Library compositions ideally need to get to the meat of the song quickly and capture the attention of the listener within a few seconds. Put yourself in an editor’s shoes—they may have to listen to several songs rapidly, so avoid lengthy or drawn-out intros. Where possible, compositions should have a definite ending on all versions (no fade-outs). It is better to build up to a high point rather than slow things down too much at the end.

Subtle changes every 8 or 16 bars, like adding a different instrument or rhythm, can help keep the track evolving without overwhelming the listener. These changes don’t need to be dramatic but should provide variety to keep the track interesting. Even choruses can have slight variations to offer editors more choices, increasing the chance of your track being selected. Think like a video editor!

It’s best to maintain a consistent theme throughout, allowing editors to dip in and out of the song as needed. Several dramatic changes are not generally advisable. Similarly, the primary instrumentation should remain consistent. For example, if a piano is the primary instrument in the beginning, introducing a guitar as the main instrument later could make the track harder to work with. Overuse of sound effects is also discouraged—sometimes less is more, leaving space for other elements to shine.