Music Permissions

[lightzilla]

jim6918 wrote:

jim6918 wrote:

lightzilla wrote:

Right now I am asking permission from individual singer/song writers and all of them save 1 person granted permission.

Are you talking about mainstream singers/song writers? Like TSO, Mannheim, Elvis, Mariah, etc.? You are very lucky to get them to even respond?

Sorry lightzilla, guess I caught you in the middle of editing your post. Didn't mean to misquote you.

No need to say sorry. Actually I only contacted 1 mainstream group & got no response.

I contacted some Canadian known singers/song writers that won Juno awards.

I also contacted some other singers/song writers that, had songs used on Canadian TV. Songs for my tribute to the Armed Forces.

Plus two singers from the USA that granted me permission to use their military songs.

Lastly two singer/song writers from the UK that granted me permission & one of them send curriculum to schools. They have 2 good Christmas songs (I & my wife like the songs as does a crap load of fans world wide.) They were honoured to have there music used and sent me free copies including the videos that go with the songs.

Well Socan is Canada's Copyright thing and they ask for a certain fee and & with the license you can use whatever songs they have in their files or whatever you call it.

But.......since cash is tight right now I went " The ask permission route" since January. Something like 12 out of 15 singer/song writers said yes & all they ask in return is a video of their song in the display (the link) from Vimeo or You Tube to post on their web site for their fans to see.

As the one person from the UK said "It is good for them and me" Their music gets promoted (like House on Christmas Street got promoted) and well they well let me have any new song they make.

By the way a couple of singers are from You Tube and 1 of them is now moving along a bit better now. He is starting to sell MP3's. I gave him a few ideas like CD baby or something similar to sell his songs.......it is working.

Just look at Canadian You Tuber Justin Beiber.

I plan do to find new Christmas music for 2011 once the 2010 display is setup.

Anyhow like Mike mentioned all they ask is a link to the video.

[pdowns]

Very interesting.

So, if I have a party inside my house, do I have to pay BMI if I want to play music on my CD player? I guess so!

I'm guessing that humming a song in my head is OK, but if I sing out loud within earshot of someone that costs $15.00. I'm not worried though, my singing is so terrible no one would ever recognize what I was singing.

[amcdonald307]

The ascap site has a "special license" for all kinds of events, from Dog Shows to Cheerleading competitions! I didn't see one listed for "Christmas Light Displays", but it looks like they would probably put one together if someone asked. Looks like they (ascap) offer anything we could want... except the music we want to play.

[Guest guest]

Far as I'm concerned the "recording industry" has just plain blown things out of proportion on some aspects. Where were these big fat cat cigar smokin' lawyers for the industry when millions of people were making BOOTLEG RECORDINGS on Cassette or 8-Track tapes to play in their cars, and yes, even made them and gavce to friends.

I think the courts need to REVIEW those OLDER ASPECTS and tell the recording greed grubbers to stick it where the sun don't shine. But that's just my measly ol' opinion.

I have nothing against artists being paid for their music, but once I've bought and paid for a CD, if I opt to play the music or a song from it in my display SHOULD WARRANT NO EXTRA FEE or COSTS! Now if I were "charging an entrance or viewing fee", then I'd have no complaint about the recording industry asking for a fee, but just doing this as a "hobby" to give folks something different to watch and listen to an old or new favorite song, well, again, my opinion, IT IS JUST RIDICULOUS!

For one thing IT IS OFFERING FREE PUBLICITY FOR THEIR MUSIC, which could very well, in turn PROMOTE SALES of SAME! So these folks need to get their heads out of the clouds and see just what these displays actually do, CREATE REVENUE for current and futrure sales! I know if it weren't for music I heard at others displays or through videos I never would have heard of some groups or singers, nor would I have ever bought their CD because I wou;d have NEVER heard of them otherwise.

Just this past year alone I've probably spent well over $200 or more for CD's ALL BECAUSE I HEARD IT IN SOMEONES DISPLAY or a VIDEO on a site such a You Tube or Vimeo.

So all these CEO's, lawyers or what have you are doing or would be doing is basically alienatiing and KILLING THEIR OWN SALES of CD's because of fees that should never be imposed on a hobbyist like us that only use the music for a short time to synchronize our lights too.

Just know if I were a big wig recording company, I wouldn't be worrying about folks that don't charge fees to see their display (and that would INCLUDE DONATIONS TOO!), If one charges wether donation or access fee, then, yes, those should be required to fork over licensing fees. But not the average hobbyist that does these for the enjoyment of others at NO CHARGE to anyone!

Okay, climbing down off my soapbox now.

[Victory402]

Thanks Orville, took the words right out of my mouth!

[Randy]

Half tongue in cheek, half serious, what if you charged 1 penny to your visitors to see your display? With an estimate of attendance, what if I paid the 1 cent fee myself so as not to bother my visitors? I'm always thinking

Then BMI would only be able to collect 0.8% of that admission money as their fee. that would seem to be a cheaper way to go than the $15 per event fee...

[therealbigjim]

Thx for the good information and thoughts. I now can guess why WOW ditched all the CD based light shows they sold until last spring......I would hate to guess what my fees would be with 4 CD's ,20 songs worth form Nov 24th to Jan1 st. Are cookies and cards left at my house by my visitor's considered profit.....

[displaysinmotion_will]

as i have stated before the licensing is a blanket it covers all works published through bmi is is not based per song

[Guest guest]

Oh and here's one for the "Halloween" decorators, look at those "Halloween CD's you buy very closely", many of them state right on them PERFECT FOR USE IN YOUR HALLOWEEN DISPLAY or HAUNTED HOUSE. Now in my opinion and I'd think the courts would side with the person that BOUGHT the CD as well, the music, stories, sound effects ARE ALL LEGAL TO USE WITHOUT PAYMENT/FEES or ROYALTIES in any type of Halloween Display, after all, MOST, if NOT ALL, Hallopween Displays are PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE!



And these Halloween CD's contain music from various artists of their songs, such as Thriller, Pet Semetery, Lullaby from Rosemary's Baby and MANY, MANY OTHERS!

And most, if not all of my Halloween Display music has come from such type CD's with rare exception. The only one being is Midnight Syndicate, but THEY ENCOURAGE THE USE of THEIR MUSIC in your Haunt or Display!

And some of these "Halloween CD's" ARE made by the Big Record Companies such as ASCAP and BMI. So are they going to now sue us because they say we're publicly promoting/playing? their music that they have literally, in my opinion, given the rightsaway too by the very wording on the CD jacket/inset/sleeve itself!

So it would be very interesting to see what the courts would say about that if they tried to sue for payment and you produce the CD with that written information on it.

Just another thought after looking at MANY of my Halloween specific CD's I have purchased over the years and use music from in my now LOR animated Halloween Display.

Now if we could just get them to put that wording on the Christmas CD's, I'd say we'd be pretty much home free. But I doubt that'll happen, although I can see them changing the wording on newer released Halloween themed CD's, but I'd say that would be a bit too late, since all the thousands sold and released with that blurb are already out there being used (in/at party's, nightclubs, displays, etc.).

Just my $5.00 worth. (BTW: not all Halloween CD's have that statement, but 95% of the ones I have do have it in typed text, sometimes even in bold right on the main cover, "Perfect for your Party or Halloween Haunt". Guess the recording industry screwed themselves on Halloween, eh? LOL