Composing and Songwriting If you do any music writing and composing, the MU is here for you. We advise on copyright issues and royalty payments, as well as providing standard contracts and advice on rates of pay. Guidance for music writers Arrangers and Copyists The role of arrangers, copyists and orchestrators, our fee guidelines and standard contracts. Read more about Arrangers and Copyists Commissioned Work Fee guidelines for live commissions and recorded media commissions, and standard commissioning contracts for your use. Read more about Commissioned Work Music Publishing Guidance on signing with a music publisher and self publishing. Read more about Music Publishing Royalties How unpublished composers and songwriters can receive fees and royalties from the use of their works. Read more about Royalties Copyright A guide to UK copyright law, proving and protecting your songwriting or composition copyright. Read more about Copyright Guide The Musical Theatre Kit Read more about The Musical Theatre Kit Career as a composer Mechanical Royalties and the Role of MCPS Ensure you get the royalties that you’re owed Read more about Mechanical Royalties and the Role of MCPS Event recording How to Find Work as a Media Composer Explore how to find work as a media composer, and the different opportunities available across the sector. Read more about How to Find Work as a Media Composer Event recording with Andrew Kingslow Make it Work: Composing Production Music Want to know what it's like to compose Production (Library) Music and whether it's an area that might be applicable to you? Read more about Make it Work: Composing Production Music Insights Composing 101 Media composers Andrea Posse, Victoria Wijeratne, Marie-Anne Fischer, and Roma Yagnik discuss the creative challenges and rewards of their craft. Read more about Composing 101 What the MU does for composers and songwriters The Musicians' Union represents composers and songwriters, with a dedicated section for music writers. Here’s how we can support you, from copyright law and royalty payments to template contracts and advice on rates of pay. Member services Member service Musical Instrument and Equipment Insurance With this insurance MU members can protect their tools of trade anywhere in the world. Read more about Musical Instrument and Equipment Insurance Member service Contract Advisory Service Make sure the contract you sign is fair and includes all of the necessary clauses. Read more about Contract Advisory Service Discount Hearing Health Scheme Get access to musician-specialist audiologists and bespoke hearing protection. Read more about Hearing Health Scheme Hencilla Canworth Personal Accident Cover Claim financial benefits in the event of an accident at work. Read more about Personal Accident Cover Unpaid Fee Recovery We can help when you haven't been paid properly for your work. Read more about Unpaid Fee Recovery Morrish Solicitors Personal Injury Claims Legal benefits package for you and your family. Read more about Personal Injury Claims All composer resources Last updated: 17 August 2022 Song Share Agreement template Read more about Song Share Agreement Last updated: 29 October 2020 The Musical Theatre Kit guide Read more about The Musical Theatre Kit Last updated: 19 December 2024 Arranging, Music Preparation and Orchestration Rates rates Read more about Arranging, Music Preparation and Orchestration Rates Last updated: 17 August 2022 Arranger and Copyist Standard Contracts template Read more about Arranger and Copyist Standard Contracts Last updated: 26 April 2024 TV Commissioning Specimen Agreement for Media Composers specimen document Read more about TV Commissioning Specimen Agreement for Media Composers Last updated: 12 October 2020 Media Commissions rates Read more about Media Commissions Last updated: 12 October 2020 Concert Music Commissions rates Read more about Concert Music Commissions Last updated: 17 August 2022 Commissioning Contracts template Read more about Commissioning Contracts The world of music can be a complicated and daunting place at times. The contract advice service is so incredibly valuable, and I am so grateful that the MU are there to support people like me. Luke GittinsIndependent singer-songwriter I feel good about our Union and think they’ve worked hard during lockdown to encourage and help their members. They’re a good bunch with a wealth of experience. Steve SidwellRenowned arranger and composer Latest news and features MU Sponsors Black Welsh Music Awards 2025 The MU is proud to sponsor the 2025 Black Welsh Music Awards (BWMA), which will take place on Saturday 4 October at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff. Published: 03 September 2025 Read more about MU Sponsors Black Welsh Music Awards 2025 New Chairing Team Elected for MU Music Writers’ Committee The latest meeting of the MU Music Writers’ Committee saw a new chairing team elected to help steer its work on issues affecting the composer and songwriting community. Published: 01 August 2025 Read more about New Chairing Team Elected for MU Music Writers’ Committee Fix Streaming: Government Announces New Measures for Legacy Artists, Songwriters and Session Musicians Government recently announced a package of principles and commitments that they say will better remunerate musicians and music creators. Published: 31 July 2025 Read more about Fix Streaming: Government Announces New Measures for Legacy Artists, Songwriters and Session Musicians Musicians' Union Reacts to Government and Record Labels’ Announcement The Government and record labels, including the three major labels, have announced a package of principles and commitments, which they say will better remunerate creators in the streaming era. Published: 22 July 2025 Read more about Musicians' Union Reacts to Government and Record Labels’ Announcement MU Delegate Conference 2025 is Underway in Liverpool Violinist and Chair of the Executive Committee, Alex Gascoine, opens MU Delegate Conference 2025. Published: 22 July 2025 Read more about MU Delegate Conference 2025 is Underway in Liverpool See all music writers' news #FairScore Calling all media composers Get a fair share of the value you create. Back the Fair Score campaign. Find out more See all Campaigns
