The Composer as CEO: Best Practices for Independent Sheet Music Publishing with J.W. Pepper’s My Score Platform
Balancing Creativity and Business
For a composer to be successful in the modern music industry, it is crucial to master the skills of self-publishing. It is no longer enough to simply write well-crafted music and wait to be “discovered.” A composer must also know how to use the internet effectively to get their music in front of the right audiences. Even established composers with traditional publishing deals increasingly rely on self-publishing tools—and demonstrating competency in these skills is often a prerequisite for securing those traditional deals in the first place.
A successful self-publishing composer operates in multiple musical roles—editor, engraver, producer—but also functions as the CEO, CFO, and Chief Marketing Officer of their music. These business-facing responsibilities are the focus of this guide, which outlines best practices for presenting music effectively and maximizing visibility.
MY SCORE provides independent composers with powerful tools, broad distribution, and full financial control over their published works. SIGN UP TODAY using the code PUBLISH20 to get 20% off.
A Distribution Platform for Self-Published Composers
My Score is J.W. Pepper’s platform dedicated to independent sheet music publishing. In this relationship, J.W. Pepper serves as a distributor—connecting publishers and customers—allowing composers to focus on creating and promoting their music rather than managing ecommerce logistics.
- Composers use the My Score portal to upload sheet music, cover art, and preview audio for display on J.W. Pepper’s customer-facing website. They set their own pricing, which is fully customizable.
- Composers retain their copyrights and remain the publishers of their music.
- The relationship is non-exclusive. Composers may sell on other platforms (including their own websites), submit music to publishers, and remove their music at any time for any reason.
- My Score users also receive a public profile page where they can share their biography, social links, and curated collections of music for sale—especially helpful for beginning composers who do not yet have a website.
Royalties and Payouts
Composers earn 50% royalties on digital sales and 25% royalties on print sales (the lower print royalty covers printing and shipping costs).
Royalties are paid quarterly, approximately four weeks after each quarter ends (e.g., checks for the quarter ending in March are sent near the end of April).
Sales reporting: Real-time sales data appears on the profile dashboard. Print sales appear only after the item has shipped to the customer.
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The Three Pillars of Independent
Sheet Music Marketing
Success in independent publishing hinges on creating high-quality product assets. Composers should focus on three core pillars: quality audio demos, compelling cover art, and professional branding.
Pillar 1: Quality Audio Demos
Although sheet music is a visual product, an audio recording is essential for successful marketing.
Without a recording for customers to listen to, your music will NOT sell!
- Prioritize Live Recordings. Live recordings are generally preferred because they demonstrate how the music performs in real-world conditions. Although professional quality audio is always appreciated, with a high quality performance, cell phone videos or even voice memo recordings are often sufficient.
- Elevate Digital Mockups. Notation software provides basic audio export, but “default” playback rarely represents the piece well. Using the right additional software can significantly improve your demos.
- NotePerformer: A third-party virtual instrument library that significantly enhances the default playback in notation programs like Dorico, Sibelius, and MuseScore, and Finale.
- Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs): Composers can export the MIDI from your notation software into a DAW—such as Cubase or Logic—to customize sounds and apply professional-level editing, mixing, and mastering.
Pillar 2: Creating High-Impact Cover Art
Cover art is often a composer’s first opportunity to make a strong impression. In a crowded marketplace, a cover that “pops” significantly increases the likelihood that customers will click on the product. Standards vary by genre, so it’s helpful to study the covers used by composers writing similar music.
- Judging a Score by its Cover. Avoid the bare-bones, black-and-white title pages automatically generated by notation software. Instead, create something colorful, clear, and visually compelling—similar to a poster or flyer.
- Design Tools. Composers do not need to be professional designers. Tools like Canva make it simple to create high-quality covers using fonts, color palettes, and graphics, and export them as PDFs or JPEGs.
- Using Stock Images. Stock photos or AI-generated images (e.g., Adobe Firefly) can have a powerful impact, but composers must ensure they are legally usable.
Pillar 3: Professional Branding and Score Quality
Your brand—the overall impression you create—comes from both the visual appeal of your music and the way you present yourself publicly.
- High-Quality Score Production. Poorly engraved notation suggests poor musical quality. Scores must be clean, readable, consistent, free of mistakes and contain all information performers need.
- Effective Product Descriptions. Clearly explain who the piece is for and why they should buy it. Include keywords and details that help search engines (and customers) find your music.
- Public Presence. Consider what a customer might find if they search for you after enjoying one of your pieces.
- Is your work easy to locate?
- Are your bio, headshot, and social links up to date?
- What impression do your website and social media accounts create?
These seemingly small elements combine to shape a customer’s perception of you and your music—your brand.
Self-Publish With Confidence!
Independent publishing offers composers unprecedented control and opportunity—but success requires a CEO-level approach to audio, visuals, and personal branding. By mastering these three pillars, composers can position their music to compete confidently in today’s marketplace.
The MyScore customer service team is available to help with questions about how to best promote your music. Reach out HERE to schedule a call, and explore additional resources.
Garrett Breeze
Garrett Breeze is a Nashville-based composer, arranger, publisher, and the founder of Selling Sheet Music. His credits include film, television, video games, Broadway stars, major classical artists, and many of the top school music programs in the U.S. Visit garrettbreeze.com for more information or to book Garrett for a commission or other event.