Once you've written an original song and you know what the splits are, (in cases where you've co-written the song), legally and financially, it's in your best interest to register the song with your performance rights organization as soon as possible. In cases where you expect your song getting played on the radio, used in any show, or performed live, you'll want to take care of the registration as soon as possible. Remember that this is the first step before you can get paid your publishing royalties. Whether you are acting as your own publisher or have a publishing and admin deal (with Tunecore, CD Baby, etc.), I would make sure that they are taking care of the process of registering with ASCAP, SESAC, or BMI.
For example, if you've decided to register with BMI, go to www.BMI.com/join. Here, click Join BMI. Next, choose whether you're registering as a songwriter or as a publisher. If you're registering as both, you'll run through both processes separately. BMI also has a special process and conditions for registering as a classical music composer. Currently song writers can register online for free and it is in your best interest that you do so! Again, make sure you're registering as a publisher as well IF you do not have a publisher already.
Registering as a publisher requires you to download and fill out the application in the case of BMI.
The process is similar for joining ASCAP. Go to ascap.com/join. Decide if you're registering as a writer or a publisher. In the case of ASCAP, case can do both of these online. Just walk through the form and complete the information.
Once you are a registered member of your PRO you can start registering your songs promptly. For example, here on the BMI site you would click Works Registration. And from there it's just a matter of working your way through the online form by completing information about your song, the writers on the song, what commercial recordings the song appears on, if any, and so on. This works like tagging a piece of digital work. Might be tedious work, but as said before, it is a necessary step before you can see any money from your music!
When you've completed the registration of the song or songs of your authorship, that's all you need to worry about because it's your PRO's responsibility and function to keep track of when and where the song is played and to collect royalties on your behalf. How do THEY themselves get paid? Well, remember that all the PRO's are charging blanket license fees to any and all establishments that use music to broadcast, play live, rebroadcast, etc. From this money, you! (the writer) get paid.
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