TromboneChat

I am aware of the services Harry Fox provides, especially for short run CD productions, but more often than not, pieces in the "Classical Music" (misnomer) genre have multiple people that need to get paid, and Harry Fox represents 50% or less if the parties involved. Even more often, you simply can't find any info on their site or through ASCAP, etc to even attempt to notify the publisher that you intend to record one of their pieces and pay for a compulsory mechanical. Pieces published abroad are even more complex.

If I wanted to cover songs by Taylor Swift, it would be a cinch. Literally a couple mouse clicks and $17. Recording a sonata? On the surface it looks a lot more complex.

Is anyone aware of any other services that deal with independent labels, mechanical rights, and classical music? I'm about to finish my studio and start laying down some tracks, but this is definitely an obstacle that needs to be passed before I record anything too time consuming. Thanks in advance!

Music that is Public Domain is free to record.  No mechanical rights needed.

We deal mostly with two rights organizations: ASCAP and BMI.  You will find that BMI covers a lot of newer "classical" pieces.

I should also point out that when you rent music for performance it often includes mechanical rights (sometimes for a little extra fee).

You're talking about playing or recording a pre-20th century classical piece? And you're not talking about some modern arrangement or edition of such a piece?

No rights should be needed.

Quote Recording a sonata? On the surface it looks a lot more complex.
Who is making it more complex?

No. I'm talking about recording, say, Peaslee's "Arrows of Time".

Classical genre, definitely not classical music, definitely not PD.

Contemporary music. The word Sonata is correct, but I see how it is misleading.

I'll edit the title.

What? People are still writing music for trombone? When will they ever learn? 

This is all obsolete?  (The aol email address does look unpromising)

QuoteMargun/Gunmar Music, Inc.
167 Dudley Road
Newton Centre MA 02159

Website:
members.aol.com/margunmus

Clearance Representative:
Ann Stimson
Email:
[url=mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url]

Member Affiliation:
National Music Publishers Association
Phone:
(617) 332-6398
Fax:
(617) 969-1079
Imprints Held:

    Margun Music, Inc.
    GunMar Music, Inc.

Contact the publisher of the piece(s) and ask to purchase the mechanical rights through them.  Hal Leonard seems to have bought a number of smaller publishers over the years and they have a huge catalog.  They may have a link on their website where you submit a request to purchase the mechanical rights.

Harry Fox has very few of the pieces I have purchased MR for.  And, the publishers many times only charge you the fee, no administrative costs.  Some do chat a handling fee, but it has always been less than Harry Fox.

I dealt with a piece from Australia once.  That was an interesting experience, and while they were happy, I am not sure it was correct per the information they sent me.  Good luck!

Doug

Thanks!

I will likely end up going that route. I was really hoping someone knew of an alternative to Harry Fox that would do this kind of leg work for me. Ideally, the compulsory mechanical license is the way to go, since it is only $.095 per track, and they can't say no or demand a minimum number of licenses or demand a higher rate. This also allows me to potentially change the instrumentation and not trigger a copyright violation (by creating an illegal arrangement), since a compulsory license is a "cover". Finally, paying up front as opposed to keeping a ledger and paying royalties quarterly is appealing.

I'm sure when I get the time I can dig up an agent or someone who would do it for a fee. Or I guess a ledger wouldn't be too bad. Reporting all zero sales every quarter wouldn't be too difficult 

Thanks!

I will likely end up going that route. I was really hoping someone knew of an alternative to Harry Fox that would do this kind of leg work for me. Ideally, the compulsory mechanical license is the way to go, since it is only $.095 per track, and they can't say no or demand a minimum number of licenses or demand a higher rate. This also allows me to potentially change the instrumentation and not trigger a copyright violation (by creating an illegal arrangement), since a compulsory license is a "cover". Finally, paying up front as opposed to keeping a ledger and paying royalties quarterly is appealing.

I'm sure when I get the time I can dig up an agent or someone who would do it for a fee. Or I guess a ledger wouldn't be too bad. Reporting all zero sales every quarter wouldn't be too difficult