In these days of do it yourself (DIY) music recording, with a laptop and a bunch of software, Online distribution with the likes of The Orchard and Tune core, Retail outlets like Itunes and Amazon, and even low cost internet marketing strategies to boot, you might be left with one last nagging question. Should musicians, independent record companies etc now start writing their own music contracts as well? Well it definitely would be cheaper.
Also, by writing your own music contract you might be able to resolve the issue of musicians working outside the usual music industry norms and completing the whole process on their own in the absence of any commercial record contract agreement. After all, such contractual agreements are commonplace in many other industries. If collaborating musicians start making any serious money, and don’t have a music contract between them, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that power struggles and arguments over who wrote the songs, who paid for the recordings or recording equipment etc might ensue when the profits are divided up.
This might destroy an otherwise very good friendship and possibly a profitable musical collaboration altogether, not to mention broken bones and smashed guitar amps. If you think the idea of musicians working in this collaborative fashion is a fantasy, then you only have to scan the band pages of myspace, facebook or artists twitter comments to see that it is a growing phenomenon. “So that’s that sorted then, show me how to write the contract.”
Hold on, before you start getting all excited about becoming the music industries very own Judge Judy, consider first the potential downside to this ever-popular DIY approach to your music career. Music contracts in general are thought out very carefully and thus are very comprehensive. There is a lot of unusual terminology that few of us encounter in our every day lives. Moreover, there are a multitude of different types of music contracts to become familiar with, manager contracts, royalty contracts, artist contracts, producer contracts, song writer contracts and the list goes on and on. So you’re going to need a lot of time on your hands and a strong willingness to study for possibly several years to master this subject area.
Although I am a musician, who fully embraces this new and exciting paradigm of the online music industry, I have some initial reservations. I’ve had a lot of dealing with contractual law as a property landlord and despite the fact I also have a 1st class Honours degree in Psychology, I have learnt that real life experience in a discipline such as music law really adds major value. Remember, ignorance is not bliss, as some people would have you believe.
So, in legal matters, where one music contract clause inaccuracy due to lack of adequate knowledge of the law could put you on the wrong side of it, you might want to try another strategy. A middle ground strategy now available, which still has a DIY kind of ethic and is significantly cheaper than paying for a music attorney, is to purchase music contract templates and forms off the Internet. Strange but true, you can buy a whole range of contracts to cover every music contract category or event you might face in your artistic dealings.
So you can do it yourself in the sense that you can edit the music contracts to your own situation. This is not uncommon with landlord-tenant contracts, within the bounds of state or statutory property law of course. You need to ensure that the music contract templates and forms you buy are up to date with current laws, work on the computer platform of your choice and arguably most importantly of all are standardised for the music industry. So all that is left to do is enter your information in the spaces left in the contract and sign the dotted line. So, the DIY music contract final frontier has in part been reached with the help of the star ship Internet. Lets hope the independent artists musical revolution continues. As always, if you are in any doubt seek professional advice before you ever sign a music contract.
Paul Leishman song writer/producer has been involved with music since the age of 15 since the loss of his sight in 1984. He has Worked either playing live, playing as a session musician on dance tracks or remixing tracks in local recording studios and collaborating with singers and producing several bands.
In the 90’s he was featured on the Future Music Magazine CD as an unsigned band for his own music with The Queen’s English an electronic pop band. He also remixed for Guru Josh of Infinity fame at his studio in London and Played keyboards on a remix of Kandy Staton’s Young Hearts for Almighty Records at Blue Chip Studios in Stafford. Also, he has spent time writing and producing songs for Shahin Badar the Asian singer who sang the vocals on the Prodigy’s track “Smack my Bitch Up”.
Most of the music he has been involved in has been either dance music, electronic pop, Synthpop or rock music. More recently, he has been working with an independent record company named In4rm Records who have a distribution deal with the main distributor of digitally based independent music called The Orchard based in the US. He has an EP out called Wired by Liteform with two other artists, which is in the underground dance Genre. It is currently available on most of the download sites to be purchased such as MSN Music, Amazon.com and iTunes etc. He is getting airplay on the Internet on The Pod Safe Music Network for many of his other productions as well.
