Free split sheet template.
Every co-written song needs one: a single page that records who wrote it, what share each writer owns, their PRO and IPI numbers and their publishers, signed on the day. Nine parts, a note on each and a filled-in example. Free, no sign-up.
What is inside
- 01
Song
Title, working titles, the date and place it was written.
- 02
Composition splits
Each writer’s legal name, writer name, role and share. The shares add up to 100%.
- 03
PRO and IPI numbers
Each writer’s performing rights organisation and IPI or CAE number.
- 04
Publishers
Who publishes each writer’s share, or "self-published".
- 05
Contact details
An email and phone number for every writer and publisher.
- 06
Samples and interpolations
Anything taken from another song, and whether it is cleared.
- 07
Master splits
Optional: who owns the recording, and any producer royalty.
- 08
Agreement and signatures
Every writer signs and dates it.
- 09
After signing
Copies sent, and the song registered with the same shares.
Free download
Download the split sheet template
No sign-up and no email: the files download straight away.
The template is a record of what you agreed, not legal advice. Sign it before you deliver the song: the release plan template puts it in week 6. To see what the recording side of a song earns, try the streaming royalties calculator.
How to use the template
Fill it in at the end of the session, while everyone who worked on the song is still in the room, and agree the shares out loud before anyone signs. Use legal names as well as the names people write under, and get each writer’s PRO and IPI number: whoever registers the song needs them. The filled-in example shows a finished sheet for three fictional writers.
The splits on the sheet are shares of the song itself, the composition, and they must add up to 100%. A publisher takes its part from its writer’s share under their own deal, so it does not change the splits. The recording, the master, is a separate right: the template has an optional section for it, but a label or producer agreement usually covers it.
Splits and your PRO
Each PRO records shares in its own way, so copy the agreed splits into its form rather than the other way round. ASCAP has writer shares add up to 50% and publisher shares to 50%, encourages co-writers to agree their percentages in writing before registering, and does not set aside money for shares nobody has claimed. PRS for Music asks each writer and publisher to register their own share, assumes writers split equally if nobody says otherwise, and requires the combined writer share to be at least 50%.
If two registrations disagree, the PRO flags a conflict and that part of the song can stop paying until it is resolved. A signed sheet from the day the song was written is the simplest way to settle it.
What a split sheet is not
A split sheet records what the writers agreed; it is not a publishing contract, a producer agreement or legal advice, and this template does not replace any of them. If co-writers disagree about shares, if a sample needs clearing, or if a publisher or label deal is involved, check with your PRO and speak to a music lawyer before you sign anything.
When the song is ready
With the splits signed and the song registered, the work moves to the release: delivery, pitching and getting it heard. Our music marketing runs your official video as a YouTube campaign, shown as Google Ads to people who watch similar artists, and publishes an editorial feature about you on one of the publications we work with. Together they start at $249 per release, with a Google Ads report every week. We don’t sell streams or playlist places. The feature is sponsored content, as our disclaimer states.
Frequently asked.
What is a split sheet?
A short document, signed by every writer of a song, that records who wrote it and what percentage of the song each person owns, with their PRO, IPI number and publisher.
When should you fill in a split sheet?
On the day the song is written, before anyone leaves the session. Agreeing shares months later, when the song is earning, is much harder.
Do split sheet percentages have to add up to 100%?
Yes. The writers’ shares of the song add up to 100%. Some PROs then record those shares differently on their own forms, for example as writer and publisher halves, so follow each one’s instructions when you register.
Is a split sheet legally binding?
It is a written record of what the writers agreed, and it is strong evidence if there is a dispute, but it is not a publishing contract. This template is not legal advice: for a dispute or a deal, ask your PRO or a music lawyer.
Does a producer go on the split sheet?
Only if they wrote part of the song, its music or lyrics. A producer who did not write is usually paid from the recording through a producer agreement, which the optional master section can note.
Is the template really free?
Yes. The Word file, the PDF guide and the example download straight away, with no sign-up and no email.
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