're only streaming music it will appear and play on your page immediately after a successful upload. If you elect to sell your music on your artist page please note there is a waiting period of 1-2 business days as all music sold on indie911 must first be approved by our staff.
How do I upload my songs onto the site?
Login to your account page, and select the music page tab. Hit the edit page button. Step 3 of edit steps is Audio, click on this. On the new page, click the browse button choosing the song you wish to upload. Make sure you put the album title and the song title in the correct boxes. Please do not use quotes in either the track title or album title, and make sure the song’s filename contains only alphanumerics, underscores, and spaces. Use of quotes or any other symbols in the filename will conflict with the player. Click add and wait for upload to finish. Your song has been added. Tip: Make sure the album title is exactly the same for each song on the album. Spaces at the beginning or having Caps Lock on will confuse the program into thinking there is more than one album.
When I uploaded my mp3 I got an error. What should I do?
First, check and see if the song uploaded. If it did, hit cancel on the error and don't worry about it. If it didn't, check the size of your mp3. If it is larger than 10MB, you'll need to encode it smaller - 10MB is the limit. If the mp3 file is smaller than 10MB and still didn't upload, it may be that your internet connection fluctuated during the upload process. If this is the case, log-in and try again. All mp3’s must be encoded at a 44.1khz sample rate and between 192kbps and 320kbps bit rate (320kbps preferred). When you encode your music using iTunes, Windows Media Player, or any other program you should be able to set these preferences. Any other audio file format, such as wma, aac, and m4a are unacceptable. If your sample rate is larger or smaller than 44.1 khz your music will play back at a different speed than what it should be.
Once I upload my music, who gets to listen to it?
Music you upload to the site, once approved, will be made available for streaming by anyone who visits the indie911.com website.
Why should I bother to upgrade from a free guest account?
Basic accounts are limited to only three songs, and have far fewer features than either of the paid accounts. To stream and sell unlimited music, videos, and take advantage of other great services like licensing, and airplay tracking, and more you must upgrade to a paid account. View descriptions of our paid services.
How do I upload my bio onto the site?
From your account page, hit the edit button in the top right hand corner. Step 1 of edit steps is bio, influences, and location - click on it.
What’s the difference between the ‘Short Description’ and the “Full Bio”?
The Short Description is what will be listed under your band's name on the artist directory page and in search results. Please keep it simple - a quote from a journalist or a sentence describing your sound. The short description is also typically what search engines such as google will display in their search results, so make sure the description is relevant to your page to make sure you optimize your search capability. The Full Bio field is just what it sounds like. There's plenty of room so feel free to list your awards, accomplishments, etc. Tip: If you are cutting and pasting your bio from a word doc, be careful of your punctuation. If when you paste it you see strange characters where your apostrophes once were, try pasting it into notepad first and cutting and pasting from there. Otherwise, just go through and change the strange characters back to the proper punctuation.
What do I write in the “influences” section?
The Influences section should be a list of your/your band's influences. Each influence will be a link correlating your band with other bands with the same influence. Please write them out in list form - not paragraph form. Good Ex. The Pixies, The Who, Jurassic 5 /Bad Ex. I have loved the Pixies since I was a little girl.
How do I add my album image?
First you want to log in. From your account page, hit the edit button in the top right hand corner. Step 2 of edit steps is images - click on it. Click the browse button, choose the image, and click add. Please check and make sure the image is working. No need to litter the page with broken links. Failed uploads or broken links may interfere with the player’s ability to display your images. Contact 
for this and other technical issues you cannot resolve on your own.
I want to upload a song, but I'm under 18. Is this ok?
NO. Sorry. According to the terms of use, you have to be of legal age to enter into contracts. Since the Indie911 site is based in California, the law is 18 years old. You can, however, authorize an adult to represent your band and upload songs on your behalf.
How can I link to indie911.com?
We would love for you to help promote your individual page, any of our features, or the site in general. Think what we're doing is cool? Then by all means spread the word! In your my dashboard area you can find html code for four different graphics that will lead people back to your indie911 page wherever you post them. Additionally, please visit www.indie911.com/links/banners for a whole bunch of cool banners you can post anywhere.
