Now in early access

Every note.
One cleff.
One stop.

From the first session to the first royalty check — booking, collaboration, split sheets, distribution, and sync licensing in one connected platform where nothing can be faked and no one gets lost.

See who it's for How it works
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$1B+ In uncollected royalties every year
40% Of all music revenue — independent artists
0 Platforms connecting every step of the chain
The problem

The industry runs on handshake agreements and fragmented tools.

Booking lives in one app. File storage in another. Split sheets are Google Forms someone found online. Distribution is a separate subscription. Publishing registration is a process most independent artists never complete.

None of these tools talk to each other. None of them verify that the people using them did what they claim they did. None of them create a chain of accountability that follows a song from the first session to the first royalty statement.

Disputes happen after the money flows. Billions go uncollected. Careers stall for reasons that have nothing to do with talent.

The accountability chain

Every step feeds the next.

Each layer of the creative and business process connects automatically. Nothing exists in isolation. Nothing falls through the cracks.

01
Session
›
02
Profile
›
03
Discovery
›
04
Booking
›
05
Writing
›
06
Splits
›
07
Release
›
08
Royalties
Who it's for

Built for every player in the ecosystem.

Producers · songwriters · artists · engineers · session musicians
"You cannot fake a credit, you cannot claim a split after the fact, and you cannot release without everyone's signature."

Right now when you make a song with other people, nothing is documented until something goes wrong. Cleff fixes that at the root — every session is logged, every collaborator is verified, every split sheet is signed before the song leaves the room, and every royalty flows back to the right people automatically. One platform from the first session to the first royalty check.

  • Session log builds your verified credit history automatically — no self-promotion required
  • Real-time collaborative writing room with contribution tracking — who wrote what, when, provably
  • Split sheets generated from contribution data, signed by everyone before distribution activates
  • PRO registration prompts fire automatically when your split sheet is finalized
  • Discovery engine built on verified data — get found for the right projects
Recording studios · operator accounts
"Your clients get the whole creative workflow built into their membership. Your name stays on every record made in your room — permanently."

Cleff makes your studio offer more than a room. Every client gets a complete creative workflow and every release made in your studio carries your name as a verified credit forever.

  • Complete booking portal — availability, session types, durations, direct booking
  • Subscription membership management with hour tracking, rollover, and overage billing
  • Square integration for billing cycles and transparent client dashboards
  • "Recorded at [Studio]" credit auto-attached to every release made in your room
  • Your roster becomes discoverable — professionals who record with you get found
Personal managers · management companies
"Stop running your entire practice across phone calls, emails, spreadsheets, and memory. See everything for every client in one place."

A unified roster command center with appropriate access to every client's bookings, catalog, split sheet status, and release pipeline — simultaneously. All with a complete audit log that protects good managers as much as it protects artists.

  • All clients in one dashboard — active bookings, pending splits, release pipeline at a glance
  • Book sessions and respond to project threads on behalf of clients
  • Chase unsigned split sheets across your entire roster automatically
  • Initiate distribution — client confirms with one tap, you do the setup work
  • Every action logged separately — full audit trail, instant revocation by client
Label A&R · artist development
"Project visibility across your roster without requiring individual artists to send status updates every week."

Scoped access to the artists you work with — session activity, project pipeline, catalog status — all with proper artist consent recorded and revocable. Watch your roster's creative output in real time without five separate tools.

  • Aggregate roster view — pipeline, session activity heatmap, upcoming releases
  • Book sessions for artists and respond in active project threads
  • Catalog and file status visible without entering the writing room
  • A&R discovery mode — watch WIP artist development over months, not snapshots
  • Every artist grants access individually — consent recorded and revocable at any time
Publishing A&R · publishing companies
"Every new song arrives pre-documented, pre-registered, and pre-organized. The administrative overhead of managing a growing catalog drops dramatically."

New songs come in with splits verified, files organized, and PRO registration already prompted. Build sync pitch packages, flag songs for placement, submit to opportunities — all from one dashboard.

  • Full catalog with song status, contribution data, and split sheet status per song
  • Writing room archives post-session — contribution breakdown for catalog evaluation
  • Build pitch packages and submit to sync opportunities from the platform
  • Bulk PRO registration status and mechanical royalty tracking across the roster
  • Publishing deal type scopes access — full pub, co-pub, admin, or single-song
Sync supervisors · music supervisors · sync libraries
"A verified, searchable catalog of cleared music. Find a song, love it, and see everything you need to clear it without leaving the platform."

Every song has metadata born in the workflow — not submitted after the fact. Clearance information surfaces instantly. The discovery-to-license workflow happens on one platform. Access is free while the catalog builds — Cleff earns only on licenses executed through the platform, so our interests are fully aligned with yours.

