Technical issues and Fixes

As with all online companies, users may experience technical difficulties from time to time. These are often the result of browser/ server/ software/ hardware conflicts which are beyond our control.

Here is a list of common issues which can occur  and how to fix them :

Email address, Passwords, Security answers, OTP Codes not accepted

We would suggest, trying the following in this order:

1. Ensure you are using a desktop computer and not a mobile device.
2. Clear your web browser cache and history. 
3. Change to a different web browser. We recommend using the latest versions of Chrome of Firefox.
4. Ensure you have a sufficiently fast and uninterrupted internet link.
5. Switch off any anti-virus software which may be causing a conflict.
6. Try using a different computer altogether (Not a mobile device).
7. When entering any Passwords, Memorable Security answers, OTP codes, or Email addresses, type them in manually, do not use copy and paste, or any auto-fill functions. Occasionally pasting can input invisible characters or hyper-links, which will cause our system to reject the data.
8. When entering email addresses or passwords, ensure the correct use of capitals, (our system is case-specific). Ensure the caps lock function is not activated.
9. If resetting passwords, use the memorable security answer option instead of the email link option (in case you have an issue with receiving emails from your mail server).

If all these steps fail, please email us your current login credentials (you can always change these at a later stage) and we will investigate further.

Images not displaying or changing after uploading, editing or changing them.

This occurs when your web browser is not displaying the most recent version of a page. Delete your web browser cache and history and reopen the page, you will see the new image. Alternative check with a different web browser.

OTP Code not working

An OTP code (One time password) is a security measure that our system automatically invokes whenever a user signs in using an unrecognized device, or from a different geographical location, or if the user has not used their account for some time.

It is important to wait for the OTP code to arrive by email (up to 15 mins).  If an OTP code does not arrive or is not accepted, wait at least 15 minutes before requesting another one.  Always type the code manually, do not copy and paste it.

Lyrics or Music not displaying after following the upload steps

Try  the following:

1. Ensure you fully read the upload instructions.
2. Ensure you are using the correct upload option: 'Sell Lyrics'  for lyric uploads and 'Sell Music' for audio uploads. If you choose the wrong option, the upload will fail.
3. If an audio upload, ensure the file is under 10 MB in size. Anything larger, will fail.
4. Clear your web browser cache and history. Web browsers have a habit of causing glitches by displaying old versions (cached) versions of web pages and not the most recent. They remember old URL page links and content and to speed up loading time, display these versions instead of the most recent. Clearing the web browser cache and history solves this issue by forcing the browser to display the most recent content).
5. Always click on the 'Continue' button when uploading, NEVER your keyboard 'enter' key. Doing so will result in failure.
6. If you make a mistake when uploading, always use the 'start over' link, NEVER the browser back button. Doing so can cause glitches.
7. Always wait for the confirmation message that the upload was successful before moving to a different web page.
8. Change to a different web browser. We recommend using the latest version of Google  Chrome or Firefox, which from our experience, are the most stable
9. Ensure that Java is installed on your computer.
10. Ensure you have a sufficiently fast and uninterrupted internet link.
11. Switch off any anti-virus software which may be causing a conflict.
12. Do not use Opera web browser. We do not support it.
13. Do not leave the upload process mid way, you will get logged out and the upload will fail.
14. Try using a different computer altogether.

Upload problem

Users unable to progress through the song or lyric listing stages. On clicking 'Next' nothing happens, the page just hangs indefinitely, making it impossible to progress further.

Fixes

Clear the web browser cache and history and retry.

Forgotten Security answer

We ask users to create a memorable security answer which is required as an additional security check when entering certain areas of Songbay. If you have forgotten your security answer, or your answer has stopped working for some reason, please email us giving the following:

Your artist name and the first line of your registered address, we can then give you instructions on how to proceed.

OTP Code not working

An OTP code (One time password) is a security measure that our system automatically invokes whenever a user signs in using an unrecognized device, or from a different geographical location, or if the user has not used their account for some time.

