Music contracts! How to make a deal?As we all know, music contracts can be a very important issue, when it comes to (music) business. Because some Bands and singers have for songs by submitting our 'looking for Songs?' form, I always recommend that before going to the next step,or taking any action, you better make good arrangements on paper. The best thing is to sign contracts.So.. It's maybe a good idea to explain a bit more about Music contracts and other ( Legal) advice, before signing or collaborating with someone else. Many people in the industry advice that when it comes to contracts, you better seek legal advice ( wit an attorney/ solicitor). With other words ,let the contract examine by an expert, read by a lawyer/solicitor. Of course, when it's about a big contract( let's say a $200,000 deal or publishing contract) and big money, where there is much to win and much to loose. But even then, a Lawyer/solicitor is a costly matter. Do you wish to invest a large sum of money in an un certain adventure? But what when a friend or a band want to cover my songs? Best thing is that both parties ( band/songwriter) sign contracts, this to avoid problems in the future. Fact is that you need a deal, an agreement between all the parties involved, and this written and signed on paper, and if possible in plain English. As an example I shall take the Bands/artists who have demand for strong material.Let me first of all say this. It's a win-win agreement. The band has the first choice. They can choose the songs they think will be a smashing hit. So.. no complains afterward. The songwriter must be happy too. When his material is been chosen, he knows that he will get a copy of the (nearly) perfect recording, and the performers ( the band) will try to get a record label or a publishing deal( or both). This doesn't mean that the songwriter in the meanwhile is laying in the sun on his back. He too can also pitching out submissions, as he wish to do so. If the band /artist loves the material, he or she can contacts the songwriter to come to an agreement. What do you have to state or to put in this contract? That's hard to tell. The few things that you might wish to have in a contracts : 1- The duration of the agreement. This for a, specific period, let's say, 3 to 6 month. If you ain't set up a date , you possibly gonna see your song no more. 2)-Emphasize that you wish to receive a copy of the (close to professional) recording and don't let this take too long( no longer than 2-3 weeks) and put the time within you want to receive a copy of the demo recording. If you really want to have a professional looking music contract, then this is your man. Ty Cohen, an expert on Entertainment law an music contracts, also very busy in the music industry, has a whole collection of ready and run music contracts... So, probably the kind of contracts that are just right for you too. I suggest that you'll read the following article. It's about music contracts and very interesting.
Music Industry Contracts, By Ty Cohen. As an Artist in the Music Industry, The First Thing You MUST Do is Kill All the Lawyers... Then Take Control of Our Music Industry Contracts and Documents the Right Way! We would like to think that the music industry is filled with musicians all devoted to the art music creation. But the ideal isn't always the way life is, you and I both know that for a fact. That's because the second word in the phrase "music business" is "business". While the purpose of artist, singers and musicians is to create music, the purpose of businessmen is to make money. We live in a real world where money makes it possible for artists to exist. It takes more than musicians, it take people like agents, and bankers, and accountants and club owners. Even Music Industry Lawyers? Yes, there is even some value to all the legal music contracts and documents that you must sign any time you sign to a label (or if you're the label owner, sign an artist to your label), set up a show, a tour, rent equipment or record your music at a studio. Just consider the protection you get from legal documents if they are prepared by competent lawyers...... * Protection from people who would take advantage of you. * Protection so you get paid what you deserve and all that you deserve. * Protection from damages if something happens during one of your shows * Protection of your equipment and your band members from theft or injury. And lots lots more. Yes, despite all of the jokes, lawyers provide a valuable service to music industry. How are Lawyers like Self-Serve Gas? Do you remember pumping your own gas at the gas station? Most of us cannot remember when it ever was another way. So what does this have to do with lawyers in the music industry? Well there was a real valuable reason why self-serve gas was invented and that was TO SAVE MONEY. This is the very same reason why we created our 101 Music Business Contracts software for you - To Save Money and to provide you with professionally drafted music business contracts that you can edit and print right from the comfort of your computer. Take a look: Music Contracts 101 When it comes to lawyers, we want them around if we have to sue someone or are being sued or something like that. But a large amount of what lawyers do is pretty routine stuff. Many contracts and other legal documents are almost cookie cutter style where they just fill in the blanks and presto, you have yourself a contract. The thing they don't tell you is YOU CAN DO THAT YOURSELF! Just like it doesn't take a professional with a degree to pump gas, many legal contracts can be done "self-serve". Like that gas pump, if you have the right equipment and software, you can do it yourself. Seeing is Believing If a tool that could help you build your own contracts and other legal agreements ever were invented, you know it would have to be very carefully customized to fit the music industry right?. Because legal arrangements in the music industry are so unique and cover so many issues of copyright, creative control, royalties, band name protection and advertising, it seems that its impossible to create a machine or computer program that could handle such unusual situations and do it well enough so we would not have to pay an expensive lawyer to help us every time, right? Wrong, a software program has been created that can help you will all of your music contracts and legal documents and at the same time save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars in legal fees. This amazing software is called 101 Music Business Contracts! was written by music industry and legal experts so it is designed to deal with issues you face every day in your music career. It is easy and fun to use and will help you understand your legal music contracts without a lot of legal mumbo jumbo to get in the way. Not only that, 101 Music Business contracts! is incredibly flexible, adapting to any legal situation you might face. Consider some of the ways accommodates your needs. * It's usable in every state so you can use the same contract in different states as you travel or your musical opportunities spread. * It will run on any computer.(PC & Mac) * It has every possible music industry contract you might have to deal with whether you are a songwriting, a performer, a record company representative, agent or any other type of professional in the music business. * All of the contracts can be modified right from your computer so you can add special circumstances or take out things form the contract that won't work on a contract-by-contract basis. Ty Cohen President Platinum Millennium Publishing Thanks for visiting this page. There's a lot more you can read.. The webmaster
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