  • Search by mood, vibe, BPM, key, tempo, instrumentation, theme, era, vocal type, genre
  • Native waveform streaming with non-removable dynamic watermarking
  • All rights holders visible — ownership percentages, PRO affiliations, contact info
  • Structured license inquiry to all rights holders simultaneously on platform
  • WIP opt-in catalog — discover unreleased music before it's finished
  • Free access during early catalog growth — subscription introduced at scale
Pre-seed investors · music industry angels · accelerators
"The music industry generates $30 billion a year and runs on handshake agreements. A billion in royalties goes uncollected annually. Cleff is the infrastructure that fixes that."

The network effect is built into the workflow. Every split sheet gets sent to co-writers not yet on the platform — signing it creates their account. Every studio adoption brings its entire client roster. Free distribution removes every adoption barrier while the 15% earnings share on the free tier means every song released generates ongoing revenue forever.

  • Publishing admin (15%), sync facilitation (12–15%), and distribution earnings share compound as the catalog grows
  • Free creator tier with free distribution — network grows before monetisation pressure
  • Pro upgrade ($9/mo, 0% distro fee) converts naturally when creators start earning
  • Year 3 realistic ARR ~$1.9M — conservative, founder-achievable without marketing spend
  • Seeking $300K–$500K pre-seed to hit 10 studios and 100 completed song workflows
The platform

Nine pillars. One system.

01
Studio booking
The trust anchor. Every session logged permanently to every participant's profile. Square-integrated memberships with hour tracking and overage billing.
02
Verified profiles
Profiles that populate through work, not self-promotion. No follower counts. No likes. Verified credits require confirmation from the other party.
03
Discovery
Role-based search built on verified data. Find a session drummer in Atlanta with fifteen completed songs, available this weekend. Every filter is confirmed — not self-reported.
04
Communication with intent
No cold DMs. Booking inquiry opens a project thread. Final signing closes it. Every message has a purpose tied to work. The archive stays forever.
05
Project room
A persistent workspace — booking panel, writing room, file vault, split sheet panel, project thread, and release panel — the entire history of a creative relationship.
06
Writing room
Real-time CRDT collaboration with character-level contribution tracking. Every edit attributed and timestamped. A legal record of who wrote what and when.
07
Catalog + split sheets
Split sheets generated from contribution data, signed under ESIGN Act and UETA. PRO registration prompts fire automatically. Distribution gates on completed agreements.
08
Distribution + publishing
Distribution largely automated — all metadata already in the catalog. Optional publishing administration registers with MLC and HFA, tracks mechanicals.
09
Sync + A&R discovery
Verified, searchable catalog with native streaming and dynamic watermarking. Three creator-controlled opt-in tiers. Structured license inquiry to all rights holders simultaneously.
The Cleff standard

"That is not a feature.
That is a new standard for how the music industry operates."

Credits You cannot have a credit on a song you did not contribute to — credits require confirmation from the other party.
Session history You cannot fake a session history — sessions are logged by the studio's booking system, not self-reported.
Split percentages You cannot claim a split after the fact — the split sheet was generated from contribution data and signed before the song left the platform.
Co-writing credits You cannot dispute a co-writing credit — the writing room has a character-level timestamped record of who wrote what and when.
Distribution You cannot release a song without all agreements in place — distribution requires completed split sheets before it activates.
Unreleased music You cannot hear unreleased music without the creator's explicit opt-in, and you cannot use it without a license.
Pricing

Free to start. Pay when it pays.

The network has to grow before it has value. Cleff is free for creators at launch — including distribution. Revenue comes from transaction fees on publishing admin, sync facilitation, and a 15% earnings share on the free tier. Upgrade to Pro and keep 100% of what you earn.

Creator
Free

Everything you need to document your work, protect your rights, build a verified profile, and distribute your music. No credit card. No trial. Free forever — we take 15% of earnings only.

  • Booking and session logging
  • Verified profile and credits
  • Split sheet generation and ESIGN signing
  • Song catalog and file vault
  • PRO registration prompts
  • Project room and communication
  • Distribution to all DSPs
  • Cleff takes 15% of earnings — you keep 85%
Creator Pro
$9/mo

Keep 100% of your distribution earnings. If you're earning over $60/month from streaming, Pro pays for itself immediately. The math is simple.

  • Everything in Free
  • 0% distribution fee — keep every dollar
  • Music stays on DSPs forever
  • Sync and A&R discovery opt-in
  • Advanced catalog analytics
  • Priority placement in discovery
  • Cryptographic timestamp per song
Manager / A&R
$49/mo

Scoped access to client accounts with a full audit trail. Roster dashboard, booking on behalf, split sheet chasing, and release pipeline visibility.

