The Complete Guide to Music Library Submissions: From Composition to Acceptance

Published: January 31, 2026
Author: Soniteq Team
Reading Time: 14 minutes
Category: Industry Guides

Music libraries represent one of the most accessible and scalable revenue streams for composers and producers. Unlike sync licensing, which requires pitching individual tracks to specific projects, library placements allow your music to generate passive income through repeated licensing to film, television, advertising, and corporate productions.

Yet many talented creators struggle to break into production music libraries. Their submissions are rejected not because their music lacks quality, but because they fail to meet the technical, organizational, and professional standards libraries require. This comprehensive guide reveals exactly what music libraries expect and how to consistently deliver submissions that get accepted.

Understanding the Music Library Landscape

Before submitting, you need to understand the different types of music libraries and their distinct requirements.

Exclusive Libraries (AudioJungle, Pond5, Artlist) require you to grant exclusive rights to your music. In exchange, they typically offer higher royalty rates (40-60%) and more aggressive marketing. Exclusive deals mean you cannot license the same track through other libraries or directly to clients.

Non-Exclusive Libraries (Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe, Premium Beat) allow you to submit the same music to multiple libraries simultaneously. Royalty rates are typically lower (25-35%), but the ability to multiply your distribution channels can compensate. Non-exclusive arrangements offer flexibility but require more administrative overhead.

Boutique Libraries (Universal Production Music, Warner Chappell PM, APM Music) are highly selective, often requiring referrals or proven track records. They offer premium pricing, direct relationships with major production companies, and substantial upfront payments for exclusive catalogs. Breaking into boutique libraries typically requires years of experience and a substantial existing catalog.

Subscription Libraries (Musicbed, Marmoset) operate on subscription models where clients pay monthly fees for unlimited downloads. Composers receive payment based on download frequency rather than per-license fees. These libraries prioritize catalog depth and consistent quality over individual standout tracks.

Each library type has distinct submission requirements, but certain standards apply universally.

Technical Requirements: The Non-Negotiables

Music libraries reject submissions instantly if they fail to meet basic technical standards. These requirements aren't artistic preferences—they're industry minimums.

Audio Quality Standards

Sample Rate: 48kHz is the broadcast standard. Some libraries accept 44.1kHz, but 48kHz ensures compatibility with video production workflows. Never submit at lower sample rates.

Bit Depth: 24-bit is standard for stems and master files. 16-bit is acceptable for final mixes but limits dynamic range. Never submit 8-bit or MP3-quality audio as source files.

Dynamic Range: Maintain at least -6dB of headroom in your master. Over-compressed, brick-walled masters sound fatiguing and lack the flexibility libraries need for mixing into productions. Aim for integrated loudness around -14 to -16 LUFS for cinematic tracks, -10 to -12 LUFS for commercial tracks.

Noise Floor: Your tracks should be professionally clean—no hiss, hum, clicks, or digital artifacts. Use noise reduction tools like iZotope RX to eliminate unwanted sounds, but avoid over-processing that introduces artifacts.

Frequency Balance: Ensure your mixes translate across playback systems. Check your tracks on studio monitors, headphones, laptop speakers, and phone speakers. Libraries reject tracks that sound great on expensive monitors but fall apart on consumer devices.

File Format Requirements

Master Files: WAV or AIFF format, never MP3 or AAC for masters. Lossless formats preserve audio quality through the library's processing pipeline.

Stems: Most libraries require stems (drums, bass, melodic, effects) in addition to full mixes. Stems allow music supervisors to customize tracks for specific scenes—removing vocals for dialogue-heavy scenes, isolating percussion for action sequences, or extracting melodic elements for emotional moments.

Alternates: Provide alternate versions—no drums, no melody, 60-second edit, 30-second edit, 15-second sting. These alternates dramatically increase licensing opportunities because they fit more use cases.

Metadata: Embed comprehensive metadata in your audio files—composer name, track title, copyright information, ISRC codes, tempo, key, genre tags. This metadata ensures proper attribution and royalty tracking.

Naming Conventions

Libraries have strict naming requirements. A typical format:

ComposerName_TrackTitle_Version_Tempo_Key.wav

ComposerName_TrackTitle_Version_Tempo_Key.wav

For example:

JohnSmith_CinematicEpic_FullMix_120BPM_Amin.wav
JohnSmith_CinematicEpic_NoDrums_120BPM_Amin.wav
JohnSmith_CinematicEpic_60sec_120BPM_Amin.wav

JohnSmith_CinematicEpic_FullMix_120BPM_Amin.wav
JohnSmith_CinematicEpic_NoDrums_120BPM_Amin.wav
JohnSmith_CinematicEpic_60sec_120BPM_Amin.wav

This systematic naming allows libraries to organize thousands of tracks efficiently and ensures your files don't get lost in their systems.

Creative Requirements: What Libraries Actually Want

Technical quality is necessary but insufficient. Your music must also meet libraries' creative and commercial needs.

Genre Alignment

Research each library's catalog before submitting. AudioJungle emphasizes corporate and uplifting tracks. Pond5 features diverse genres including world music and experimental sounds. Artlist focuses on cinematic and emotional compositions. Submitting death metal to a library specializing in corporate background music wastes everyone's time.

Production Value

Library music competes with professionally produced commercial releases. Your tracks need to sound polished, balanced, and radio-ready. Muddy mixes, weak arrangements, and amateur production will be rejected regardless of compositional merit.

Commercial Viability

Libraries prioritize tracks that license frequently. This means understanding what production companies actually need:

• Emotional Arcs: Tracks that build from subtle to powerful, allowing editors to sync music to narrative developments
• Loopability: Compositions that can extend or contract to fit various scene lengths
• Versatility: Music that works across multiple contexts—a track suitable for both corporate presentations and lifestyle documentaries has twice the licensing potential
• Clarity: Arrangements with distinct melodic hooks that cut through dialogue and sound effects

Originality Within Conventions

This is the paradox of library music: it must sound fresh while fitting established categories. Libraries don't want exact copies of trending tracks, but they do want music that evokes similar emotions and fits similar use cases. Study successful tracks in your target genre and identify what makes them work, then create your own variations on those themes.

Organizational Requirements: Professionalism Matters

How you present your submission is as important as the music itself.

Catalog Structure

Don't submit random individual tracks. Organize submissions into coherent collections:

• Genre-Focused Albums: 10-15 tracks in a single genre (cinematic, corporate, ambient)
• Mood-Based Collections: Tracks grouped by emotion (uplifting, melancholic, tense)
• Instrumentation Sets: Collections featuring specific instruments (solo piano, string quartet, electronic)

This organization helps libraries understand your catalog and makes it easier for music supervisors to find related tracks.

Comprehensive Documentation

Include detailed information for every track:

• Track Description: 2-3 sentences describing the mood, instrumentation, and ideal use cases
• Keywords: 10-15 relevant tags (cinematic, orchestral, emotional, building, strings, piano, hopeful, inspiring)
• Tempo and Key: Essential for music supervisors searching for specific technical requirements
• Instruments: List all prominent instruments and sound sources
• Mood: Describe the emotional character (uplifting, melancholic, tense, peaceful)
• Similar Artists: Reference established artists whose work your track resembles (helps with categorization)

Professional Communication

Your submission email or portal upload should be concise, professional, and complete:

Subject: New Cinematic Album Submission - [Your Name]

Dear [Library Name] Team,

I'm submitting a new 12-track cinematic album titled "Epic Horizons" for your consideration. This collection features orchestral compositions with modern hybrid elements, suitable for film trailers, documentary scores, and dramatic television productions.

All tracks are provided as:
- Full mixes (WAV, 48kHz/24-bit)
- Stems (drums, bass, melodic, effects)
- Alternates (no drums, 60s, 30s, 15s)
- Comprehensive metadata embedded

Tracks are organized in the attached folder structure with accompanying metadata spreadsheet.

Thank you for your consideration. I'm available for any questions or revisions.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
[Website/Portfolio]

Subject: New Cinematic Album Submission - [Your Name]

Dear [Library Name] Team,

I'm submitting a new 12-track cinematic album titled "Epic Horizons" for your consideration. This collection features orchestral compositions with modern hybrid elements, suitable for film trailers, documentary scores, and dramatic television productions.

All tracks are provided as:
- Full mixes (WAV, 48kHz/24-bit)
- Stems (drums, bass, melodic, effects)
- Alternates (no drums, 60s, 30s, 15s)
- Comprehensive metadata embedded

Tracks are organized in the attached folder structure with accompanying metadata spreadsheet.

Thank you for your consideration. I'm available for any questions or revisions.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
[Website/Portfolio]

This professionalism signals that you understand industry standards and can be trusted to deliver quality work consistently.

The Submission Process: Step by Step

Let's walk through a complete submission workflow using Kora and Export Flow to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Step 1: Plan Your Album in Kora

Create a new album in Kora and define your deliverables upfront:

• Track count (typically 10-15 for library submissions)
• Required stems (full mix, no drums, no melody, 60s, 30s, 15s)
• Target library and their specific requirements
• Submission deadline

This planning phase ensures you compose with delivery requirements in mind rather than scrambling to create alternates after the fact.

Step 2: Compose and Produce

Work through your album systematically, using Kora's "Top 3 Today" prioritization to stay focused on the most urgent tracks. Link your DAW sessions to each track in Kora so you can instantly locate the right project file when revisions are needed.

Step 3: Create Stems and Alternates

Before final mixing, organize your DAW sessions for efficient stem exports:

• Group related tracks into folders (drums, bass, melodic, effects)
• Create alternate arrangements (no drums, no melody) as separate playlists or arrangements
• Prepare timed edits (60s, 30s, 15s) with proper fade-outs

Step 4: Automated Export with Export Flow

Define an export template in Export Flow that matches your target library's requirements:

• File format: WAV, 48kHz/24-bit
• Naming convention: ComposerName_TrackTitle_Version_Tempo_Key.wav
• Metadata: Composer, copyright, ISRC, tempo, key
• Folder structure: Organized by track with subfolders for stems and alternates

Trigger batch export directly from Kora. Export Flow processes all tracks, applies naming conventions, embeds metadata, and organizes files into the exact structure your library requires. What used to take hours of manual work now happens automatically in minutes.

Step 5: Quality Control

Before submitting, perform systematic quality checks:

• Listen on multiple systems: Studio monitors, headphones, laptop speakers, phone speakers
• Check for technical issues: Clicks, pops, distortion, phase problems
• Verify metadata: Ensure all files have complete, accurate embedded information
• Confirm file organization: Verify folder structure matches library requirements
• Test file integrity: Open a few random files to confirm they're not corrupted

Step 6: Prepare Documentation

Create a metadata spreadsheet with comprehensive information for each track. Export Flow can generate this automatically based on your embedded metadata, saving additional manual work.

Step 7: Submit

Upload your organized files through the library's submission portal or via file transfer service (WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive). Include your professional cover email and metadata documentation.

Step 8: Track in Kora

Log your submission in Kora's relationship management system. Set a follow-up reminder for two weeks out. If you haven't heard back, send a polite check-in email. Track which libraries accept your work, which reject it, and which provide feedback for improvement.

Common Rejection Reasons (and How to Avoid Them)

Understanding why submissions get rejected helps you avoid these pitfalls.

Poor Audio Quality: Muddy mixes, excessive compression, noise, or distortion. Solution: Invest time in mixing and mastering. Use reference tracks to calibrate your ears. Consider professional mastering for your first few submissions until you develop the skill.

Incomplete Deliverables: Missing stems, alternates, or metadata. Solution: Use Export Flow to automate deliverable creation and ensure nothing is forgotten.

Genre Mismatch: Submitting music that doesn't fit the library's catalog. Solution: Research each library thoroughly before composing. Don't try to force your existing catalog into inappropriate libraries—create music specifically for your target markets.

Unprofessional Presentation: Poorly named files, disorganized folders, incomplete documentation. Solution: Establish systematic workflows using Kora to plan, Export Flow to automate, and checklists to verify completeness.

Derivative Compositions: Music that sounds too similar to existing library tracks or popular commercial releases. Solution: Study successful library music to understand conventions, then add your unique voice and perspective.

Inconsistent Quality: Albums where some tracks are excellent and others are mediocre. Solution: Maintain consistent standards. If a track doesn't meet your quality bar, don't include it just to reach a target track count. Ten excellent tracks are more valuable than twelve tracks where two are weak.

Building Long-Term Library Relationships

Getting your first submission accepted is just the beginning. Successful library composers build ongoing relationships that generate consistent income.

Deliver Consistently: Once accepted, submit new music regularly—quarterly or semi-annually. Consistent delivery keeps your name top-of-mind and demonstrates reliability.

Respond to Feedback: If a library provides feedback on rejected submissions, take it seriously. Revise and resubmit based on their guidance. This responsiveness shows you're coachable and committed to meeting their standards.

Understand Their Needs: Pay attention to which of your tracks license most frequently. Double down on those genres and styles. If your cinematic tracks consistently outperform your corporate music, shift your focus accordingly.

Maintain Professionalism: Meet deadlines, respond to emails promptly, and deliver exactly what you promise. Reputation matters in the music industry, and libraries remember creators who are easy to work with.

Track Your Success in Kora: Use Kora's relationship management to monitor which libraries generate the most revenue, which provide the best feedback, and which are worth prioritizing for future submissions. This data-driven approach helps you focus effort where it generates the best returns.

The Path Forward

Breaking into music libraries requires more than musical talent—it demands technical proficiency, organizational discipline, and professional presentation. The creators who succeed aren't necessarily the most gifted composers; they're the ones who consistently deliver polished, properly formatted, commercially viable music that meets libraries' exact requirements.

By systematically addressing technical standards, creative expectations, and organizational requirements, you transform library submissions from frustrating rejections into reliable acceptances. Tools like Kora and Export Flow eliminate the administrative overhead that prevents many talented creators from scaling their library presence, allowing you to focus creative energy on composition rather than file management.

The music library industry offers genuine opportunity for composers willing to meet its standards. With the right workflows, tools, and professional approach, you can build a sustainable income stream that rewards your creativity while you sleep.

Ready to streamline your library submissions? Explore Kora [blocked] and discover how integrated project management and automated delivery can help you submit more music with less stress.