cynqo
Key takeaways
- A specific brief, a library intake and representation are different routes.
- Check the original source, musical fit, deadline, deliverables and access conditions.
- Keep upload confirmation, pitch submission and licensing outcomes separate.
Sync licensing opportunities are requests or routes through which music may be considered for use with visual media, such as films, television, advertising and games. For an artist, the practical question is not simply where to find more listings. It is how to identify a request that fits your music, understand its conditions and make a clear submission.
This guide compares the main routes, shows how to assess a brief and gives you a repeatable shortlist-to-submission workflow. It is written by the Cynqo team, so our own brief-to-pitch workflow appears alongside independent sources. We do not rank services by unverified placement rates or suggest that paying for access guarantees a deal.
You can begin with the current Played briefs shown in Cynqo. Keep the original source open as you evaluate an opportunity. Dates, availability, requirements and access conditions can change; a screenshot or an older article is not a substitute for the current request.
Understand the type of opportunity
A public brief, a library intake form and an invitation to sign with a representative are different things. They may all be described as routes into sync, but they ask for different decisions from you. Identify which one you are considering before investing in new recordings or submitting a catalogue.
A specific brief usually describes a production need and asks for a musical response. A library intake process evaluates whether your music belongs in a catalogue that may be pitched or licensed later. Representation is a business relationship through which someone may work to bring your music to relevant buyers.
| Route | What you are responding to | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Specific music brief | A stated creative requirement | Current status, fit, deadline and submission conditions |
| Production music library | A catalogue need or contributor intake | Submission instructions, catalogue style and agreement |
| Sync representative | A potential ongoing business relationship | Scope of representation, responsibilities and terms |
| Direct production request | A project from a producer or creative team | Identity, requirements, approval process and delivery expectations |
Berklee’s music licensing overview discusses relationships with music supervisors and the distinction between sync representatives and publishers. It is a useful starting point for understanding the people involved. The workflow below focuses on the decisions you can make when assessing an individual request.
Where to find sync licensing opportunities
Use first-party sources wherever possible. A directory or social post can introduce you to a company, but follow it to the company’s current submission page. You need the actual instructions, not a copied list that may contain closed links, changed terms or a contact who no longer handles submissions.
Published brief boards
Played’s sync-deals page provides a place to explore published briefs. Cynqo connects brief discovery with developing a musical direction and preparing a recording for the Played workflow. Browse the request before choosing whether to create something new or use a track you already have.
TAXI’s industry listings are another first-party source of music requests. Its listings cover different categories and contain their own submission instructions. Read each source’s current conditions rather than assuming that access, fees, eligibility or the review process match Played.
Catalogue and market guidance
Pond5’s music briefs describe musical directions associated with market themes. They can be useful for planning a catalogue, but an inspiration brief should not be presented as a guaranteed buyer or a direct commission for your next track.
This distinction changes how you spend your time. A specific request may justify a tightly focused response before a stated deadline. Catalogue guidance may help you plan several complementary tracks over time. Neither route guarantees that a recording will be selected or earn revenue.
Relationships and direct requests
Existing collaborators, producers and representatives can also bring requests to you. Keep the same discipline you would apply to a public brief: obtain a clear description of the job, identify the decision-maker and record the agreed delivery process. Familiarity with the sender does not make an ambiguous request easier to produce.
Use the channel the requester specifies. A public submission form does not automatically invite unrelated messages to every person at the company. A relevant, well-prepared response through the intended route is easier to evaluate and track.
Evaluate a brief before spending on a track
Start with musical fit. Can you explain why your recording or proposed direction serves the scene? Genre is only one part of that answer. Mood, vocal content, energy, arrangement and editability may matter just as much. A great song can still be the wrong response to a request for a restrained instrumental.
Next, check practical fit. Can you provide the required versions by the deadline? Is the submission route available to you? Are you comfortable with the stated process and costs? An opportunity can be creatively appealing while being impractical for your current catalogue or production setup.
- Source: I can open the original request and identify its current status.
- Sound: I can name the specific requirements my music meets.
- Delivery: I can provide the requested files and versions.
- Timing: I understand the deadline and timezone.
- Access: I have checked membership, submission or pitch conditions.
- Terms: I have recorded the stated usage and unresolved questions.
Mark a field as unresolved if the information is missing. Do not silently convert an advertised budget into a guaranteed fee for your track. Likewise, do not assume that a request mentioning a recognisable brand establishes a direct relationship between you and that brand. The source and the eventual agreement need to support the claims you make.
A shortlist should help you choose where to focus, not encourage you to submit to everything. Keep a small number of good fits and explain the reason for each. If the only reason is a large number in the headline, reread the musical requirements before proceeding.
Turn the request into a musical direction
Once an opportunity passes the shortlist check, extract the creative information into a working brief. Preserve the original wording and add your interpretation separately. Our copyable music brief template gives you a structure for context, sound, timing, deliverables and open questions.
For example, a fictional request for “confident music beneath a product demonstration” might suggest a steady rhythm, a modest melodic hook and enough space for speech. Those are your choices. If the request explicitly requires an instrumental and a defined ending, those are requirements to retain.
If you use AI to develop a draft, our AI music prompts guide shows how to describe purpose, palette and arrangement. A prompt is a production starting point. It does not prove that the output meets every requested property or that your rights and delivery information are complete.
Sometimes your existing catalogue contains the better answer. Do not create a new track simply because the brief is new. Listen to the relevant recordings you already control and compare their actual strengths with the request. A small, deliberate edit may be more useful than an unrelated new generation.
Prepare a submission that is easy to assess
Choose the exact recording before writing the final pitch note. Listen from start to finish, check the filename and make sure the title is consistent across the upload and the submission record. A confusing version name creates avoidable doubt about which track you intended to send.
