I should know this but?

[Rusty K]

Hello,

I'm getting ready to come out with a CD of music, mostly original but it will have three or four songs I've covered. What should I do legally to protect my ass on the cover songs? Pay a fee to ASCAP or BMI? These are oldies with my arrangements. Could they be public domain and if so how could I find out?

Thanks,
Rusty K

[grn]

Unless it's before like 1912 at LEAST, it ain't public domain. You will have to pay mechanical royalties... I'm not sure to who though.

[Hugo H]

Save yourself the hassle and drop the covers from the CD.

[Rusty K]

Hugo H...writing four new tunes to fit the theme/genre of the CD might be just a little bit of a hassle too.

grn...thanks I hope someone else will weigh in on this one.

Rusty K

[zekthedeadcow]

You'd probably be best to just call ASCAP or whoever covers the artists and ask. I think the price is $0.085 per song-copy now.

...or just call the lable and ask who you should be talking to.

[Rusty K]

zek....thanks that's the best advice so far. Is that $.085 per song copy sale?
In other words for four tunes it would be $.34 per CD sale?


Rusty K

[DALtune]

The Harry Fox Agency are the folks to contact. Depending on the amount of CDs you are making, you may not even get a mechanical liscense...you may have to go for a cumpulsory liscense. Yes, you pay per CD...whether you sell them or give them away. Sometimes if it is a short run and you contact the company that owns the publishing you can get the lic. for free.

[Rusty K]

DALtune,

Thanks I'll check to see if they have a website. This CD is a "do it yourself" project. I will burn them as needed and distribute locally at such places as CD Baby and I Tunes if possible so there is no big run of copies. I'll report back when I've learned something from the Harry Fox Agency.

Thanks again,
Rusty K

[RickW]

Harry Fox is who to contact, but you can also go to songfile.com and get info there. It's for blanket licences for small run duplication (under 2500). I believe the price is 8.5 cents per song per copy, so 1000 copies would run $85.00 per song.

Since you are burning as you go, you may have to do some research on that. I don't honestly know if there's a per copy charge or there is a minimum that needs to be paid for first.The internet's a wonderful place. Be persistent and you'll find your answers. I'm probably just repeating what others have said anyway, but what I described is the way I've done it recently.