Split sheet: what it is and a free template
A split sheet is one page that says who wrote a song and what share each person owns. Five minutes in the studio can save years of arguments — and royalties that never arrive.
What a split sheet is
A split sheet is a short written agreement, signed by everyone who wrote a song, that lists each writer and the percentage of the composition — the melody and lyrics — that each one owns. The shares must add up to exactly 100%.
It is not a recording contract and it doesn’t decide who owns the master (the recording). It is about the song itself, which is what publishers and collecting societies pay on.
Why it matters
- Registrations need it. To register a work with a collecting society or a publisher, you need each writer and their share.
- Memories fade. Who wrote the hook is clear on the day; a year later, after the song does well, it rarely is.
- Money waits for agreement. If shares are missing or add up to more than 100%, royalties can be held until the writers agree.
- Deals ask for it. Labels, publishers and sync clients often want to see who owns what before they sign.
What to include
- Song title (and working title, if different) and the date of the session.
- For each writer: full legal name, artist name, role (lyrics, music or both), share in %, contact, collecting society and IPI number if they have one, and publisher if they have one.
- Total: 100%.
- Optional but useful: the producer, the studio, and any samples or interpolations used (they may need clearances and change the shares).
- A signature and date from every writer.
Free split sheet template
Copy this into a document or spreadsheet, fill it in at the end of the session and have everyone sign it.
| Field | Writer 1 | Writer 2 | Writer 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal name | |||
| Artist name | |||
| Role (lyrics / music / both) | |||
| Share of the composition (%) | |||
| Collecting society and IPI | |||
| Publisher (if any) | |||
| Signature and date |
At the top: Song title · Date · Studio · Samples used (yes/no, which). At the bottom: Total = 100%.
Rather fill it in online and collect the signatures there? TONTRIA Law builds the split sheet with the composition and the master apart and sends it to every writer to sign online; they don’t need an account. The free plan includes unlimited split sheets and 2 documents to sign a month.
How to agree on the splits
There is no single right method — what matters is that everyone agrees, in writing, before the song is released. Common approaches:
- Equal split among everyone who was in the room writing. Simple and common in co-writing sessions.
- By contribution, often half for the music and half for the lyrics, then divided among who wrote each part.
- Agreed in advance, before the session starts — the easiest moment to talk about it.
Talk about splits at the end of the session, while everyone remembers who did what. Waiting until the song is a hit is the worst time to start.
Producers, beats and the master
A producer who also writes — the beat, the chords, a melody — can be a writer on the split sheet. A producer who only records and mixes usually isn’t, but may get a royalty on the master or a fee through a separate agreement. When a song is built on a beat, the beat licence and the split sheet should say the same thing (lease or exclusive: what each licence allows). Keep both attached to the song. That is exactly the kind of tracking TONTRIA for Producers and TONTRIA for Publishers are built for.
After it’s signed
- Send a copy to every writer and keep the original attached to the song and its versions.
- Register the work with each writer’s society and publisher, with the same shares. How, and when a copyright registration helps too: how to copyright a song.
- Use the same writer names and shares in your distributor’s credits.
- Add the song to your release checklist so nothing goes out without its splits.
Common mistakes
- Shares that add up to 95% or 110%.
- Artist names only, with no legal names.
- Forgetting a co-writer who joined for one session.
- Not mentioning samples or interpolations.
- A split sheet that says one thing and the registration another.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For contracts, samples or disputes, talk to a music lawyer in your country.