For Composers
Publishing on your terms.
Understory is a non-exclusive publisher for composers the big houses passed over. You keep your rights, you keep the majority of every sale, and your music reaches the directors looking for it.
70%
of every sale, locked in as a fixed per-copy floor that discounts never lower.
100%
of your rights stay with you. Every agreement is non-exclusive.
$0
to audit your royalty statements, whenever you like.
How It Works
From submission to catalog
Four steps, no gatekeeping by reputation. The only test is the music.
01
Register
Complete the composer registration with one representative work.
02
Review
We review submissions in batches and reply by email, usually within two to three weeks.
03
Prepare
You deliver final, print-ready score and parts PDFs on 8.5 x 11. We add the cover, title page, copyright page, and catalog number.
04
Publish
Your work goes live with instant PDF delivery and print-on-demand conductor scores.
What We Publish
Every genre. Every tradition.
Concert band and orchestra, percussion ensemble, choral, jazz, chamber, sacred, folk and traditional, and everything between. If your music has been overlooked, it belongs here.
What we need from you
- Final engraved score and parts as PDFs
- A short program note
- A composer bio of up to 150 words
- A recording or MIDI mockup
Questions
Frequently asked
Do I need to engrave my own music?
Yes. Understory does not engrave. We publish from the final, print-ready PDFs you deliver, then add the cover, title page, copyright page, and back matter.
Can I keep selling my music elsewhere?
Yes. Every Understory agreement is non-exclusive.
How are royalties calculated?
You earn 70% of net receipts on a single copy sale. That amount becomes a fixed per-copy floor that bulk discounts and promotions never reduce.
What formats do you sell?
Single copies only, delivered as PDFs on 8.5 x 11 pages for school copiers, with printed conductor scores on demand. Extra parts are free as PDF. No bundles or subscriptions.
How long does review take?
Usually two to three weeks. We review submissions in batches and follow up by email.
Ready to submit?
Registration takes about ten minutes.