Describe the fit in concrete language. “Instrumental electronic pulse with a sparse middle for narration” tells the reviewer more than “perfect for your brand.” Mention requested deliverables only when they exist and have been checked. If a required version is missing, resolve that before representing the package as ready.
Track: [exact title and version] Brief: [title or reference ID] This recording responds to the request for [specific musical requirement]. Its [instrumentation / arrangement / energy] is intended to support [scene or use]. The supplied file is [accurate version description]. Delivery details and ownership information are included in the required fields.
Keep the note proportional to the request. If the form asks for a short explanation, answer that question directly. Do not add unsupported claims about placements, clients or expected commercial performance. A clear description of the submitted audio is enough to make the relationship with the brief understandable.
Follow the requested file and metadata instructions. Avoid relying on an old submission checklist from another platform. A streaming preview, a downloadable master and separated stems serve different needs. Confirm which is required at this stage instead of assuming one file is suitable for every process.
Check access, costs and conditions
Write down the costs attached to the route before acting. These can include access fees, membership, submission allowances or production costs. Treat them as costs of the process, not investments with a promised return. A large advertised opportunity does not remove the chance that your submission will not be selected.
For Cynqo, generation credits are separate from Played membership and pitch allowances. Creating a recording does not itself submit that recording or include a Played membership. Check the current review step for the eligibility and pitch cost that apply to your account and the selected request.
Keep a separate record of the commercial questions. What use is described? Which versions are requested? What budget is published? What is still to be agreed? This is an organisational checklist, not a substitute for reviewing a proposed contract with a qualified adviser when needed.
“Available to submit” describes access to a process. “Submitted” describes a recorded action. “Selected” describes a decision. “Licensed” requires the relevant agreement. Avoid treating these labels as interchangeable in your own records or marketing.
Conditions also vary between services. Cynqo and Played accept AI music in their brief workflow, with ownership and delivery checks retained. Do not assume another company uses the same rules. Read its current listing and agreement before sending material there.
Track upload and submission confirmations separately
A saved file and a submitted pitch are separate milestones. After uploading, look for the confirmation that the recording is available in the destination. After submitting, look for the receipt or status that identifies the specific brief and track. Keep both pieces of information when the workflow provides them.
If you cannot see a confirmation, inspect your saved history before repeating the action. A slow page response does not necessarily mean the server did nothing. Repeatedly clicking a submit button can make it harder to understand which action succeeded, especially when a process uses credits or submission allowances.
| Stage | Useful evidence | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Draft saved | Your project and chosen recording are retained | The destination received an upload |
| Upload complete | The destination confirms the exact recording | A pitch was submitted for a specific brief |
| Pitch submitted | A receipt or history entry matches track and brief | The buyer selected or licensed the music |
| Later outcome | A specific decision or agreement | Results for any other track or opportunity |
In Cynqo’s Played workflow, use the saved confirmation and Played link to check the submitted item. Keep private notes about your expectations separate from the confirmed status. “I think this is a strong fit” is a judgement; “submitted” is an event that should have a matching record.
Build a repeatable opportunity-review routine
Set aside a regular review session rather than reacting to every new listing immediately. First, check the sources you use. Then shortlist the requests that match your catalogue or a direction you can realistically produce. Finally, choose the next action for each: prepare, clarify, wait or pass.
Maintain a simple record with the source URL, brief title, date checked, deadline, chosen track, current stage and next action. Add a reason when you pass. Over time, this shows which kinds of requests fit your strengths and which repeatedly create unnecessary work.
Review outcomes without inventing explanations. A submission that receives no further response does not reveal exactly why it was not selected. Use specific feedback where it exists, and improve controllable parts of the process: fit, file quality, accurate metadata, a clear note and timely delivery.
Also review the work you created. An unused draft may still be useful for your own catalogue, subject to the commitments you have made. Keep its source brief and production notes so you can understand why it was created and avoid accidentally describing it as an approved client project later.
Start with one suitable brief
The quickest useful exercise is to choose one current request and explain it in your own words. What is the music’s job? Which three audible qualities matter most? What must be delivered? If you cannot answer those questions, return to the source before producing anything.
Then choose an existing track or develop one focused direction. Compare the result with the brief, prepare the requested information and use the authorised submission route. Check the saved confirmation afterwards. This makes the workflow concrete and gives you something reliable to improve next time.
Cynqo is designed to help with that movement from knowing what clients want to creating for a brief. Explore the current music opportunities, use the brief and prompt examples for creative direction, and keep selection and licensing decisions separate from preparation and submission.
A smaller set of well-understood opportunities is a more practical starting point than a long list of impressive names. Aim for a response you can explain, a recording you have checked and a submission you can verify. Those are the parts of the process you can act on today.
Common questions
Where can I find sync licensing opportunities?
Start with current first-party brief boards, library submission pages and appropriate direct production requests. Follow the source’s current instructions and conditions.
Are public music briefs the same as commissions?
No. A brief may invite submissions without guaranteeing that any particular artist will be selected or paid.
Should I create a new track for every opportunity?
No. Review relevant tracks you already have first. Create a new direction when the request justifies the work and you can meet its requirements.
Does Cynqo include Played membership or pitch credits?
No. Cynqo generation credits and Played membership or pitch allowances are separate. Check the account’s current eligibility and pitch cost during review.
Does an upload mean my pitch was submitted?
No. Confirm the upload and then check for a submission receipt or history entry matching the exact track and brief.
Can I pitch AI music through Cynqo and Played?
Yes, AI music is accepted in this workflow. Ownership, listening, delivery, membership and pitch-cost reviews still apply. Other services have their own conditions.
