How to retain rights to your beats and get paid?
- Thread starter John Doe
- Start date
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warzone (nov 5-9) signup begins in...
Greg Savage
Ehh Fuck you
ill o.g.
It's all in the fine details of the contract.
Turntables
Member
If your going to be supplying them with beats, then you need to get them to sign a contract, look for simple template contracts online, there are a few good ones.
http://hiphopproduction.com/free-music-contracts/
http://hiphopproduction.com/free-music-contracts/
thedreampolice
A backwards poet writes inverse.
Get an real entertainment lawyer to draw up a real contract for you. Probably cost you $600 but you can use it for multiple beats. You need someone who knows the law in your corner of you want to do this for real.
T
TagYourBeats
Guest
Lots of people say this, because it is technically the right thing to do, but in reality...very few people do it because $600 is an insane amount of money for a bedroom producer who may not not make it big.
It's the same with copyright...technically you should copyright everything you do, but I'd guess that 90%+ of music producers have never copyrighted their beats and are just hoping that they can retrospectively argue their case in court (which is possible).
I would suggest to get a contract, even if it one you write yourself or use a template online, so that you can cover as many eventualities as you can.
I agree to lease you X beat for $Y, for up to Z records sold. X% of royalties will be due after this figure has been reached. The songs are allowed to each Y number of Youtube/Soundcloud clicks before $Z is due.
Try to cover as much as you can. So long as the artist agrees to it (and preferably signs and returns the contract to you), it is legally binding - whether an entertainment lawyer writes it out or not.
Then, when you make more money from your music and can justify a $600 lawyer to write up a full professional contract, you can consider it.
thedreampolice
A backwards poet writes inverse.
^ This is NOT good advice at all.
T
TagYourBeats
Guest
Why?
As long as I have in black and white that an artist has agreed to the terms I have requested, surely that is bound by law (assuming they are of age to commit to contracts)?
I would love to be able to afford a set of contracts written up by an entertainment lawyer, but I honestly couldn't spare that kind of money. Drafting up my own terms seems like the safest bet, over just winging it and hoping.
I would never intend to give incorrect advice, it is just my opinion and how I have worked. If it isn't right, I need to know why - for me, as it is what I have always done and I'll stop today if it's the right thing to do.
Thanks for your help.
thedreampolice
A backwards poet writes inverse.
No because if you mess up a single detail or don't fully understand copywrite law your contract is void anyway. Are you with a pro company right now?
And honestly if you can't spare $600 to cover your ass wtf? How are you planning on making it in the music business? Work an extra job for a few weeks and make some cash. Doing it right will make you more in the end.
And honestly if you can't spare $600 to cover your ass wtf? How are you planning on making it in the music business? Work an extra job for a few weeks and make some cash. Doing it right will make you more in the end.