The Musavise blog
Practical guides for building an independent music career — no fluff, no gatekeeping.
Chasing Unsigned Splits: A Polite Escalation Ladder That Works
Nobody refuses to sign a split sheet. They just don't get round to it, indefinitely, until the song earns something and the conversation gets much harder.
2026-08-14 · 4 min read
Topliner Deals: Getting Paid When You Only Wrote the Melody
You wrote the melody and the lyric over someone else's track. That's songwriting — but it's also the contribution most likely to vanish from the registration.
2026-08-08 · 4 min read
Copyright in the UK: Why There's Nothing to Register
British artists keep looking for the UK equivalent of the US Copyright Office. It doesn't exist, and the services selling you one are selling a timestamp.
2026-08-07 · 3 min read
Sample Clearance for Small Artists: What It Costs and When to Skip It
Clearance requires permission from two separate owners, either of whom can say no or name any price. Here's how to decide before you build a song on one.
2026-07-30 · 4 min read
What Is a Producer Declaration and Why Does Your Distributor Want One?
It looks like a formality on the upload screen. It's the point where you personally warrant that you have the rights — and where uncleared samples become your legal problem.
2026-07-24 · 3 min read
Do Musicians Need an LLC? A Plain-English Answer
The LLC question has a boring answer: it depends on what you have to lose. Here's the plain-English version, without the incorporation-service upsell.
2026-07-23 · 3 min read
Should I Sign a Publishing Deal? The Questions to Ask First
An advance is not a payment. It's a loan against your own future royalties, and the terms around it decide whether the deal is a career step or a decade-long mistake.
2026-07-12 · 4 min read
The Local Promoter's Contract With a Band (One Page, Free)
Most small shows are booked on a message thread. That works until the night it doesn't, and then nobody can agree what was said.
2026-07-09 · 3 min read
The Split Sheet Conversation: Scripts for an Awkward Room
Everyone agrees split sheets matter. The reason they don't get signed is that nobody knows what sentence to open with. Here are the sentences.
2026-06-30 · 3 min read
Sunset Clauses: How Manager Commission Should End
The management relationship ends. The income from work done during it does not. A sunset clause is how both facts get respected at once.
2026-06-26 · 4 min read
Co-Writing Etiquette: Who Gets What, and When to Say It Out Loud
The split conversation is awkward for about ninety seconds. Not having it is awkward for years, and occasionally in court.
2026-06-24 · 4 min read
What Is a Split Sheet? (Free Template + How to E-Sign One)
The cheapest legal document in music prevents the most expensive fights. Here's what a split sheet is, what goes on it, and how to get one signed tonight — free.
2026-06-18 · 3 min read
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