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Royalty Free Music
The term royalty free music, also known as buyout music or buy-out
music, is frequently a source of confusion. Some believe that it means
there is no cost associated with the music. Others believe that the
music is "copyright free", or that there is no copyright associated
with the music. Each music library license will vary to a certain
degree, however, as a general rule royalty free music simply means that
you have purchased a "lifetime synchronization license" for a given
song or group of songs. In other words, you have the right to
synchronize the music with your audio and/or video productions an
unlimited number of times without incurring any additional expense.
Other
types of production music licenses include "Needle Drop" where the user
pays a fee each time they synchronize a piece of music, and "Blanket
Licensing" where the user leases a group of music or CDs, and can use
the music for a specified set of uses during the term of the lease
(typically a one, two, or three year commitment). Each of these
licenses are a bit more like renting the music than buying. While you
don't actually own the music with a buyout library, you do own a
lifetime license to synchronize the music with your productions.
The
Studio Cutz Music Library license does away with much of the
complication of typical music licensing and allows the user to pay a
one time licensing fee, and then use it as much as they want. Not only
is this a more affordable option, but it is more convenient as well
because it eliminates much of the paperwork, calculating of fees, and
check writing associated with standard music licensing.
The
other big misconception about royalty free music pertains to
broadcasting of the music on television, cable, radio, etc. Television
broadcasters pay annual royalties to the Performing Rights Societies
for the right to broadcast music on their shows. When music is
broadcast on television or cable TV, it is tracked by something called
a Cue Sheet. This is precisely where the term Royalty Free does NOT
apply. Cue sheets determine where the royalties previously paid by the
broadcaster get dispersed. There are no costs associated with cue
sheets, however most Royalty Free music libraries require that cue
sheets be properly filled out when the music is for broadcast use. A
cue sheet is merely a paper trail to ensure writers get paid what is
due to them out of the money that has been previously paid by the
television stations and broadcasting entities.
To summarize, a
Royalty Free License means that you do not continually pay a
"synchronization royalty" each time you use a given piece of music. You
pay only one time. It does NOT mean that a writer is forfeiting the
performance royalty, or broadcast royalty, due him when his music is
aired. This royalty has already been paid by the broadcaster and should
be dispersed appropriately through the filling out and submission of
cue sheets. |
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Production Music Library - Sound Effects
License Music - Rights Managed Music
Royalty-Free Music
Buyout CDs - NeedleDrop Music
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