ASCAP question..Publisher Name?

[slimcharm]

We have to select a publisher name for this..Could you all give me ideas of names you have selected. For example..would you pick your first last name and add MUSIC to it or would you just leave it at first and last name?

[hummingbird]

hmmm I'm confused... Jessica is an artist, not a publisher. Unless you are running a business as a music publisher, I'd either leave it blank or put in her legal name. I'm a member of Ascap as an affiliate thro Socan.... so other folks might know more.V

[slimcharm]

I was under the impression she was supposed to sign up as a publisher AND as an artist..in order to be protected regarding royalities if a song should sell and get air time? Am I understanding this wrong?

[matto]

Quote:I was under the impression she was supposed to sign up as a publisher AND as an artist..in order to be protected regarding royalities if a song should sell and get air time? Am I understanding this wrong?Lee,you can't sign up to a PRO as an ARTIST, cause artists don't collect performance royalties. Only writers and publishers do.There's no reason to sign up as a publisher, unless a song that has no "real" publisher is receiving airplay. If that's not happening, just sign up as a writer. If it later occurs that a self-published song does get airplay, you can sign up as a publisher at that time. But more likely than not it will take a real publisher to get that airplay, in which case they'll be collecting the publisher's share of performance royalties.matto

[slimcharm]

Geez..I am lost..I thought I was supposed to sign her up as both.So you are saying you are just signed up as an artist? I already have the forms filled out ..I assume there is no charge..should I send em in anyway?

[hummingbird]

Hi Lee... Matt is right (as always), I used the wrong word. I signed up, of course, as a composer/songwriter with Socan.Since it sounds like signing up for Ascap and siging up for Socan is different, my best suggestion to you is, rather than getting our opinions on what you should do - call or email Ascap and ask. That way you'll be sure. And tell us what they said so we'll know for the future.cheersHummin'bird

[matto]

Quote:Geez..I am lost..I thought I was supposed to sign her up as both.So you are saying you are just signed up as an artist? I already have the forms filled out ..I assume there is no charge..should I send em in anyway?As I said...there's no advantage to signing up as a publisher at this time. Furthermore, if you sign up as a publisher and register your songs with yourself as the publisher, then it'll just be more paperwork later when a real publisher picks up your songs, which is by far the most likely scenario. Where did you get the idea you needed to sign up as a publisher, and why?I strongly recommend you buy yourself the book "The Craft And Business Of Songwriting" by John Braheny. You need to have a thorough understanding of this matter. The spotty information you get from internet forums is not going to be enough.matto

[slimcharm]

I got the idea because I asked on another thread and Dave said..."If one of Jessica's songs gets placed directly into television (something on the WB for example) say, through, a Taxi listing and she's only a member as a writer, then 50% of the total payout for that royalty will never get paid (no publisher, no one to pay royalties to). I don't see any downside to being both a writer and publisher member. The potential downside to not being a publisher member is loss of royalties. If Jessica becomes famous she'll have her own publisher anyway and it won't matter."So thats where I got the idea.I purchased a number of books on the music business from Donald Passmans to Moses Avalons..a ton ..I am trying to do my best to learn what I need to know to help my daughter. I get different information at different sources..

[matto]

Quote:If one of Jessica's songs gets placed directly into television (something on the WB for example) say, through, a Taxi listing and she's only a member as a writer, then 50% of the total payout for that royalty will never get paid (no publisher, no one to pay royalties to). I'm not an Ascap member so I don't know if this is true. I know that with Bmi, if there's no publisher the writer(s) can collect the entire 100%. But even what Dave says is true for Ascap, you'll have plenty of time to join as a publisher if the situation Dave describes ever happens, and that's a big IF. Quote:I don't see any downside to being both a writer and publisher member. The downside is that it makes things even more confusing and bewildering for a newcomer. I'm not trying to dis Dave, he's one of the more knowledgable members around here, but it's really impossible for any of us to give you a solid, in depth answer to all your questions within the limited time we have available to post here. So you're always going to get, at best, an abbreviated answer (which raises more questions...), or at worst, contradictory statements or misinformation.Quote:I am trying to do my best to learn what I need to know to help my daughter. I get different information at different sources...Yeah I know, that's exactly what I meant be spotty knowledge. You have to start in the beginning, you need a solid allround understanding of the issues. Get the Braheny book and read it cover to cover. Then read it again. That will give you all the basics. The Passman book is really too in depth and more for advanced user. I haven't read Avalon's...but he is usually more about pushing an agenda than about giving you simple information you can actually use.matto

[zink]

Hey Silm,I'm not sure what your goal is, (publishing libraries/record deal/direct placements) and I have limited experience compared to others, but the few libraries I've dealt with wanted the name of my publishing company. This way, any money generated gets paid to "me" doing business as "my publishing company". Some wanted the name and others wanted the CAE#(ASCAP's numbering code). Again, I don't know if this is normal or not, but I don't see how it could hurt to join as a publisher, if you meet the requirements.As far as a name, you can name it what ever you want. "Jessica ..... publishing" or maybe "Third World Lover Publishing" Z... how about "Angry Face Publishing"