[musictlk] What i have found out about paying royalties

[Marion & Martin]

dear all,
    A few days ago I posted a message to these lists asking for information about licensing rights for copyrighted music. Here is what I have found.
    Copyrighted music may not be reproduced in any format without first obtaining the written permission to do so, called licensing. The reproduction of a previously recorded piece of music as it was originally recorded is referred to as a master license, allowing one to make copies of the original recording (the master. Permission for an artist to make their own recording of a copyrighted piece of work is referred to as a mechanical license. Royalties for mechanical licensing are statutorally set by Congress at $.0910 per recording for a song of five minutes or less and $.0175 per minute for a song of more than five minutes.
    The Harry Fox Agency (HFA)
http://www.harryfoxagency.com
is an agency that collects such royalties on behalf of its clients (songwriters & publishers). HFA requires payment of royalties at the time of licensing for at least 250 recordings. Other arrangements may be made directly with the publisher.
    My research seems to indicate that publishers may grant permission for fewer than 250 recordings and I have found no information that indicates they are unwilling to do so. It is also my impression that publishers may also grant mechanical licensing without the payment of royalties; however, it seems as if they only have the two choices of granting permission with or without the payment of such royalties. In other words, they can either grant permission without the requirement of royalties or they can charge $.0910/copy (or $.0175/minute/copy). They cannot charge a lesser amount.
    Again, these are my impressions, though this is not expressedly stated in any of the information I have found, only implied.
    If anyone has any further information or have obtained licensing permissions in the past, I would deeply appreciate your guideance on this. I am sure there are those who cover other artists music on this list that would like this information, as well, so please reply to the list if you can shed any light on this complicated legal and ethical issue.

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala
http://www.marionandmartin.com
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dear all,
    A few days ago I posted a message to these lists asking for information about licensing rights for copyrighted music. Here is what I have found.
    Copyrighted music may not be reproduced in any format without first obtaining the written permission to do so, called licensing. The reproduction of a previously recorded piece of music as it was originally recorded is referred to as a master license, allowing one to make copies of the original recording (the master. Permission for an artist to make their own recording of a copyrighted piece of work is referred to as a mechanical license. Royalties for mechanical licensing are statutorally set by Congress at $.0910 per recording for a song of five minutes or less and $.0175 per minute for a song of more than five minutes.
    The Harry Fox Agency (HFA)
http://www.harryfoxagency.com http://www.harryfoxagency.com
is an agency that collects such royalties on behalf of its clients (songwriters & publishers). HFA requires payment of royalties at the time of licensing for at least 250 recordings. Other arrangements may be made directly with the publisher.
    My research seems to indicate that publishers may grant permission for fewer than 250 recordings and I have found no information that indicates they are unwilling to do so. It is also my impression that publishers may also grant mechanical licensing without the payment of royalties; however, it seems as if they only have the two choices of granting permission with or without the payment of such royalties. In other words, they can either grant permission without the requirement of royalties or they can charge $.0910/copy (or $.0175/minute/copy). They cannot charge a lesser amount.
    Again, these are my impressions, though this is not expressedly stated in any of the information I have found, only implied.
    If anyone has any further information or have obtained licensing permissions in the past, I would deeply appreciate your guideance on this. I am sure there are those who cover other artists music on this list that would like this information, as well, so please reply to the list if you can shed any light on this complicated legal and ethical issue.
 
Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala
http://www.marionandmartin.com http://www.marionandmartin.com