My last blog made me think, has anyone ever started a CBG songwriting group here? I know a whole lot write original music here, I have heard some wonderful creations. Just thought, maybe we should put original music all in one group, and share any dreams we have for our music, or tips on where to market it and copy rights and PROs and stuff. I don't know even if it is possible, but I think this would be a perfect site to have a CBG publishing company, dedicated only to original songs and instrumentals, and then if it ever got recognized, this might be the go to place for all those PBS specials and soundtracks that you hear all that Americana music playing....
Ok, so maybe it is a big thought, and would take someone who knows all the business end of the music to do that grand idea, but I had to throw out what came to mind...there have to be more than me that ever dreamed of hearing their music used by others lol...
Ps, I am kind of quiet really, but get carried away sometimes when I write...
Comments
I came across this sitehttp://www.tunecore.com/promo1 its a digital music distributer. i-tunes amazon. $39.99 a year per album.
The link Bear put up, http://www.kakuk.com/law2.html is good stuff , if you don't know ask an attorney.
There are a lot of good original songs on the nation. Many are as good or better than songs showing up on top selling items.
A lot of us have discovered that writing songs is fun and not as hard as we first imagined. I see my own and other people's songs getting better as we gain experience.
I have a few songs that I think are pretty good, but I have not copywrited. Right now, I would be flattered to have people take my songs and use them. I kind of think that having our songs on youtube or the nation is something of a copywrite. If Toby Kieth takes my song and has a hit, I can get a lawyer to call his lawyer and likely get at least recognition and possibly some compensation.
Keep in mind that ALMOST all of us borrow tunes, themes and ideas from others.
Interesting ideas here.
Sole propriortorship business doesn't seraprate your personal finances and business finances so if the business is sued so are you. Musicdealers is a LLC. if they get sued the owner is protected. Corporation kinda works the same but is much more expensive. I'm gonna do some more looking into costs, I'm sure that some states would be much cheaper to start up then California. I have about 15 songs I want copyrights for so I need to do this anyway. I heard people say that posting song on the internet show ownership and is dated, I have also read that you can mail a cd of your music to yourself and keep it unopened as proof of date and ownership. I think I want to submit it and just do it right.
Berklee Colledge of music has a 12 week online Publishers 101 coarse for $1200. Copyright is not the issue selling music and selling songs is. First you need something people want GOOD SONGS.
I can understand that RT. Can you have a DBA with a tax Id? I ran a sole propriortorship ( a music store) for a while, and that is what we did. We were small. But, if you own your own publishing company, (and had the know how and experience to run it correctly) and someone ever picked up your songs, you would potentially make a lot more money. I think it would be a lot of work. I would like to have a catalogue of my songs and put them in an established library. Here is a site I like, I think you might would find it interesting. I have some music there, and once I received notice that one of my instrumental cigar box songs was being considered for a job, but I guess I lost. Look at the music calls they have, some pay a lot of money. It is not the same as Royalties, but I submit when I am interested. http://www.musicdealers.com/ Click on deal board to get an idea of the jobs and pay. Just sharing some things I find interesting as a songwriter.
The number i put up were to start a company in California because you need to be a corporation or LLC. with a tax i.d. to file for a publishing license. This is where the real legal hassle is. And the money is needed and you would need a lawyer.
Actually, I do have something to add, but don't know if this clarifies or muddies the water. Here's a link to an attorney's website who deals with musicians' issues. Several short articles about publishing your own music, producing your own cd, etc. are pretty interesting: http://www.kakuk.com/law2.html
Just discovered this blog, and as Letha knows, I'm very interested in this stuff. I have nothing to add at the moment, but I'll be monitoring the discussion!
Hi all,
Thanks for your thoughts on it. First you have to know, I am NO pro, just because I have been doing for a long time lol. I have learned a little along the way, but I can only give small fry guidance on what I have done. I am an ASCAP member, and I joined it because it is only a $35 Application fee, with no dues after that. You can also register your own publishing company for a registration fee of $35. http://www.ascap.com/join/ .
I am sure BMI and the other pros are good too, just giving you my reason. I always thought about my own publishing company, but trouble is although it's easy to get the company name, I don't have the experience or time to do much about pitching and then the legal end if something really happened. I have only one song really published by a company, and it is a co write and I have seen no action.
BMI is for collection of royalties etc, if your song is ever played on the air or used in film soundtracks etc. RTZ, it is a lot more affordable than what you have listed, so you might look at the website to decide it it is anything you are interested in. But, you still have to be the one who registers your songs, and that takes some time.
Copyrighting is a gray area for me. In the old days, everyone said "OOO don't play or send your songs unless they are copyrighted".Here is info from they US Copyright office that is interesting.
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html
When is my work protected?
Your work is under copyright protection
the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible
either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. But read on, and it says you will have to register in order to bring lawsuit for infringement.
Here is a link for FAQs about online registration. http://www.copyright.gov/eco/faq.html
The best thing I ever learned about copyright, is to register as many songs as you can on one cd as a collection. The cost is the same as 1 single song costs, if you call it a collection of works.
I am just rambling information, but I still get excited about the buisiness of trying to get into the business lol. There are so many good cbg players here in one spot. I was thinking how great it would be if there was someone computer savy enough to add a spot where all the songs available could be previewed. I dont' think cpg music is just for the blues. I see all kinds of shows that use this kind of music, like PBS specials and movies and even comercials. My thought was, wouldnt this be the perfect site to have a large selection of Americana music (call it that for marketing lol) and try to get it going before we submitted to a music library? Here is a small publisher I have sent to before. No, nothing taken, but it was interesting. I think they were a small group of musicians with an idea, just like this, and they have grown to be able to pitch to some big names. http://kcmamusicco.com/
So, is there anyone technically savy that can think or a way to start such a designated page here, only for the building of a CBG music catalouge, get it really nice and full, then try to get some interest from outside?
Sounds crazy huh? lol but what could it hurt to join together for one more crazy idea. Look how the nation is growing, we could be the go to spot for this kind of original music from all over the world someday....]
Thoughts?
Ownership is the biggest thing Its $90 app. fee and a $800 tax for a LLC. in Cal. trademark app. is $375 Bmi. is $275 for Publishers it free to Songwriters so if you have Copyrights you should join. I don't have a lot of money I like the idea of looking into this though. How its owned and Named would be the issue and if it was on this site, Gitty,s imput of coarse. Just helping people copyright and promote would be useful but a CBG publishing company would be way cool.
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