It is important to wait for the OTP code to arrive by email (up to 15 mins).  If an OTP code does not arrive or is not accepted, wait at least 15 minutes before requesting another.  If you do not wait long enough, you may find yourself entering a previous (delayed) code, that has been superseded by a more recent code.

Lastly, always type the code manually, do not copy and paste it.

Account Upgrade issue

I have taken out a subscription, but my account has not upgraded and I still cannot upload.

If you are experiencing this issue, please log out, wait 5 minutes, then log back in again. Upgrades are usually processed instantaneously, but occasionally there can be a few minutes delay, whilst the payment is being processed.

Login to your Songbay account and from your user dashboard choose the link:  'Songbay Account'

From here you will be able to change your Password

The direct link to this area is:

https://songbay.co/user-profile/

Image Display Issue

If you change an image, you will often notice that the old image still displays. This is because your web browser is not displaying the most recent version of the page. The solution:

Empty your browser cache and history, then close and reopen your browser, the new image should now display. Browsers have a nasty habit of displaying old (cached) versions of pages, and not the most recent. Clearing the cache and history forces them to update.

Login to your Songbay account and from your user dashboard choose the link:  'Edit Your Uploads'

From here you will be able to add images to your uploads.

The direct link to this area is:

https://songbay.co/my-submissions

"I'm having trouble with my profile picture, its sideways. I've tried several different rotations before upload, any tips?"

Our system displays an image in the same orientation as the original uploaded image taken from the user's computer. If the image is not orientated correctly locally, it will display incorrectly on Songbay.

We would recommend using professional image editing software to check and if necessary, correct the layout of your photo. You could also use a good online image editing company such as Lunapics >> (in our opinion, one of the best out there, simple to use and no registration required).

If after re uploading the image it is still not displaying correctly, log out of Songbay, then empty your browser cache and history and retry. (we recommend using the Chrome web browser).

If you are still experiencing layout issues, please email us and we will investigate further.

Can I use an alias or artist name instead of my public name?

Yes, you need to register with your family name (required for sales contract creation), but this information is held privately. You can use any artist name or alias for public display at Songbay.

Please pay particular attention to the notification at the start and end of the upload process, which says:

** Please Note Uploads will NOT appear live on Songbay until they have been approved by our quality team. This process normally takes between 48-72 hours. You will receive an email notification to confirm publication to our site **

We review all uploads to Songbay. This process takes between 48-72 hours. You will always receive an email notification once your uploads are live on Songbay (viewable from your artist page).

For more details on our selection criteria please see

Selection Criteria: https://songbay.co/songbay/blog/faqs/#what-is-your-selection-criteria

We allow a variety of edits to uploads. You can change the description information of your song or lyric and alter the prices for which you wish to sell them. You can delist/ re-list items and add/ remove artwork and images.

For legal and contractual reasons, we do not allow audio edits, or the swapping of one song for another.

We do allow corrections to lyrics for typos but impose strict character limits. We do not allow major edits, reworkings or title changes  This is to protect against fraud and to facilitate copyright protection.  One of the major benefits of Songbay membership is our free copyright protection on all uploads. This would not be possible if users were able to substantially alter the original uploaded content at will. It would also be impossible to collect royalties on song or lyric sales if the original source or title had changed.

To edit uploads/content/descriptions/prices or to add artwork to uploads, login to your Songbay account and from your user dashboard choose the link:  'Edit Your Uploads' then 'Edit Details'

The direct link to this area is:

https://songbay.co/my-submissions

As a work around, please leave the phone number field blank and register as normal. You can always enter your phone number manually once registered from your user area.

