A split sheet is a one-page agreement that records who created a song's composition and what percentage each person owns. It's one of the simplest documents in music and one of the most important.
What a split sheet covers
A split sheet establishes the compositional breakdown of the song: the lyrics and the musical elements. It records, for every writer and producer who contributed:
- Their legal name, not just their artist name.
- Their IPI number, the ID their PRO assigns to them as a songwriter.
- Their email and signature.
- Their ownership percentage of the composition.
- Their publisher's information, if they have one.
Together, that shows what percentage of the song each person created and what they're entitled to.
When to fill it out
In the session, before anyone leaves the room. That's when everyone remembers who wrote what and everyone is still on good terms. Waiting until a song blows up is how friendships end and royalties get frozen.
Why it matters
PROs, publishers, and The MLC need accurate splits to pay the right people. Without agreed splits, registrations can conflict, payments can be held, and you can end up in a dispute over a song that's finally making money.
A signed split sheet prevents most publishing disputes because every term has been agreed to and signed off on, while it was still easy to agree.
Make it a habit
Keep blank split sheets on your phone, in your studio, and in every session folder. No splits, no bounce.
This post is general information, not legal advice.