Sending a Demo to a Label — How to Protect It First
Before you send an unreleased demo to a label or collaborator, your strongest position is having a trusted date on the work from before you sent it. Secure a certificate dating your authorship declaration, keep the project files, and document when and to whom you sent the track. A dated trail turns "I made it first" into something verifiable.
The real risk when you send a demo
Most labels and producers act honestly. But once sent, the track leaves your control — it can be forwarded, sat on for months, or elements of it can surface elsewhere. The problem isn't "they'll cheat me," it's that if a dispute arises, your word against theirs carries no weight without proof of when you created the work.
What to do before you hit send
- Secure a trusted date. Certify the track before sending, so you have an independent date that predates it.
- Keep the project files and stems. The full session only you possess.
- Document the send. To whom, when, exactly what — a dated email or message.
How to protect a demo before sending
| Method | Gives a trusted date? | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| NDA (confidentiality agreement) | No | Covers confidentiality, but doesn't establish authorship or date |
| Emailing yourself before sending | Weak | Easily manipulated; courts distrust it |
| Project files | No | Prove skill, not when the track was made |
| Authorship-declaration certificate with a trusted date | Yes | Doesn't make the authorship claim for you — it certifies when and by whom the declaration was made |
StampR issues a certificate that records when and by whom an authorship declaration was made. It isn't a registry and doesn't make the authorship claim for you — but it fixes a moment in time from before you sent it. If a dispute ever arises, that's the difference between "I sent it first" and "I can show the track existed before I sent it."
Secure a date on your demo before you send it — your first certificate is free.
If you've already been copied, see also what to do if someone steals your beat.
Frequently asked questions
Will the label steal my demo?
Usually not — but you can't be certain, and the risk exists with every send. A dated trail protects you for exactly the case where something goes wrong.
Do I need a lawyer or an NDA?
An NDA covers confidentiality but doesn't establish when you created the work. For the authorship date itself you don't need a lawyer — you need a trusted date from before you sent it.
What exactly should I send?
Whatever the label asks for — but date the original first. Never send your only version without a saved copy and a date.
When is the best time to issue the certificate?
Before the first send. Any date that precedes contact with third parties is stronger.