Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Questions on Copyright and Royalties, etc
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Old 3rd March 2012   #3
drBill
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Joined: Jul 2006
Location: So Cal
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Simple answer - there are POTENTIALLY 3 money streams from your musical work.

Mechanicals - ie: money generated (normally from a record company of some kind) from actual physical sales.

License Fees - a license is generated and paid for when a client/user wants to use your music and synchronize it to a video, Film, TV show, Web page, etc.

Performance Royalties - these are what I believe you are eluding to and in the USA are paid by BMI, ASCAP, SESAC - all PRO's - Performing Rights Organizations.

Also, in this brave new world sound exchange may be collecting performance royalties for you in places BMI / ASCAP can't reach....yet.

The copyright office does nothing more than register and (possibly in the case of a dispute) verify that you wrote the piece and registered it on such and such a date.

Good luck.

bp
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