What if I already have digital distribution through CD Baby? Can I sell my music through indie911?
For sales from the indie911 website, CD Baby's digital distribution program does not conflict with selling music directly from the indie911 site, as we deal directly with artists and do not currently accept music from digital aggregators. If, however, you decide to use indie911 for your digital distribution needs then you will not be able to also have those albums listed with CD Baby. As we also distribute digitally to iTunes, MSN, E-Music and more, you can't have two distributors bringing your music to the same store.
"SYNC YOUR SONG" QUESTIONS:
What kind of music is APM looking for?
APM represents and licenses music from nearly every genre of music throughout the world, including pop, rock, classical, instrumentals, and vocals.
What actually happens once my music gets licensed?
APM will grant a license to a customer for a specific use (Internet, television, etc.). The customer will pay APM/Indie911 and identify your song, and Indie911 will then, within sixty (60) days of the following June 30 or December 31 after the license is issued, send you a check in the amount of seventy five (75%) percent of all license fees actually received by Indie911.
Once an APM client has access to my music, what will they do with it?
Customers can synchronize your music to a visual image or scene.
What kind of uses can APM get for my music?
Uses range from several types of media: television, radio, Internet, film and other media.
Possible uses include commercials, promotional spots, television shows, motion pictures, video games, industrial videos and web sites.
Will I get to approve the specific uses of my songs?
No. Your agreement with APM/Indie911 allows us to license your music to any client who is willing to pay for its use. The agreement you sign with APM/Indie911 pre-clears all of your music for potential licensing. Pre-clearance is a strong selling point for our clients who are more likely to use music that causes them less hassle.
Will I be notified when my music is used?
Due to the high volume of licenses and placements of material on a monthly basis, and the fact that the companies creating the shows are often not the actual broadcaster, we are unable to notify artists before a program has started airing. Many times APM does not receive cue sheets from clients until well after the production first aired.
By entering into this agreement, what rights am I granting to APM/Indie 911?
You give APM/Indie911 the right to license the songs you submit, which are accepted on an-exclusive basis to any of our production or media clients worldwide at a license fee determined by APM/Indie911. You agree to keep your music in the catalog for a minimum period of one year. You retain all ownership of publishing, copyrights and masters. APM/Indie911 only has the right to license your music to interested parties for productions.
Even though I license my music through APM/Indie 911, will I still be able to do other things with it?
Yes, our partnership will only be exclusive regarding synchronization licensing uses. You can still continue to sell your songs through Indie911 downloads or release an album.
When I submit my music, what rights am I representing?
You are giving us your guarantee that the material you are submitting is your own, written and recorded by you and not sampled. In addition, anyone who owns any part of the master recording or the publishing, or has any rights over the music at all, must sign the agreement. This must happen before APM can license your music.
If I already have a record or publishing deal can I still participate in the APM/Indie 911 Initiative?
APM/Indie 911 needs the permission of every person or company that has control over the copyright in the specific sound recordings or songs that you wish to have licensed. If this includes your record company or music publishing company, the written consent of these parties is necessary to place your music. So you need to put their names on the Contract and have them sign as well.
What do I do if I get interest from a record company or publishing company to make a deal?
You must tell the record or publishing company that certain songs that you have recorded have been provided to APM/Indie911. If for some reason the company does not want these songs offered to customers through APM/Indie911, you can write us a letter, and we will remove the songs from our catalog after the initial term has been reached.
How do I get started?
You need to download our Sync-Your-Song application kit from the Sync-Your-Song section of our site. We will not consider any submissions for our catalog if they are not accompanied by a completed, signed agreement.
If I have co-writers, can I still submit my song to APM/Indie 911?
Yes. Songs with multiple writers are eligible for catalog consideration, but only if you are able to obtain the signatures of all parties who have any ownership of the music. This includes those who possess rights to the composition (publishing) and/or the master (sound recording).
Are there any songs that will not be considered by APM/Indie 911?
Cover songs, songs containing unauthorized samples, or songs where a co-writer does not give written permission will not be considered.
