[Tbone]

Wow, that is a really great track, and fits the commercial perfectly! Did you play in the fiddle/violin live?
Yes, reworking tracks is something I’ve done quite a bit to make additional versions for the same library. Some have gone on to do better than the originals..

[Tbone]

Outstanding news Art! I’m glad they paid it in the end.

[Tbone]

It depends on the rest of the deal. For example, what % cut of license / sync fees will you receive?

Some example terms, not necessarily real:

50/50 on all income, no up front
25% of sync fees, $300 up front per track
0% of sync fees, $1000 up front

I don’t think there is a standard rate that I know of. Each company is different.

[Tbone]

Maybe Michael Nickolas is on to something here.. I’m guessing they use a different name at ASCAP? Is that because they’d need to have a different IPI there? That would explain why I can’t find them by searching for their normal name.

[Tbone]

Hi Music1234,

I understand this is how it works in most cases, but I’ve just checked the ASCAP repertory, and as strange as this seems, this particular publisher doesn’t seem to have any tracks registered there at all. They seem to only be with SESAC. I’m not sure how this works.. They are a big publisher and not new either.

When I looked them up on ASCAP, all it said was that this publisher was a member of SESAC. I can’t figure this out.

[Tbone]

I made a couple phone calls to ASCAP and SESAC to find out more and apparently they can’t pay each other for royalties owed to a composer at the other society. For example if I’m a member at SESAC and I have royalties at ASCAP through another publishers, ASCAP won’t pay those to SESAC for me.

I’m thinking more and more that the publisher at ASCAP would have to collect them for you and pay them to you, but I don’t know for sure.

[Tbone]

Overall I think library music earnings will be hurt substantially by these events. Although I think trailer music will be hurt the most, because cinemas are out of action, movies are being delayed etc. It’s very hard to imagine a piece of trailer music being licensed right now.

I have also heard rumors that some PROs are saying they will be unable to process royalty payments normally, due to staff being away. I don’t know if this is true but obviously this wiould have a very negative impact. Then there’s the need for cue sheets to be filed correctly, which I think is also less likely in this environment.

Besides these points, it is also very hard to see advertising syncs going anywhere but down, if we enter a deeper recession. And I have already received ntoice from one RF library that their earnings are about 50% down one month to the next.

As of this week, I’ve begun to feel the reductions bite. It’s a pretty bleak time right now for me in library music.

[Tbone]

I have some tracks that are with SESAC due to a publisher being with that PRO, and although I have no idea whay I may have missed, I have noticed commercials being paid out without me having to track anyone down. There’s a commercial running now so that’s going to be the next one I check in a few months’ time..

[Tbone]

Also, another thought / question: Do ASCAP and SESAC also use Numerator only? I’m sure I’ve had an ad that was for something you’d find in a pharmacy be tracked through SESAC.

[Tbone]

This is just unbelievable and totally awful. I am so sorry Art. I think we need to find out if it’s because Numerator doesn’t track prescription / pharmaceutical ads, and then if so, let Your Music Your Future know? Start some kind of awareness campaign? I mean really, I don’t see how this is legal. To not pay royalties on something that is airing this much is just terrible.

[Author]

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