Arrangers and Copyists The role of arrangers, copyists and orchestrators, our fee guidelines and standard contracts. Read more about Arrangers and Copyists
Commissioned Work Fee guidelines for live commissions and recorded media commissions, and standard commissioning contracts for your use. Read more about Commissioned Work
Music Publishing Guidance on signing with a music publisher and self publishing. Read more about Music Publishing
Royalties How unpublished composers and songwriters can receive fees and royalties from the use of their works. Read more about Royalties
Copyright A guide to UK copyright law, proving and protecting your songwriting or composition copyright. Read more about Copyright
Mechanical Royalties and the Role of MCPS Ensure you get the royalties that you’re owed Read more about Mechanical Royalties and the Role of MCPS
Event recording How to Find Work as a Media Composer Explore how to find work as a media composer, and the different opportunities available across the sector. Read more about How to Find Work as a Media Composer
Event recording with Andrew Kingslow Make it Work: Composing Production Music Want to know what it's like to compose Production (Library) Music and whether it's an area that might be applicable to you? Read more about Make it Work: Composing Production Music
Insights Composing 101 Media composers Andrea Posse, Victoria Wijeratne, Marie-Anne Fischer, and Roma Yagnik discuss the creative challenges and rewards of their craft. Read more about Composing 101
Member service Musical Instrument and Equipment Insurance With this insurance MU members can protect their tools of trade anywhere in the world. Read more about Musical Instrument and Equipment Insurance
Member service Contract Advisory Service Make sure the contract you sign is fair and includes all of the necessary clauses. Read more about Contract Advisory Service
Discount Hearing Health Scheme Get access to musician-specialist audiologists and bespoke hearing protection. Read more about Hearing Health Scheme
Hencilla Canworth Personal Accident Cover Claim financial benefits in the event of an accident at work. Read more about Personal Accident Cover
Unpaid Fee Recovery We can help when you haven't been paid properly for your work. Read more about Unpaid Fee Recovery
Morrish Solicitors Personal Injury Claims Legal benefits package for you and your family. Read more about Personal Injury Claims
Last updated: 19 December 2024 Arranging, Music Preparation and Orchestration Rates rates Read more about Arranging, Music Preparation and Orchestration Rates
Last updated: 17 August 2022 Arranger and Copyist Standard Contracts template Read more about Arranger and Copyist Standard Contracts
Last updated: 26 April 2024 TV Commissioning Specimen Agreement for Media Composers specimen document Read more about TV Commissioning Specimen Agreement for Media Composers
Last updated: 12 October 2020 Concert Music Commissions rates Read more about Concert Music Commissions
Last updated: 17 August 2022 Commissioning Contracts template Read more about Commissioning Contracts
MU Sponsors Black Welsh Music Awards 2025 The MU is proud to sponsor the 2025 Black Welsh Music Awards (BWMA), which will take place on Saturday 4 October at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff. Published: 03 September 2025 Read more about MU Sponsors Black Welsh Music Awards 2025
New Chairing Team Elected for MU Music Writers’ Committee The latest meeting of the MU Music Writers’ Committee saw a new chairing team elected to help steer its work on issues affecting the composer and songwriting community. Published: 01 August 2025 Read more about New Chairing Team Elected for MU Music Writers’ Committee
Fix Streaming: Government Announces New Measures for Legacy Artists, Songwriters and Session Musicians Government recently announced a package of principles and commitments that they say will better remunerate musicians and music creators. Published: 31 July 2025 Read more about Fix Streaming: Government Announces New Measures for Legacy Artists, Songwriters and Session Musicians
Musicians' Union Reacts to Government and Record Labels’ Announcement The Government and record labels, including the three major labels, have announced a package of principles and commitments, which they say will better remunerate creators in the streaming era. Published: 22 July 2025 Read more about Musicians' Union Reacts to Government and Record Labels’ Announcement
MU Delegate Conference 2025 is Underway in Liverpool Violinist and Chair of the Executive Committee, Alex Gascoine, opens MU Delegate Conference 2025. Published: 22 July 2025 Read more about MU Delegate Conference 2025 is Underway in Liverpool