What tech requirements do I need to follow?
An MP3 of your song is acceptable for the initial submission. Once your songs is accepted, your music must be submitted on a broadcast quality, 16bit, 44.1 kHz CD. Copies should be of the highest technological quality possible: you need not have spent a fortune to make them, but we do not want recordings with buzz, hiss, dropouts, and other flaws (allowing for artistic effects). Please: No MP3's!
Once I submit my song, what happens next?
Indie911 will contact you via email to let you know your submission has been received and your contract has been approved. Your submission will then be reviewed by our A&R staff. After your submission has been reviewed, you will be informed via email to let you know of its acceptance status.
If I already have music with APM/Indie911, do I need to do anything in order to submit additional songs?
If you wish to submit more music for catalog consideration, you must send it along with a new Getting Started form found on our web site www.indie911.com/submit Even if you have already been accepted into the catalog; we treat each song as a separate, time-sensitive entity. It is also a beneficial way to update us with any new contact information such as change of address, email or phone number.
Is there a limit to how many songs I can submit?
You may submit as much music as you like, as long as each submission is accompanied by a completed Agreement (including all the information requested in the Schedules).
Do my songs need to be a certain length to be considered?
There is no standard length for submitted tracks. Clients may use the entire length of a song or in some cases, just a few seconds so it really is flexible.
Are there any kind of samples that are acceptable to APM/Indie 911?
If you wish to submit music that contains samples, you must be absolutely certain that they are royalty-free and cleared for use. The best way to indicate that is by including a photocopy of the sample company’s copyright agreement along with specific details of the sample you used (i.e., CD, track name, instrumentation).
Will I need the signatures of all my co-writers, even those who live far away?
You should mail your co-writers a copy of the appropriate form and have them complete the information and sign it. Once they return it to you, you can add your information and signature and submit everything to Indie911.
Will I receive any royalties for my music once it gets licensed?
Many uses of your licensed material in broadcast and cable television will entitle you to certain performance royalty payments from your respective performing rights society such as ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, assuming you are a member of one of those performing rights societies.
As part of the agreement, you give APM/Indie911 permission to register your songs under their “new” titles with the Performance Rights societies. This means that for APM/Indie911 uses (and APM/Indie911 uses ONLY), your songs are re-titled with the PRO and administered through APM/Indie911. This does not affect any other use that doesn't fall under the APM/Indie911 agreement. You will receive 100% of the writer's share directly from your P.R.O.
Performance royalties on the publishing side will be split between you and APM/Indie911
I want to submit songs to APM/Indie 911, but I haven’t joined a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) yet.
Then you should circle "No PRO" on the Signature Page on Schedule B of the Agreement. You can submit to APM/Indie 911 and join a P.R.O. (like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, e.g.) later on. When/if you do sign up with a PRO, please email Indie911 your member number and CAE/IPI number. We do strongly recommend you join a P.R.O. at some point so that you're eligible to collect performance royalties.
What is a CAE/IPI number? (is this necessary?)
A CAE/IPI number is a unique international identifying number given to you by your Performing Rights Organization – assigned to you when you are accepted by their membership department.
Do my co-writers and I have to join the same PRO?
No. You are all free to join the PRO of your choice.
Is an Administration Agreement the same thing as a Publishing Agreement?
No. In a publishing agreement, all or a part of the ownership of a copyright can be transferred to the publisher. APM/Indie911 will not assume any ownership of the copyright to your music.
How will APM/Indie 911 oversee my royalties?
Once APM receives a license request from a client, APM/Indie911 will aggressively pursue every royalty owed to you by ensuring the broadcast client fills in and submits accurate cue sheets.
How long will my agreement with APM/Indie 911 last?
Your agreement with APM/Indie 911 lasts for one year after your song is accepted into the program. A new one year term will start for each and every subsequent song/track that gets accepted, and any of your songs can be eliminated from the program with your written notification after the initial one year term has expired for that particular song.
Songs shall be automatically renewed for additional one (1) year periods unless written notice is provided by either party, by no less than 60 days notice, to terminate the Music Term of any piece of Music.
