Workflow
How to send music to clients professionally
Sending music to a client or supervisor professionally means delivering a branded, analytics-tracked, access-controlled playlist link, not an email attachment, not a Dropbox folder, not a WeTransfer link.
Every time a composer or sync agent sends music to a client the wrong way, they lose information, lose control, and lose the opportunity to follow up intelligently. A zip file cannot tell you whether the client opened it. A Dropbox link cannot tell you which tracks got the most attention. A WeTransfer link expires before the client's colleague comes back from holiday. Professional delivery means sending a link that the client can play instantly on any device, with the right access controls, and with analytics that tell the sender exactly what happened after the send.
Who does this
Composers delivering finished cues to directors, music supervisors, advertising agencies, game studios, or production music libraries. This is the final step in a scoring or delivery workflow, and it happens dozens to hundreds of times per year for any working composer.
Sync agents presenting a selection of catalog tracks to a supervisor on behalf of their roster. The agent is the intermediary between the composer's catalog and the supervisor's brief, and professional delivery is part of how agents build their reputation.
Production music libraries distributing newly completed albums to sync partners, streaming platforms, and editorial contacts. High-volume library operations live and die by the efficiency of their delivery workflow.
Step by step
- 1
Organize your files before delivery
Before you send anything, audit the files themselves. Every track should have a correct, professional title (not "v7_FINAL_final_USETHIS.wav"). Metadata should be embedded: composer name, BPM, key, genre, mood, and ISRC code if registered. Artwork should be attached where applicable.
- ✓File names should include the track title and version (e.g., "Distant Horizon (Full).wav")
- ✓BPM and key should be embedded or at minimum included in the accompanying document
- ✓If delivering stems, label each stem consistently: "Title_Drums.wav", "Title_Bass.wav"
- ✓If delivering alt mixes, name them clearly: "Title (No Vocals).wav", "Title (Underscore).wav"
- 2
Choose the right audio format for your client
Different clients have different format requirements. Confirm before you send. Delivering the wrong format is a delay that makes you look unprepared.
- ✓WAV or AIFF at 44.1kHz 24-bit (or higher): the standard for any professional delivery intended for broadcast, film, or TV post
- ✓MP3 at 320kbps: acceptable for quick reference listens and initial pitch rounds, but never for final delivery of licensed music
- ✓FLAC: occasionally requested by libraries and archival platforms as a lossless compressed alternative to WAV
- ✓AAC: sometimes requested by streaming platforms or mobile-first game studios
- ✓When in doubt, deliver WAV and also include a 320kbps MP3 for easy preview
- 3
Build a playlist organized for the client's workflow
Do not send a flat list of files. Organize the tracks the way your client thinks. If you are delivering a full cue package for a film, organize by scene or act. If you are delivering a library album, organize by mood or tempo. If you are pitching a curated selection against a brief, put the strongest, most on-target track first.
- ✓Use sections to separate distinct albums, scenes, or categories within a single delivery
- ✓Label sections clearly so the client knows what they are looking at without needing to ask
- ✓Put your three strongest tracks in the first five positions, not your three most recent ones
- ✓If there are alt mixes or stems, group them with the parent track rather than at the end of the list
- 4
Set the right access controls before sharing
Access control is not optional on professional deliveries. Before you send the link, decide who can see it, whether they can download, and how long it should remain active. These decisions should be made deliberately, not accepted as defaults.
- ✓Password-protect any pre-release or exclusive material that the client has not yet cleared internally
- ✓Set an expiration date on highly sensitive pitches. Seven to fourteen days is appropriate for most brief-response pitches. A link that lives forever is not access-controlled.
- ✓Turn off downloads for preliminary reference listens. Turn on downloads only when the delivery is final and licensed.
- ✓If delivering to multiple recipients with different access levels, use per-recipient overrides rather than sharing the same link with everyone
- 5
Write a short personal note to accompany the playlist
A blank link with no context is a missed opportunity. One or two sentences explaining why you are sending this specific selection, why now, and what you want the client to do with it will dramatically increase the chance of a reply. The note should be written for this specific client, not copied from a template.
- ✓Reference the specific brief, scene, or project by name if responding to a request
- ✓Mention the one or two tracks you consider the strongest match and why
- ✓Tell them what you want them to do (listen, reply with thoughts, forward to the director)
- ✓Do not write a four-paragraph email. Two sentences and a link beats a wall of text every time
- 6
Send the link, not the files
The link goes in the body of the email or message. Not an attachment. Not a download link that requires a sign-up. A single URL that opens a streaming playlist in the client's browser with no friction. The goal is zero barriers between the client and the music.
