How to not screw over a co-writer?
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:33 pm
Hey folks--I’d love your take on how to not screw over my original co-writer on a guitar/cello duet I’m reviving from almost 10 years ago.
TL;DR: I’m working with a new cellist on rewriting some of the instrumentals, but I want to make sure to honor my agreement with my original cellist (50-50 writer’s). I have no idea how extensive the rewrites will be at this point. Is the right thing to do to take my 50% writer’s and cut that in half with the new cellist? Should I notify the original cellist and see what he thinks first?
More detail:
So I wrote the song completely, and linked up with a cellist to produce the cello parts (which are just as long as the vocals). Although I gave him guidance on what I was looking for in the structure, I absolutely could not have written the cello part by myself. Not even close. So I like to think the cellist had an equal part in bringing the song to life. We don’t have a formal agreement written up except some emails where we agreed on 50-50 writer’s share. The cellist and I were both in college at the time, and frankly I had no idea what a publisher’s share even was back then.
Fast forward 9 years to today--I’m now working with a cellist from Iraq on a series of soothing, healing guitar/cello/voice pieces. Sort of like modern lullabies, for adults. I can’t place the genre yet. My new cellist wants to rewrite and record the cello pieces, and do a new multitrack arrangement.
My OG cellist is now a successful musician in Los Angeles and I’m interested in doing the right thing by him and acting with integrity in this rewrite. I think with the right arrangement the song could be pitchable to TV, so I think it’s important to think about what’s fair to everyone now.
So the final question is how do I be fair to my old writer and my new writer?
I so appreciate any insight, guidance, links, reading, anything you can point me to! Thank you in advance!
Warmly,
Eryn
Oh duh, if you want to hear the original, very poorly balanced song (you can even hear a car in the background!), here is the link:
https://youtu.be/lmaH0HMzuG0
TL;DR: I’m working with a new cellist on rewriting some of the instrumentals, but I want to make sure to honor my agreement with my original cellist (50-50 writer’s). I have no idea how extensive the rewrites will be at this point. Is the right thing to do to take my 50% writer’s and cut that in half with the new cellist? Should I notify the original cellist and see what he thinks first?
More detail:
So I wrote the song completely, and linked up with a cellist to produce the cello parts (which are just as long as the vocals). Although I gave him guidance on what I was looking for in the structure, I absolutely could not have written the cello part by myself. Not even close. So I like to think the cellist had an equal part in bringing the song to life. We don’t have a formal agreement written up except some emails where we agreed on 50-50 writer’s share. The cellist and I were both in college at the time, and frankly I had no idea what a publisher’s share even was back then.
Fast forward 9 years to today--I’m now working with a cellist from Iraq on a series of soothing, healing guitar/cello/voice pieces. Sort of like modern lullabies, for adults. I can’t place the genre yet. My new cellist wants to rewrite and record the cello pieces, and do a new multitrack arrangement.
My OG cellist is now a successful musician in Los Angeles and I’m interested in doing the right thing by him and acting with integrity in this rewrite. I think with the right arrangement the song could be pitchable to TV, so I think it’s important to think about what’s fair to everyone now.
So the final question is how do I be fair to my old writer and my new writer?
I so appreciate any insight, guidance, links, reading, anything you can point me to! Thank you in advance!
Warmly,
Eryn
Oh duh, if you want to hear the original, very poorly balanced song (you can even hear a car in the background!), here is the link:
https://youtu.be/lmaH0HMzuG0