Licensing Covers Question

[BenChurch]

Hi,

I'm wondering about listings that ask for covers. I'm assuming that they need to be licensed to be used, but do you have to do this before submitting or will a music library/publisher do this after they've chosen what they want? I ask as I read this article a little while ago:

http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/musician- ... ver-songs/

Releasing a cover is something I've generally tried to avoid and have even been advised against doing as it is (or was) a bureaucratic minefield. Anybody have any ideas about this?

All the best,

Ben Church

[Russell Landwehr]

I'm pretty sure the answer is "it depends."

If you are talking Film/TV Library, it will be up to them to secure the paperwork from the original writers.

If you are talking about releasing it on a CD yourself and selling that, then research "compulsory license."

Russell

[BenChurch]

Okay, thanks! I thought that might be the case. Just to throw a spanner in the works - what about licensing covers for an online teaching course? Is that a thing?

[mojobone]

Teaching could be a matter of 'fair use', under the educational clause, but I think it'd be polite to at least buy the sheet music, if you're gonna and if it's available. At the very least, it could save you some steps, in making a video, since you wouldn't need to generate a chart.

[joyfrost]

Now you've peaked my curiosity. Which online course do you teach?

[mojobone]

In the case of libraries commissioning covers, they'll take care of the licensing on their end; you just have to make sure you have WFH agreements from anybody you used on the recording and that nobody else can claim a piece of your masters.

[BenChurch]

Thanks everyone, I think I've solved it as far as teaching online goes. I think this should cover me until It grows: http://www.prsformusic.com/users/broadc ... /loml.aspx

Now you've peaked my curiosity. Which online course do you teach?

I don't yet. But such a significant part of my income is derived from teaching music that I'm looking at starting a members site, initially for my existing students but later to make it available to the public. I'll happily keep you posted if you're interested!