Distribution Overview FAQ
Dear songwriter/worship leader:
Thanks for your interest in AudibleFaith! We are very much looking forward to working with you. It's probably best at this juncture to spend some time answering some of the questions we are commonly asked by people such as yourself. Here goes:
"What kind of music are you looking for?" We are looking for what we call Music with Meaning™ - music that has the power to positively impact our world and affect positive change in the lives of people who listen to and sing it - music written and recorded with this goal in mind. Beyond this, the doors are wide open! We are looking for music of all types and styles, the more diverse, the better. Everything from Rock to Rap, Classical to contemporary, traditional to alternative, Praise and Worship to hymns, songs representing languages, musical styles and cultures from all over the world. From songs about God/spirituality to songs about relationships/love, to songs about life in general. Simply put, if you're writing and recording music - of any style - and resonate with our vision, we want to hear from you! Our music stores currently cater to four broad areas -
- SoulBeats: Modern Mainstream music- Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, Urban, Alternative, Country, World, Folk, New Age, etc.
- InnerEchos: Instrumental music of all genres
- Praise UniVerse: Modern Sacred music - Praise and Worship, Contemporary Christian (CCM), modern hymns, sacred World music, etc.
- Sanctum: Choirs and Vocal Groups - Ancient to contemporary including Hymns, Black Gospel, Classical, Liturgical, Musicals, Acappella, Ensembles, Children's choirs, and more.
"What exactly is this service you are offering?" We are an online music distributor and online community for people seeking culturally diverse, spiritually motivated, socially conscious, and generally positive/proactive music. We focus on circulating this recorded material to individuals and groups the world over, and we're looking for inspired material that will be usable in diverse settings nationally and around the world. Our goal is to get your music out to as many interested people as we possibly can. In addition to the joy of knowing that your material is being used to impact people you might not otherwise be able to reach, artists working with us can expect:
- Increased sales of their project, due to exposure on an international level
- Increased use of their music, and the royalties paid by CCLI, ASCAP and BMI
- The prospect of selling individual songs instantly over the Internet, and the sale of other related material-sheet music, MIDI files, etc.
"Can you tell me a little more about the song buying process?" All officially selected music will be available through SongSearch™, our searchable catalog that enables our customers to look for the songs that best fit their particular needs. They will then be able to listen to a sample of each song without buying it. That way, people know exactly what they are getting, and can make sure it matches their needs and situation. And each time your song is listened to, it receives more publicity, whether a purchase is made at that time or not. Once customers have found a song they like, they will be presented with some choices:
- Are they interested in listening to other songs from that particular CD?
- Are they interested in purchasing the entire CD (virtual or hard copy) or only a specific song (virtual only)?
- Are they interested in sheet music for the songs they are purchasing?
They will be able to process their order instantly, and if they are purchasing virtual products, the songs and sheet music can be delivered to their computer within a few minuets of making the purchase. Other orders will be processed, shipped out and in their hands within a few days.
"Who holds the copyright to my songs?" You remain the sole owner of your material and your involvement with us in no way restricts you from doing anything else you might want with your music. We are simply a distribution vehicle - all other decisions regarding your music remain yours. The only concessions we ask of you in this regard are the following:
- In order to make it easier for churches, schools and other groups to use the music they get from us, we will have a more generous "use and circulation" policy. We will allow the purchaser of the CD/song the right to make multiple copies in order to serve their particular community. This means that, for preparation purposes, people are able to freely make copies of both CDs and sheet music for their band or music team. We do, however, stipulate that the purchaser not make copies for casual listening purposes beyond their personal use.
- Samples of your music will be available over the Internet, and people will be able to purchase songs individually by downloading them directly to their computers.
"How will my CDs/songs be sold?" The CDs sold by us will be provided by you on a consignment basis and shipped out from our headquarters. Your only responsibility will be getting the product to us and providing more when our stock runs low. Our initial request will be for 5 copies, with more needed as determined by sales. Agreements will be re-negotiated at the end of two years, and if discontinued, all unsold product will be returned.
In addition to products shipped by traditional mail, virtual equivalents of all our products can be sent instantly over the Internet. Because of this, people will be able to purchase individual songs and simply download them to their computers. This will not only be a less expensive way of getting music, but also the transaction will be instantaneous. Someone could find a song they want to use at church that morning, download it along with the sheet music, and use it instantly! They can also purchase your entire album this way. We provide simple, easy to follow instructions on how to turn these files into cassette copies and print out a copy of the cover graphics on their computer. It will also be a simple point and click procedure to print the sheet music files.
"What is required from me?" The main thing to keep in mind is that this is a mutual, voluntary partnership between AF and you, the artist. That means a couple of things:
- Communicate - If its not working for you, we need to know about it. We will do whatever we can to make this the best means possible for delivering your music to the world.
- Market - You will need to be actively involved in helping people find your music. Many of our artists are indies managing their own publicity. Our Artists Quarter has lots of features to help you with this, and we will be adding more in the next few months. Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can find for getting your music out there - both on our site and in other places.
- Get involved - The more active you are in the Village, the more people will discover you. If you're really into the environment, let us know. We can feature your music in the International/Global community. Post responses to people in the forums, add ANY public performances of your music to the events calendar. Add your profile to the Village directory. You get the idea. Take advantage of ways to make yourself as visible as possible. Visibility means more people will check out your music.
- Give back - We ask that our artists determine to give back to the community. A couple of options are, 1) making yourself available for a couple of no/low cost concerts that non-profits can use as fund raisers, 2) committing to give any percentage of your AF proceeds to a cause you believe in. By giving back, we complete the cycle and help others understand the heart behind our music.
In short, the old principle applies - "the more you give, the more you'll get back".
"How do I get the process started?" It's pretty simple. Fill out the online form and submit it to us, or eMail us at with further questions. When we receive your information we will contact you requesting the following:
- Copy of your CD
- Copies of lyrics
- If worship or religious music, any scriptural references related to each song
- Copies of any sheet music/chord charts for each song
- Photo of yourself, your band, or the people who worked on your project
Once we receive and review your packet, we'll be in touch as soon as we possibly can. We promise to respond promptly and not leave you wondering where we are in the process. When we listen, we are looking for three things primarily:
- Powerful songs that encourage, inspire and empower
- Quality songs that are well recorded
- Diverse styles to meet the needs of a diverse world
When we contact you, we will let you know if your material is a fit for us right now, and why or why not. Keep in mind that things we may not be able to use now might be a great fit later on. So keep in touch with us. We continue to establish ongoing relationships with local musicians, music leaders and music professionals all over the globe, and are looking forward to you being part of that!
Also, keep in mind that we want to be as completely accessible as we possibly can be. Feel free to e-mail us at any point with questions, comments, suggestions or just to introduce yourself at
Thanks again for your interest, and let us know how we can make this work best for you - both as a songwriter and as a music user.
Take care and 'Be the change.'
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