To upload to Songbay, follow these simple steps:

1. Register (You will need to register in order to sell music or lyrics at Songbay).
2. On registering, go to your  user area -Indicated 'My Songbay' in yellow at the top of the page.
3. Choose either 'Sell Lyric' or 'Sell Music' depending on what you wish to sell. If you are only wishing to sell a lyric, select 'Sell Lyric', if you are wishing to sell a song containing music only or song containing both music and lyrics, sellect 'Sell Music'.
4. Follow the step by step listing instructions. You will be asked how you wish to sell your work. For example, as a Download, a Single-use license, or even as  a complete Copyright exchange (you will receive advice on what each of these options are as well as guide prices to help you). 
5.  You will then enter your sale price for your music or lyrics (users set their own fees for their work).
6. Finally, you will be prompted to enter specific details about your work so that it can be found by search engines, e.g., style, mood, Instruments featured etc. The listing process takes just a few minutes, after which your song or lyric will be published for sale to the world!

See example video >>

You will receive notification of your music or lyric sales or of any interest in your work.

Can I hide or make my uploads private?

Yes, to hide your uploads, use the 'Edit your Uploads' link in your user area, then navigate to the upload you wish to hide, and click on the 'Visible Publicly' box- it will then change to 'Hidden', meaning your upload is now hidden from public view. To revert back, just click the 'Hidden' box and it will toggle back to 'Visible Publicly' state'

Login to your Songbay account and from your user dashboard choose the link:  'Songbay Account'

Select  'Enhanced Info' (at the top of the page) From here, you will be able to add/update your social media links.  Once you have done so, remember to press the 'Update' button at the bottom of the page.

The direct link to this area is:

https://songbay.co/user-profile/

Login to your Songbay account and from your user dashboard choose the link:  'My Songbay Profile'

From here you will be able to change your Profile Image.  Once you have uploaded your new image, remember to press the 'Update' button at the bottom of the page.

The direct link to this area is:

https://songbay.co/user-profile/

Only admin can update email addresses. Please email us or use our contact form, to request an email change.

Contact Us >>

"I'm having a problem with my password. The new password which was sent to me isn't working."

Please follow these steps fully:

1.  On the login page, use either the reset password link to obtain a new password or the 'reset by answering your security question' option (this is the quickest way of getting back into your account).
2. Use a desktop computer to login to Songbay (not a mobile device).
3. Completely empty the cache and browsing history of your web browser.
4. *Important* Type in the new password manually (do not cut and paste)
5. When entering your email address, ensure you are using correct upper or lower case characters.
6. Use the Red 'Login' button on the web page, not your keyboard enter button
7. You should now be logged in to your account

If you are still experiencing issues, please let us know by emailing us and we will investigate further.

How do I update my payment details used for my subscription?

All our customer payment details are stored securely with our payment handlers Paypal or Stripe. We do not handle card details directly. Depending on whether you took out your subscription through Paypal or Credit card, here are the instructions for updating your payment details.

Payment by Credit Card

Automatic card updates

Saved payment method details can continue to work even if the physical card has been replaced by the issuing bank. Our card payment handler (Stripe)  automatically attempts to update saved card details whenever you receive a new card (e.g., replacing an expired card or one that was reported lost or stolen). This allows you to continue using our service without interruption.

Automatic card updates require card issuers to participate with the network and provide this information. It is widely supported in the United States, allowing Stripe to automatically update most American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover cards issued there. International support varies from country to country. It is not possible to identify which cards can be automatically updated.

If you think you do need to update your card details manually please email us and we can instruct you on how to do this.

Payment by Paypal

• Go to www.paypal.co.uk and log in to your account.
• Click ‘Profile’ near the top of the page.
• Click ‘My money.’
• Click ‘Update’ beside ‘Debit and credit cards'.
• Click ‘Edit’ next to the card you want to change.
• Update your information.
• Enter your card security code.
• Click ‘Save.’

Here's another method of updating your Paypal card details for a specific subscription you may have in place:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click the 'Settings' icon at the top of the page.
3. Click Payments.
4. Under 'Manage Upcoming Payments', click Pre-approved Payments.
5. Use the filter to select the seller whose agreement you want to display (Songbay).
6. Display the funding source to update it.
7. Confirm your request.