Paul Leishman Music Contract Blogger – http://musiccontract.brighterplanet.org
Article Source:
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In this www.artistshousemusic.org segment – Attorney Kendall Minter explains how the proliferation of digital music has prompted the industry to revise its legal language to encompass all types of recorded media. This, he explains, will protect clients rights regardless of any new recording formats that are developed in the future.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Rookie Mistake: SIGN A FRICKIN’ SPLIT SHEET CHILDREN! On my chase “I had a lotta crooks try to steal my heart” -Wayne. In this case my heart are my lyrics. I can’t tell you how many mistakes I’ve made when it comes to songwriting etiquette. By now I should have a mansion, a soho loft and a mini giraffe in a Birkin, but I digress. I was there in the sessions, writing with the artists, I knew what paper work needed to be filled out but I didn’t speak up. I figured these were big time producers, they are professionals, they must do it differently or at a later time. There is no differently, if you’re in a session writing, get a split sheet signed, and after the project is completed figure out your Songwriter-Producer Agreements and copyright your work so that your copyrights and publishing are in order and protected. As you saw in my video it can be very easy to be disillusioned by industry professionals. It’s very sad but it happens everyday. Read my full blog post here: iamferima.com “LIKE” me on Facebook: on.fb.me Follow me on Twitter: @iAmFerima ‘how to make it in the music business, how to make it in the music industry, signing music contracts, music business contracts, songwriter producer agreement, split sheets, producer songwriter agreement’
Question by Joe S: Music Contracts?
hey, i need help finding legitimate contracts for musicians/artists/producers etc that will stand in a court of law, im tired of people stealing my material and not paying for it and thee is nothing i can do. is there a site when i can get them free? please help.
Best answer:
Answer by byrde1994
“im tired of people stealing my material and not paying for it and thee is nothing i can do. is there a site when i can get them free?”
can anyone else see the irony in this?
What do you think? Answer below!
Contracts key to Barrington's finances
If you want more teachers for music, wood shop or other school programs, play with the numbers on “page … Negotiations upcoming for most union contracts …
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A few music contracts products I can recommend:
Masters Of Songwriting
The Best Songwriting Book Around – Great For Songwriters Looking To Get To The Top In Today’s Music Industry. Everything Is Here From Creating Commercial Songs, To Marketing, Digital Help, Global Covers, To Reading And Understanding Publishing Contracts.
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Supreme Court Rules Feds Must Pay Up On Contracts With Tribes
Music + Culture … Music Director & Classical Music Host … The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government must uphold contracts with American Indian tribes …
Read more on Northwest Public Radio
Omaha, NE (PRWEB) June 18, 2012
In recognition of the approaching Fourth of July holiday, Aureus Medical Group (web: aureusmedical.com), a national leader in medical staffing, releases its list of the top destinations for travel nurses.
As those working in the field of travel nursing have a unique opportunity to request specific locations for future assignments, healthcare professionals may choose to consider destinations where Independence Day celebrations are the best and brightest. Following are top cities to consider:
South Bay, California:
Located less than 30 miles from Los Angeles, the area referred to as South Bay in Southern California is known for its great Independence Day events. The area is comprised of the small coastal cities in the area, including Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo. Favorite events include the traditional fireworks show at the Redondo Beach Pier and the 5K Run/Walk at the Riviera Village in Redondo. For live music and dancing well into the night, head over the Hermosa Beach where the Fourth of July spirit is especially vibrant.
Boston, Massachusetts:
What better place to spend Independence Day than the site of the Boston Tea Party? Discover the rich history of the American Revolution by attending the Independence Day Service at Old North Church or attending a reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Old State House. For fun Fourth of July festivities, go to Boston Harborfest, an annual celebration that takes place in and around City Hall.
Washington, D.C.:
Fourth of July events in the nation’s capital are seemingly endless, including an annual concert at the National Air and Space Museum, the National Independence Day Parade, performances by the National Symphony Orchestra, fireworks over the Washington Monument and much more. An exclusive event, for those with connections, is the Marine Band playing on the South Lawn of the White House.
A holiday such as the Fourth of July may also be an ideal time for a travel nurse to invite friends and family for a visit.
ABOUT AUREUS MEDICAL GROUP:
Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide. With more than 25 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire. Aureus Medical is the largest division of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 40 years.