Setting Up Licensing
Selling beats online requires more than great music. You need the right infrastructure: a way to accept payments, deliver files automatically, and present your license terms clearly to buyers. Producer Dashboard ties all of this together in one place.
This guide walks you through the setup process from start to finish.
Before You Begin
Section titled “Before You Begin”Two accounts must be connected before you can sell licenses through Producer Dashboard:
- Stripe Connect — handles payment processing. You’ll receive payouts directly to your Stripe account.
- Dropbox — handles file delivery. When a buyer purchases a license, Producer Dashboard generates temporary download links from your Dropbox files.
Both connections are essential. If either is missing or expired, license sales will fail.
Connecting Stripe Connect
Section titled “Connecting Stripe Connect”Stripe Connect is managed in the Connected Accounts section of your Settings page, not within the Licensing section itself. Look for the Stripe Connect card there and click Connect Account to begin onboarding.
Stripe will guide you through creating an Express account. Once complete, your account status (charges enabled, payouts enabled) appears in the same card.
Connecting Dropbox
Section titled “Connecting Dropbox”Head to Settings and locate the Dropbox integration. Click Connect Dropbox and authorize the connection. Your Dropbox account stores the master files that get delivered to buyers — typically your beat stems, WAV files, and project files.
Configuring Contact Settings
Section titled “Configuring Contact Settings”When someone wants to purchase a license, they need a way to reach you or complete the transaction. Your contact settings determine how this works.
In the Licensing section of Settings, you’ll find contact preferences:
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Stripe | Buyers purchase directly through Stripe Checkout (recommended) |
| Buyers are directed to email you for purchase details | |
| URL | Buyers are directed to a custom page (your beat store, contact form, etc.) |
The Stripe option provides the smoothest buyer experience — payments and file delivery happen automatically without any manual intervention from you. We recommend this setting for most producers.
You can set a default that applies to all tracks, then override it on individual tracks as needed.
Creating License Types
Section titled “Creating License Types”License types define what you’re selling: the name, price, included files, and terms. Think of them as your product catalog.
What Defines a License Type
Section titled “What Defines a License Type”Each license type includes:
- Name — how it appears to buyers (e.g., “Non-Exclusive Lease”, “Premium Lease”, “Exclusive Rights”)
- Description — a brief summary buyers see (e.g., “Includes MP3 + WAV, up to 5,000 streams”)
- Price — the amount buyers pay (set in dollars or your preferred currency)
- Deliverables — the files included with this license (MP3, WAV, Stems, Track-outs)
- Exclusive flag — whether purchasing this license removes the beat from sale
- License terms — the legal agreement governing how the beat may be used
Starting with Templates
Section titled “Starting with Templates”If you’re new to selling licenses, Producer Dashboard provides templates to help you get started. Templates include standard industry license types with pre-written terms:
- Non-Exclusive Lease — basic rights, streaming limits, MP3 + WAV
- Premium Lease — broader rights, unlimited streams, includes stems
- Exclusive Rights — full ownership transfer, removes beat from sale
- Sync License — film, TV, and commercial use rights
You can add templates as-is, customize them, or create your own from scratch.
Setting Your Pricing
Section titled “Setting Your Pricing”When you create a license type, you set a default price. This price applies to all tracks using that license unless you override it per-track. This flexibility lets you discount older beats or charge premium prices for your most popular tracks.
Enabling Licensing on Tracks
Section titled “Enabling Licensing on Tracks”With license types defined, you’re ready to enable licensing on individual tracks.
Per-Track Settings
Section titled “Per-Track Settings”Each track has its own licensing configuration:
- Enable/disable licensing — turn sales on or off for that specific track
- Choose license types — select which of your license types apply to this track
- Override prices — charge more or less than the default for any license type
- Override contact method — use a different purchase flow than your default
The Marketing Widget
Section titled “The Marketing Widget”The marketing widget appears when you select a track. It provides quick access to licensing controls without navigating to a separate page. From the widget, you can:
- Toggle licensing on or off
- Select which license types are available
- Adjust prices for individual licenses
- Preview how your licensing options appear to buyers
Bulk Editing
Section titled “Bulk Editing”Need to enable licensing on multiple tracks at once? Use bulk edit mode to select several tracks and apply the same licensing configuration to all of them. This is handy when you’re launching a new batch of beats for sale.
How Buyers Purchase
Section titled “How Buyers Purchase”Once licensing is enabled, buyers visiting your public track page see the available license options with prices and descriptions. They select a license, enter their email, and complete payment through Stripe Checkout.
After purchase:
- The buyer receives a confirmation email with download links
- Files are delivered via temporary Dropbox links (valid for 30 days)
- The license terms are included with the purchase
- You receive a payout notification (minus the 2% platform fee)
- If the license was marked exclusive, the track is automatically removed from sale
For exclusive licenses, make sure to fulfill the agreement — remove the beat from all other platforms and update your availability accordingly.
Tips for Success
Section titled “Tips for Success”- Keep your Dropbox organized — use consistent folder naming so you can quickly locate files when enabling new tracks for sale
- Review your license terms — templates are starting points, but your specific situation might require customized language
- Test the purchase flow — buy a license from yourself using a test email to verify file delivery works correctly
- Monitor your Stripe dashboard — track payouts, refund requests, and buyer disputes directly in Stripe
Related
Section titled “Related”- Creating License Types — detailed guide to building your license catalog
- Pricing Your Beats — strategies for setting competitive prices
- Purchase Flow — understanding the buyer experience
- Managing Sales — tracking purchases and handling fulfillment