"The player doesn't seem to be working, nothing happens when i press play"

This sometimes happens with a web browser we do not support, is out of date or missing various plugins. We support most operating systems and browsers. If you experience any player or viewing issues, we recommend using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox or Safari. We do not support the Operas web browser, and some mobile browsers.

How do I change my membership package / upgrade my account?

There are no tie ins with Songbay, you may switch package/upgrade whenever you wish.

To do so, go to our membership options page and select an appropriate package. Membership Upgrades >>

The direct link is https://songbay.co/membership-options/

Payment transfer from buyer to seller is normally instantaneous through Paypal. Occasionally sales do not complete, due to two reasons. Either you have not set up your Paypal account

(see question: 'How do i get paid for my Song and Lyric Sales at Songbay? >>' )

or the buyer has not fully completed the checkout process. When this occurs, you will see a message in your user area which reads:

"(Name of user),,,,,,is interested in buying one of your lyrics or songs. We will inform you if and when they make a purchase. Alternatively, feel free to contact the user personally (using the email address below) to find out more about their interest in your work."

You might also see a notification in your 'Sales/Purchases' area saying: 'Incomplete'  next to one of your uploads.

Either of these messages means that for some reason the purchase did not go through and we had to decline the transaction.  To help you follow up on any incomplete sales, we display the email address of the interested users so you can contact them directly. You might want to find out why they did not complete the purchase and whether they're still interested in buying your song or lyric.

*IMPORTANT, It is only when a user actually makes payment to you (you receive funds in your Paypal account) that a sales becomes ACTIVE. At this point the buyer can download and received a completed contract. You will then receive a confirmation notification in your user area which reads:

"(name of user) has paid to license your material!"

"I have taken out a subscription but my account is still showing 'Free user' and i can't upload."

Log out of Songbay then login again, your account should now be updated.

If this does not work:

Empty your browser history and cache, close and reopen your browser, then log in to Songbay again, your account should now be updated.

We offer monthly or yearly subscription packages. A subscription is an ongoing payment giving access to our service. Each subscription package offers different user benefits, features and upload levels, such as artist promotion, direct contact, networking functions, music industry directories, copyright protection, etc.

Once your subscription is in place, you can upload your songs and lyrics whenever you wish. Some artists upload lots of songs and lyrics all at once, others space uploads over a period of time. The amount of uploads indicated is the total amount that the subscription package allows. It is not a monthly entitlement. The subscription must be kept active in order to access and use our service.

There are no tie ins with Songbay, you may upgrade or cancel your subscription at any time. If you decide to cancel your subscription or do not keep it active, your account will be closed and any uploads or other user content will be removed from our system. Any unused features or upload entitlement will also end, including our copyright protection service.

You may have mistakenly registered as a Buyer Only and taken out a buyer subscription, which will not give you access to the seller features.  Please logout, then back in again, and take out a Seller subscription form the Upgrade/Subscribe link in your user area- the direct link is https://songbay.co/membership-options
We will then refund your previous subscription. Please also email us so we can double-check your account status.

Close Account Instructions

To close your account, simply login to your user area at Songbay and choose the option: 'Songbay Account', you will be asked to enter your security answer.

2. Choose one of the header tabs - 'Membership' or 'Close Account'  

3. Follow the step by step instructions

Please note that All benefits of Songbay membership (including copyright protection), will terminate upon account closure.

Please also note, we cannot refund any subscription payments that you may have already made.

I closed my account but am still being invoiced

It not possible to be charged after closing your account. This could indicate that you may have a duplicate account or subscription in place or have not followed the instructions on closing your account.

Here are the instructions for closing your account in case you are uncertain:

To close your account, login to your user area at Songbay and choose the option: 'Songbay Account', you will be asked to enter your security answer.

2. Choose one of the header tabs - 'Membership' or 'Close Account'  

3. Follow the step by step instructions

Please note that All benefits of Songbay membership (including copyright protection), will terminate upon account closure.

Please also note, we cannot refund any subscription payments that you may have already made.