Frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions about MRP, compositions, registration, and account management.
Last updated August 16, 2026
What is an IPI number and where do I find mine?
An IPI (Interested Parties Information) number is a unique identifier assigned to songwriters and publishers by their Performing Rights Organisation. It is used across the global rights management system to unambiguously identify a rights holder. Your IPI number is available from your PRO — log in to your PRO's member portal or contact their member services team. If you have not registered with a PRO yet, you will be assigned an IPI number when you do.
What is an ISWC and how do I get one?
An ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) is a globally unique identifier assigned to a musical composition. It is issued by your PRO when the composition is registered with them. MRP has a dedicated ISWC field on the composition page — enter it there once your PRO has assigned it. An ISWC looks like T-123456789-0.
What is the difference between a PRO and a record label?
A PRO (Performing Rights Organisation) collects and distributes royalties for the use of the underlying musical composition — the melody and lyrics. Examples include ASCAP, BMI, PRS for Music, and SOCAN. A record label owns or licenses the master recording — the specific audio production of the work. MRP focuses on composition rights managed by PROs. Recording rights (master rights) are tracked via the Recording Information section but are not submitted to PROs through MRP.
What does 'self-published' mean?
A self-published writer holds their own publishing rights, meaning there is no separate publishing company involved. In MRP, marking a writer as self-published creates a publishing claim in their name with a share matching their writer share. This means the writer collects both their writer's share and their publisher's share of royalties. Most independent songwriters who have not signed with a publisher are self-published.
What is the difference between Locked and Registered?
A Locked composition has its confirmed rights information finalised in MRP — no changes can be made without requesting an amendment. A Registered composition has been submitted to a PRO or rights registry and the registration has been confirmed. A composition typically moves from Draft → Ready to Lock → Locked → Registered, though the exact steps depend on your PRO and registration method. In MRP, you can export a locked composition to TuneRegistry, which is the step that leads to the Registered status.
What can a collaborator see on my composition?
When you invite a co-writer to a composition, they can view the composition's passport details — writers, shares, publishers, scores, and files. They can confirm their own claim, view and participate in discussions, and download documents that have been shared with them. They cannot edit composition details, change other writers' shares, invite additional collaborators, or initiate locking or registration. Only the composition's creator can take those actions.
When should I use Bulk Registration vs. the guided setup?
Use the Bulk Registration flow when you have multiple compositions to register at once — it lets you enter up to a set of compositions in a single session, either by filling in a form for each or by importing a CSV file. Use the guided setup (the composition wizard) for a single new composition when you want step-by-step prompts that help you fill in each section in order. Both methods create the same type of composition record and support the same registration workflow.
Locked and registered compositions cannot be deleted
Draft and ready-to-lock compositions can be deleted from the composition page using the Delete button in the settings section. Locked and registered compositions cannot be deleted — their confirmed rights record is protected. Deletion is also blocked when another rights holder has an active claim on the composition; you must remove all co-writers before the composition can be deleted. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
A collaborator's email address changed — what do I do?
If a co-writer's email address has changed before they confirmed their invite, remove the existing invite and re-send it to their new address. If they have already confirmed their claim, ask them to update their email address from their own account profile. The confirmed rights information is linked to their account, not their email address, so their claim remains valid after an email change.
Do I need a TuneRegistry account to use the export?
Yes. MRP generates the CSV files in TuneRegistry's Bulk Import format, but the actual submission to TuneRegistry requires a TuneRegistry account. You upload the exported files through TuneRegistry's own Bulk Import tool. If you do not yet have a TuneRegistry account, create one at tuneregistry.com before running the export.