PRO Question: Shortened name

[AB]

I have a question about the registration of my tracks. I called my PRO (PRS in the UK) and got 3 different answers, as usual. So I thought I would ask someone here as they may have first hand experience:

I have a highly unusual surname. At the PRS, all my tracks are registered with my complete first name and my surname. However, my tracks are licensed by various libraries with a shortened first name and my full surname. E.g. if I name were Jonathan Shebowski then that is what is used at the PRS, and Jon Shebowski would be used at the library. (I have two different CAE / IPI numbers, one for each version of my name, but I only ever use the main one for my full name).

Does anyone think this could be a problem for royalty collection and tracking? I know that PRS only pays out for tracks which are registered now so it’s even more important.

My surname is as I say extremely unusual, so I figure that this ought to be ok. What are your opinions?

Thanks for any help you can give.

[Wildman]

I have a little bit the same problem because you can write my real name in three different ways. I have a CAE/IPI number for my pseudo and a different number for my real name.  But until now it never was a problem 🙂

[AB]

Thanks for the reply Wildman. So when you say it hasn’t been a problem so far, do you mean that:

You’ve received royalties for a track which is registered under your longer name, but was licensed under your shortened name?

Also, are you with the PRS?

[Wildman]

Yes, exactly. The name isn`t that important I guess, it`s more the CAE/IPI or pro number. I am not with PRS but with anothr very big Pro 🙂

[woodsdenis]

I have the same issue and have no problems, Bono, The Edge, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Bob Dylan etc are not their birth names.I am with IMRO (Ireland) and your birth cert name is what you initially register with. After that you can have loads of pseudonyms with different  CAE/IPI nos. They will all head back to the same source.

[Kiwi]

I have registrations under both my full first name and under the shortened form that I commonly use. BMI’s solution is 2 accounts merged into one with consecutive CAE/IPI numbers. My rep assured me that I won’t run into any problems and so far I don’t believe that I have. All registrations that I’m aware of show up as they’re supposed to in the merged account regardless of which form of my name is used.

[AB]

Thanks for the help. I think I need to phrase my question more clearly though.

I do have my shortened name as a pseudonym, linked to my account and linked to my complete name. I only ever give out the IPI number which is for my complete name, even when using my shortened name (even though that shortened name has a separate IPI, I never use it).

With my PRO all my tracks are registered like this:

Jonathan Shebowski – Hung Up
Jonathan Shebowski – Party Tonight

etc

However, at the library they are sold this way:

Jon Shebowski – Hung Up

Jon Shebowski – Party Tonight

etc

Do you think this is ok?

Or do you think I should register all my tracks again with my PRO, using my shortened name as the composer instead of my full name?

[Wildman]

AB, it doesn`t matter 🙂 The CAE number is important. No matter how different they write your name….

[AB]

Hi Wildman,

I wish it were so simple, but most of the licensees won’t have my CAE number, since they just purchase the track from some site and only have my shortened name and the track title. I’m guessing when they file a cue sheet someone might look up the CAE in the global database… and then it’ll be the one I never use, which corresponds to my shortened name. And I don’t have the tracks registered with my shortened name… and PRS doesn’t pay out for unregistered tracks… that’s where I’m coming from 🙁

I’ll try calling PRS again to continue my investigation!

[woodsdenis]

I wish it were so simple, but most of the licensees won’t have my CAE number, since they just purchase the track from some site and only have my shortened name and the track title. I’m guessing when they file a cue sheet someone might look up the CAE in the global database… and then it’ll be the one I never use, which corresponds to my shortened name. And I don’t have the tracks registered with my shortened name… and PRS doesn’t pay out .

 

My understanding of IMRO is that the accounts are linked. The library should have at least your PRO.
so
Jon Shebowski – Hung Up
Jon Shebowski – Party Tonight

are tied to the

Jonathan Shebowski – Hung Up

Jonathan Shebowski – Party Tonight

account as they are all linked together in the PRS database. Anything with those combos will go to you. They may have different CAE/IPI nos but they go into the same pot, as it were. Now, I am in a different PRO but IMRO in its functioning, is very similar the the PRS. BUT do check with them anyway.

[AB]

Thanks woodsdenis, that sounds reassuring. I mean, my instinct is that assuming the PRS people have at least some discretion and the process is not completely automated, then it should be ok. I just wish I could get a definitive answer from someone knowledgeable there. Last time the guy I spoke to told me to do something which I found out later wasn’t even possible and came up with an error in the system!

[Author]

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