- ✓Email attachments over 10 MB frequently bounce or land in spam
- ✓Cloud storage folders (Dropbox, Google Drive) require the recipient to navigate and download before hearing anything
- ✓WeTransfer and similar services expire and generate no playback analytics
- ✓A streaming link with waveform previews plays in 2 seconds on any device, anywhere
- 7
Send the password separately from the link
If the playlist is password-protected, do not include the password in the same message as the link. Send the link in one message and the password via a different channel (SMS, WhatsApp, a follow-up email) so that a compromised email thread does not negate the protection.
- ✓SMS is the simplest channel for password-only delivery
- ✓If the client is on a professional messaging platform (Slack, Teams), use that
- ✓Make the password memorable but not guessable: a short phrase works better than a random string
- ✓Note in the link message that the password is coming separately so the client knows to look for it
- 8
Track who opened it and what they listened to
After the link is sent, the job is not over. Check the analytics. Most professional music sharing platforms show you when the link was first opened, which tracks were played, how long each track was played, and whether the client came back for a second listen. This data is the most valuable thing a pitch produces.
- ✓If the link has not been opened after three business days, that is the signal to follow up
- ✓If the link was opened and specific tracks were played more than once, those are your leads
- ✓If the link was opened but no tracks were played past 30 seconds, the selection may have missed the brief
- ✓Analytics allow you to follow up with precision instead of guessing
- 9
Follow up based on data, not elapsed time
The follow-up message should be informed by the analytics. "I saw you spent some time on tracks 2 and 4, happy to send more in that vein" is a dramatically more effective follow-up than "just checking in to see if you had a chance to listen." Data-informed follow-up signals competence and shows you are paying attention.
- ✓Wait until analytics confirm the client has listened before following up
- ✓If they replayed a track multiple times, lead your follow-up with that track
- ✓If they listened to the first track and stopped, do not ask "what did you think?" Ask if you can send something more targeted
- ✓One follow-up is appropriate. Two is the limit. Three is a junk folder application.
What can go wrong
- ●Delivering files with generic or incorrect metadata. "Track 12.wav" with no embedded tags requires the client to rename, tag, and organize everything themselves before they can use it. This is a cost you are imposing on the relationship. Some supervisors will not use the music at all rather than do the administrative work the composer should have done.
- ●Sending the wrong password or forgetting to send it at all. A password-protected link is useless if the client cannot get in. Always confirm the password is correct against the link before sending, and always send the password via a separate channel within 10 minutes of the link.
- ●Not setting an expiry on sensitive pre-release material. A link to unreleased music that stays live forever is a security liability. Set expirations on pre-release pitches. When the brief window closes, the link should close with it.
- ●Following up blind without checking whether the client has listened. A follow-up message sent before the client has opened the link creates unnecessary friction and can come across as impatient. Analytics exist precisely so you do not have to guess when to reach out.
Pro tips
Do not send the same reel to every client. A playlist that was assembled for a trailer house supervisor says nothing useful to an advertising agency producer. Take 15 minutes to customize the selection for each recipient. Supervisors know immediately when they receive a generic blast and it signals that you do not understand their work.
Send the link and the password in separate messages, using separate channels. A compromised email thread should not negate the access control you set up. This is a simple operational habit that protects pre-release material.
Do not follow up immediately after sending. Wait until analytics confirm the client has listened, or until at least three business days have passed with no open recorded. Immediate follow-up reads as anxiety and rarely produces a faster response.
Include a one-sentence note about why you are sending this specific selection to this specific person. "Given the kind of projects you have been working on lately, I thought tracks 2 and 5 might be relevant" is a sentence that shows you did your research. Generic "please find my music attached" language signals you did not.
Tools that help
DropCue
DropCue is built specifically for professional music delivery. Playlists stream instantly with waveform previews, support password protection and expiration dates, allow per-recipient download controls, and generate full analytics on every open and play event. The sender sees who opened the link, which tracks were played, and how long each was listened to, turning every delivery into an actionable data point.
Dropbox
Excellent for large file storage and syncing across teams, but it is not a music delivery tool. Recipients have to navigate to the right folder, download files before hearing them, and there is no streaming player or listening analytics. Functional for internal collaboration, but not the right choice for client-facing professional delivery.
WeTransfer
Good for sending large files quickly to recipients who do not have accounts anywhere. No streaming player, no analytics, and links expire on a schedule you do not control. Fine for sending raw files after a deal is done, not for the pitch or review phase where knowing whether anyone listened matters.
Universal and expected, but not a delivery mechanism for large audio files. Attachments bounce above roughly 25 MB, there is no streaming preview, and there is zero tracking on whether the file was ever opened or played. Email works as the message vehicle. The link inside the email is the actual delivery mechanism.