CD with Coversongs

[hanspeter]

Hello everybody,

I am planing to release a piano - CD in download stores ( iTunes and others ) with coversongs which are not public domain. To name it some jazzstandards

I have contacted SUISA the pro - organisation of Switzerland to ask about the copyright regulations in such case. They told me that copyright fees get collected automaticly in download stores and it is not nessessary to do anything special in such case. For me this sounds too good to be true I asked for further infomation but did not get any addtional reply.

Maybe some of you has got some experience on this topic and can convice me that it is in fact the way SUISA told me.

Thanks for you help in forward

Hanspeter

[coachdebra]

This might help:
http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/2011/01/h ... ver-songs/

[hanspeter]

That article was very helpful - thank you very much.

But its a bit confusing since I got an other Information from SUISA - could it be that this Information from CD Baby is out - dated since that article was written in 2011 ?

Best

Hanspeter

[andygabrys]

I think the CD baby article is correct as things get done stateside here.

except for two things: you can only get a compulsory license for a song that has been already recorded and released for sale (which of course is every jazz standard just about). that was sort of glossed over.

and a lot of people do the paperwork through the Harry Fox Agency, and you there I believe you pay up front for a certain number of units sold to begin with. https://www.harryfox.com/

[mikeymike2000]

and a lot of people do the paperwork through the Harry Fox Agency, and you there I believe you pay up front for a certain number of units sold to begin with. https://www.harryfox.com/

Yup, I have not actually done it for me but I have researched it for someone else and all roads lead to Harry Fox. You can do it online. It is about $0.09 per song per download and you buy in blocks of as little as 50 I think and when you sell enough you just buy more blocks. You can also get larger blocks if you have a big fan base but the cost is the same per song no matter if you get 50 or 50,000 at one time. - So if you are on an indie budget just use the pay as you go method.

[hanspeter]

Thanks for that Information. Does this also work when I am located in Switzerland ? Here there is no such company or even somebody who provides the correct Information. I am a bit confused that my pro - Organisation was not able to give me the right Information.

My record company http://www.netlabel.ch is registered at IRS since I work with http://www.theorchard.com

Best

Hanspeter

[mikeymike2000]

Hmmm great question.

I know nothing about going international.

Hopefully Andy or someone else may know this one.