Help with Songwriter Contracts

[torontosongwriter]

Hi Everyone!


This seemed like a logical place to post this question, I have been searching bookstores and webpages for help and advice on this subject, and am not getting very far, ....hoping someone can help.

I have worked for several years with the same producer, and he has become a good friend. Lucky for me, I have access to him and his Pro Tools equipped studio pretty much whenever I want. He currently has a client with a young daughter who can sing well, and who wants to record a CD of her, with all original songs, which they are looking to my friend to provide as part of a package. My friend has got them interested in using two of my songs, which is great, but I'm not going to sell them, I want to retain ownership so I can then use the recordings for my own pitching on TAXI and such. In return, they get to use a good recording and song for their own pitching of her singing talents. I have proposed to my friend that I'm prepared to offer them an equal share of the song (if it is ever commercially released), in order to keep them interested, and so that they would pay for all the production costs. My friend is nervous that a contract could scare his client away, since if the client is paying for everything, they may well expect to have 100% ownership of the material on the CD. I have not been able to find anything as a precedent, to guide me as to how to handle this situation. I want to allow them to use the songs, but I also want to be able to make use of the recordings as well (paying them the share promised to them if I find success with the songs). I'm not so sure how I would get paid if the recordings are never commercially released (there's no record company involved, just private citizens), and the singer begins doing paid shows and appearances, while perhaps performing my songs. Does anyone know of a good source for basic contracts that might apply here? Or should I buck up and prepare to pay for some old fashioned legal counsel? Any info would be super-appreciated, thanks!

Aaron

Toronto Songwriter
http://www.torontosongwriter.com