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Why is it not in the Public Domain?
Unless you’re looking at different article, there are two versions of the song. The most popular is from 1925. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Has_Anybody_Seen_My_Gal%3F_%28song%29
The life of a copyright varies from country to county, but “life +70 years after the death of the last surviving author” is a common standard.
Ray Henderson, who’s credited as the composer of the 1925 version, died in 1970. In countries where the life of a copyright is life +70 years for the last surviving author it won’t be PD until 2040.
Regarding the 1914 version: I can’t determine when the lyricist Jack Mahoney died, but Percy Weinrich died in 1952. If he was the last surviving author, the work won’t become PD in life +70 countries until 2022. If Mahoney outlived him, it might be later.
Within the US, for older works, there are other variables and formalities (like renewals and notice requirements) that can determine the date on which the work becomes PD.
Buckle up. The US Department of Justice is set to review the ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees. Depending on what they decide things could remain status quo or there could be major changes and disruption in the industry.
i’m not sure if PRO’s have strategies but u really get the sense that ASCAP has abandoned the production music composer in favor of the traditional artist.
Hi Danny, I don’t think there’s a conscious strategy or that ASCAP “abandoned” production music composers. The explanation that I’ve been given is that it goes back to the history of each organization. ASCAP was founded by composers and songwriters (Victor Herbert) and BMI was founded by the National Association of Broadcasters.
If a library has your music on a non-exclusive basis and it puts your music into Content ID it is violating YouTube’s terms of service.
Here’s the relevant language:
“Copyright owners must be able to provide evidence of the copyrighted content for which they control exclusive rights…
….Copyright owners must have the exclusive rights to the material that is evaluated. Common examples of items that may not be exclusive to individuals include:
….music or video that was licensed, but without exclusivity…”
The non-non-exclusive libraries entering your music into Content ID are not the copyright owner and they do not have exclusive rights to your music.
I switched to BMI after being with ASCAP for 30 years, on the advice of a respected library owner.
I made a list recently of my top tracks being used in TV shows and my top RF sellers, hoping the information would guide me towards what to create next.
That’s a good exercise, Michael. It seems this business follows the 80/20 rule. You’ll make 80% of your income from 20% of your tracks, so knowing which 20% work for you is a plus.
With that in mind, especially for RF libraries that curate tracks as they are uploaded. If you write in only one genre you increase your chances of “hitting the wall,” at which point the library says, “we have enough of genre XYZ.” That’s not the best time to start branching out.
The second issue, especially when it takes hundreds, or thousands of tracks to be viable, is that if you only write in one genre you are eventually competing against yourself.
Because genres come and go or rise and fall in popularity, being a one trick pony is the formula for a short career in library music. The hard part is sounding authentic next to the writers who are the masters of one genre. The good news is that very often the mainstream market prefers a neutral, some would say watered down, version of authentic.
Also, if you have any intentions of writing for film or media, of any variety, you need to be able to cover whatever the project calls for. Sometimes, you must write in many genres within the project and, at other times, the most appropriate music isn’t genre specific. The broader your palette, the better.
@lawriter what do you mean by “it doesn’t even sound interesting to me”? I can’t seem to unravel what that means
1. $140K split among 70 writers is only $2,000. How many tracks did each person have to write to make $2K?
2. Maybe “assembly line” production isn’t creatively satisfying. That actually still matters to some.So, perhaps the money and the work are both not appealing.
You’re in the money! I had 42,000 streams on Hulu, which yielded $0.31.
Oh, wait, I own the publishing on that one, so make that a total of $0.62. 😀
NONE of this is complicated you need to get off your duff and fight for what is yours
Actually, it is complicated and broad statements can open a can of worms. For example, the Untied States does not officially recognize neighboring rights. The closest thing here is what Sound Exchange collects for featured performers and producers within the narrow scope of non-interactive digital performances on DSPs.This does not include typical uses of production music within productions.
I really believe that in the context of business to business music licensing ( example a music producer targeting professional post houses, advertising agencies, pro directors and video editors) These people are not concerned with $20 or perhaps even $500. If they hear what they need and it makes their video project pop, they will pay for it.
Agree 100%.
Hi XEV,
Does your DAW have a “tap tempo” or similar feature that will allow you to “conduct” the tempo?
If so, use it to create a rubato feeling that will give your tracks a more expressive feeling.3) focus on music that is harder for a kid with some loops and good samples in Garageband to put together, because a) there are more of those coming online every day, and b) that’s the kind of music that will be easy for AI to do first.
Agree 100%. If you’re working at a level than be easily replicated by AI, it wouldn’t be unrealistic or mean to suggest that you should consider preparing to do something else in 10 years, maybe less.
If you truly love making music, there are far better ways to make music and much easier ways to make money.
Nat Geo Explorer. 10 seconds paid $2. I also receive the publishing, so add another $2.
That was a year ago with no reruns, since. To date, a total of $4.But…that track was licensed from Pond5, so add in the license fee.
MichaelL – Haha!! I meant that in a good way, and hope it wasn’t offensive.
No offense taken, LAwriter!
Your point is well-taken. On some levels, not all, this is one of the few industries in which non-professionals compete, or try to compete, against professionals.