Here are some useful sites and articles. If you would like to contribute more of the same, please use the comments section to do so. Many of these I picked up from IndigiMusic.
TIN – Taxpayer Identification Number: Obtaining a U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number or TIN if you live outside of the U.S. but working with a U.S. based company. More here…
Keeping Track Of Your Music: How do you keep track of your submissions to the various music libraries and projects? Who accepted and who rejected? More here…
Performing Rights Organizations – U.S.
Educational
“The Independent Artists Guide To Pricing Music”The price is $9.99 but I found it very informative. I have no financial interest in this. Just good info.
Film Music Magazine Knowledgebase
Video: Taxi interview with Matt Hirt – Earning Your Living with Film & TV Placements
Part 1, Part 2, Part3, Part4, Part5, Part6, Part7
Taxi article: “Music Libraries – So What’s The Big Deal?”
Article from Nervous Records Cyf: Mechanical Income
Free samples for composers – Loops, Hits and Multis: www.musicradar.com
Just a quick note/question. I’m looking at a contract at the moment and was advised by someone that if your “output” ie. music is produced in your country, then your laws are applicable to it, and not the US or wherever.
For example, I live in Ireland, and am thinking on signing a contract for the US. One part in it states that “This agreement has been entered into and is to be interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of CA. All actions …seeking the interpretation shall be brought to the State or Federal Courts” etc.
Apparently this would need to apply to your own country – for Ireland it should be interpreted in accordance with the Laws of Ireland and brought to the High Court – and therefore should be ammended on the contract. If a court case is brought up, then you’re going to be liable for the court fees in the US ($50k possible)
Does anyone have any comments on this at all? Any European composers to chime in here?
Article by Ron Mendelsohn, President and CEO of Megatrax and a founding member of the PMA.
Should You Sign With A Non-Exclusive Retitled Library?
http://www.shootonline.com/go/index.php?name=Release&op=view&id=rs-web2-5133165-1272980501-2
If there is a better spot for this, please move it Art. Thanks for all you do.
For any Nashville area musicians or those that like to travel.
Nashville Film Festival April 15-22
http://www.nashvillefilmfestival.org/
Panels and Discussions
http://filmnashville.org/panel-and-workshops-at-nashville-film-festival-2010/
Music Supervisors: The ABC’s of Song Placement and Licensing
Green Hills Cinema – Theater 5
Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 2:15 PM
Understanding exactly how to submit your songs for film or TV can make
the difference between getting that song placed or having it wind up
in the “circular file.” The 2010 panel of top music supervisors
includes Randall Poster (FANTASTIC MR. FOX), Maureen Crowe (THE YOUNG
VICTORIA), Susan Jacobs (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE), and Greg Sill (IN
PLAIN SIGHT). They will discuss how to submit your songs to maximize
your chances; how to build lasting relationships; and how technology
is changing licensing. Jim Scherer (Whizbang, Inc) will moderate.
Please note: panelists subject to change.
Tickets are $15
There are a couple of other Music related workshops also.
Question – we all know a lot about libraries between us all, we know what musicians/composers need etc. Why don’t we all get together and make our own library? Between us all we know what features it needs, what prices, what payout (90/10 to the composer?) etc. Just a thought…
Yes, my wife and I were kicking around the idea of a co-op but not sure how that would work.
Yea was thinking the same – co-ops never *usually* work – the more people, the harder it is. I do think that composers generally know best whats for composers – as long as they are still working as composers and therefore have their best interests in mind.
Btw – have you looked at Drupal?
Emmett
Didn’t get to Drupal and you are right about co-ops. Tricky to make them work fairly.
Tho if a few composers from MLR ever did decide to create a library site, I would definitely be interested in joining:)
BTW I am getting much closer to developing a way for composers to start their own licensing site with opensource software. Stay tuned.