  • Full roster command center
  • Book and act on behalf of clients
  • Chase unsigned split sheets
  • Initiate distribution (client confirms)
  • Per-rep audit log
  • Four safety rails enforced always
Studio Operator
$149/mo

Complete booking portal, hour tracking, overage billing, Square integration, and your name on every release made in your room.

  • Booking portal and calendar
  • Subscription membership management
  • Hour tracking, rollover, overage billing
  • Square integration
  • Studio credit on every release
  • Roster discovery profile
Sync Supervisor
Free

Free access to the verified sync catalog — always. We earn only on licenses executed through the platform, so our interests are fully aligned with yours. Verification required.

  • Full catalog search — mood, BPM, key, genre, theme
  • Native waveform streaming with dynamic watermarking
  • All rights holders visible instantly
  • Structured license inquiry on-platform
  • WIP opt-in catalog access
  • Private playlists and bookmarks
  • Verification of supervisor credentials required

How Cleff earns — transaction fees only, no subscription required for core workflow

Publishing admin — 15% of royalties collected Sync facilitation — 12–15% of license fee Distribution (free tier) — 15% of earnings Distribution (Pro) — 0%, keep everything
The team

Built by people who live in this industry.

PC
Pete Cho
Founder · Developer

Music producer and songwriter who got tired of handshake agreements, missing splits, and watching credits disappear. Pete built Cleff because he lived the problem — sessions with no paper trail, royalties that never arrived, and collaborations that turned into disputes. Full-stack developer with roots deep in the production community. Every feature in Cleff came from a real workflow problem.

effortlabs.com
Open role
Director of Studio Relations

Studios are the primary acquisition channel — every studio that joins brings its entire client roster. You've worked inside or alongside recording studios and you know how they operate, what they care about, and who makes the decisions. You'll own studio onboarding, operator account health, and the word-of-mouth flywheel among studio owners.

Express interest →
Open role
Director of Publishing Relations

Deep operator experience at a publishing company, PRO, or as an independent administrator. You know the difference between a co-pub deal and an admin deal and you understand why most indie writers never collect the publisher's share. You'll own our PRO partnerships, publishing admin service, and writer roster relationships.

Express interest →
Open role
Head of Artist Management Partnerships

You've worked inside a management company or run your own roster. You understand what a manager actually needs from a platform — unified visibility, split sheet chasing, and the ability to act without creating liability. You'll be the person managers trust to bring Cleff into their workflow.

Express interest →
Open role
Director of Sync & Music Supervision

You have relationships with music supervisors, sync libraries, and editorial teams at the major streaming platforms. You understand how a sync deal actually gets cleared and why verified metadata matters. You'll grow the sync catalog and close the first placements.

Express interest →
Open role
Head of Distribution & DSP Relations

You've worked inside a distributor, aggregator, or DSP and you understand the full release pipeline — ISRC assignment, metadata standards, takedown policy, and royalty reporting. You'll own our DSP aggregator partnerships and distribution service layer.

Express interest →
Open role
Full-Stack Engineer

Strong with Node.js and React. Comfortable with real-time systems — WebSockets, CRDT, streaming media. You care about data integrity and understand why a split sheet has to be a legal document, not just a form. Remote-first. Equity-weighted comp.

Express interest →
Open role
Backend Engineer — Data & Royalties

PostgreSQL, API design, and financial data pipelines. You'll own the royalty tracking layer, publishing admin integrations with MLC and HFA, and the audit log system that sits under the entire representative access framework. Detail-oriented is an understatement for this role.

Express interest →
For investors

The infrastructure of trust the music industry has always needed.

We are seeking $300K–$500K in pre-seed funding to reach 10 founding studio partners and 100 creators who have completed a full song workflow — from first session to signed split sheet. That milestone proves the workflow, triggers the network effect, and unlocks the seed round.

Revenue is built around transaction fees — we earn when creators earn. Publishing admin at 15%, sync facilitation at 12–15%, and a 15% earnings share on free-tier distribution (0% on Pro). No upfront fees, no annual renewals, no takedown policy. The catalog compounds permanently — every song ever distributed through Cleff generates ongoing revenue forever.

Coming soon
Pre-seed ask $300K–$500K
Year 1 studio revenue ~$50K
Year 3 realistic ARR ~$1.9M
Primary revenue drivers Pub admin · sync · distro
Distribution model Free — 15% earnings share
Pro upgrade incentive $9/mo → 0% distro fee
Build status Core built · in use