What kinds of fees will APM/Indie 911 charge for the use of my music?
Payments vary widely according to the type of use that’s requested—a TV show vs. commercial, the broadcast market it is used in, etc. Our fees can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the type of license our clients require.
Do I really need to provide my Social Security number and W-9 tax forms?
We need Social Security numbers or federal tax ID #’s and W-9 tax forms (included in the license agreement document) to pay U.S. residents. Non-U.S. will need to use the w7 form included in the application kit.
Can you explain why my songs will need to be re-titled?
If there are already some licensing placements out there for one of the songs you submit to APM/Indie911, (with the potential of receiving performance royalties from one of the PROs, and APM/indie911 secures placements for that same song (with the same name), it would be extremely difficult to track which performance royalties came from which placements. Re-titling your songs resolves this issue. The new titles for your songs can be chosen by you or, if you prefer, by APM. This will not affect your copyright. You always maintain ownership of your songs. You are not giving up any publishing; you are just authorizing APM/Indie911 to administer the royalties from licenses they secure for you.
Once my song is re-titled for APM/Indie 911, can I continue to make other deals with that song under the original title?
No. The songs you submit under this agreement will be exclusive to APM/Indie911 (for licensing) in all their forms and all their various titles for the term of this agreement. You would, however, continue to receive any performance royalties directly from placements previous to the APM/Indie911 deal, since those royalties would be designated to your song under its original title.
If my song is accepted, is APM/Indie 911 the only company that can shop licensing deals for that song?
Yes. For the songs that fall under this agreement, APM/Indie91 will be the exclusive licensing agent.
Is it necessary for me to have a lawyer review this agreement?
No, but it is of course recommended. Item 23 in the agreement refers to the fact that you have had the unrestricted opportunity to be represented by independent legal counsel of your own choice for purposes of being advised in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement.
I already have non-exclusive deals in place to help license my songs, am I still able to submit them to APM/Indie 911?
Potentially, however this may cause a lot of confusion with royalties and collections. If this is the case, you should make APM/Indie911 aware of all of the details so that we can evaluate your situation.
What if I am approached directly from a company or individual interested in licensing a song or songs that have been placed into the APM/Indie911 library ?
Simply forward these requests to Indie911 and the licensing reps at Indie911/APM will handle them immediately.
Please email licensing@indie911.com for any additional questions you have that may not be found in the FAQ.
AFLP:
What happened to the AFLP program?
As you may have seen in some of our recent press in
Billboard and Variety, we have partnered with the world’s
largest and most profitable music licensing library – APM Music.
This new licensing initiative called Sync-Your-Song, has replaced the older
“AFLP” music licensing program on indie911.
To apply for the Sync-Your-Song program,
please visit: www.indie911.com/submit
Will existing AFLP members automatically be placed into this program?
No. the legal terms of this program are much different then the AFLP program.
These terms can be found in the application kit mentioned above.
Are there advertising opportunities available at indie911?
YES. indie911 has several opportunities for other companies or individuals wishing to promote their services, products, or events to a sophisticated audience of musicians, filmmakers, fans, industry professionals, and other creative types. Please send us an email at 
or visit www.indie911.com/advertise for more information.
How can I link to indie911.com?
We would love for you to help promote your individual page, any of our features, or the site in general. Think what we're doing is cool? Then by all means spread the word! In your my dashboard area you can find html code for four different graphics that will lead people back to your indie911 page wherever you post them. Additionally, please visit www.indie911.com/links/banners for a whole bunch of cool banners you can post anywhere.
PODCASTING:
What is IndieCent XPosure Radio and how do I tune in?
Currently indie911 radio is available online at the company's website, on iTunes, or through direct RSS subscription. You can also visit each genre page to hear genre specific music in rotation.
I'm an artist, how can I get my music featured on a podcast?
We are constantly reviewing the material on our site and picking great independent music to feature in upcoming episodes. If you've uploaded material to indie911 you are eligible for consideration. If you haven't uploaded any music yet, what are you waiting for?
Links and Related Information
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indie911 Professional Services: