Your Music. Our Audience.

So what's this all about then? Welcome to the world of the playalong. Think of it like karaoke, but instead of singing, the melody is played on an instrument.

You may have heard of MMO (Music Minus One) - the concept of the backing track with the melody removed. This is what we're talking about here. But the playalong market is a funny market. It's a bit dull and boring. We do it differently.

We treat our playalongs as the "real deal" of music-making, each one produced with the authenticity of honest music-making. Our ethos is to produce playalongs that are actually great to listen to in the first place. This is where you come in...

Produce amazing tracks that brass instrumentalists would love to play. That's it.

It really is that simple.

Want to know more? Read the FAQs below for more info. It's a bit less flashy but it lets you know what's you're getting into...

FAQs

What's the deal with the money, how much will I get paid?

As usual with Devilish Publishing, we work primarily on a royalty basis. If you produce the backing track only, it's 30% of the sales receipts, and if you write both the melody and the backing track, it's 50% of the sales receipts. We also register the work with the PRSforMusic, the primary royalty collection agency in the UK for mechanical and performance royalties. PRSforMusic collect royalties on our behalf, internationally.

Do you offer an advance on royalties?

Generally, no. But you can talk to us about it.

What happens to my copyright?

We will ask you to sign a Transfer of Copyright agreement, which will transfer 100% of the rights to Devilish Publishing. This is standard practice when working with a publisher.

I want to write the melody, how does this work?

"Writing the melody" in its fullest meaning here is to write the instrumentalist part in notation. Unfortunately, it's not economical for us to transcribe your melody and edit accordingly. If you're a classically-trained composer or are comfortable writing notation, this will be a good option for you. However, we have a team of professional brass composers at our disposal, so it is not a deal-breaker, and they will work with you to get the right melody for your vision.

I can write notation, but how will I know the boundaries with what can be achieved?

When you work with us, we'll tell you everything you need to know to ensure you have as much creative freedom as possible within our framework.

What genres do you accept?

Any, any, any! All we care about is good music.

Do I need a music studio?

You need to have access to a studio so your music can be recorded. You might be a jazz outfit, a pop band, or an electronic music producer - either way you need a way to record your music, to a high standard.

What about mixing and mastering?

You can do it. Or you can let us do it.

Can I do covers?

If by covers, you mean of pop songs, then no. We are putting all our focus on producing an exceptional playalong catalogue that is fully owned by Devilish Publishing. If by covers you mean arrangements of public domain music, then yes, absolutely. Although we greatly welcome original music, having tunes that people already know is a good move.

So, this means I can make original material too?

Yes, yes, yes! The music business thrives on original content.

When do you need finished tracks completed?

We have 3 production runs per year (late Feb, late June and late Oct). We will work with you to schedule the most ideal production run for you. We also need to factor in time for post-production work.

Will I hear how it all sounds together?

Yes! We have every playalong recorded in full - great for the customer to hear how it all sounds together, and great for you too to hear your finished track! Generally speaking, it is performed on trumpet, but this is not a rule we have. If you play a brass instrument, you may want to record it yourself... just let us know! We'll pay you!