Music licenses and rights you need to know

As a composer, you have the exclusive right to reproduce, publish or sell your music.
Copyright law allows you to control, manage and administer your musical creation.
You can assign the administrative rights to a company that will manage the copyright for a small fee.

A producer of an audiovisual work must obtain a music license from the publisher/creator if they wish to use the music in their production.

Audiovisual work includes video, CD/DVD, QuickTime, Flash, HTML5 and other visual formats.
Types of music licenses and rights

1. Synchronization license (Sync)
The client gets the right to synchronize music with visual media such as videos, TV shows, video games, movies, website, movie trailers, advertisements, etc.

2. Mechanical license
The client pays a unit royalty on the musical compositions manufactured and sold. These include records, cassettes, CDs, interactive streaming, ringtones, digital downloads and other digital delivery systems.

3. Primary usage rights
The owner of the recording of the song grants the right to use the recording in an album, soundtrack, or other audiovisual work.

4. Public performance license
A public performance license is required for music played in public, including on radio, television, websites, videos, music on hold, apps, etc. This is usually handled by your PRO.

5. Great rights
The client can use the music in dramatic contexts such as operas, operettas, musicals, ballets, theater, dance, mime or any work that tells a story.
This License is issued directly by the publisher/creator.

6. Direct License
The customer obtains the license directly from the copyright owner/creator.
Note: Some music libraries control all rights, so read your contractual agreements carefully.

To help you succeed in the music business, read our eBook /"Making Music? – Make Money!/".

Do you want to learn from the experiences of other composers?
Join the community of music creators at MusicLibraryReport.com
Music from ArtAndRobinsMusic.com

Please take the opportunity to connect and share this video with your friends and family if you find it useful.