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What is the licensing process?
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First, we ask you some questions about your project and about the songs you want to license. You can buy right away for the fastest delivery, or wait for us to research the copyright holders of the songs. You can pay online or over the phone with a credit card. After we receive your payment, we follow the Compulsory Law to obtain your mechanical licenses for you. We deliver Proof of Licensing as a link in your email in 1-2 business days. Click that link to print your Proof of Licensing. This is what you keep on hand or give to your manufacturer as proof that you have done things legally.
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What do you do for me?
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We follow every step of the Compulsory Mechanical Licensing Law such that you may legally distribute your recording of a song that someone else wrote. We deliver Proof of Licensing in your email in 1-2 business days. This is what you give to your manufacturer or keep on hand as proof that you have done things legally.
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What do I get as Proof of Licensing?
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You get a signed statement from us explaining our commitment to follow every step of the United States Compulsory Mechanical Licensing law on your behalf to the extent that you may legally distribute your recording of the listed copyrighted songs. We also provide information about how to include liner note credits for the publishers and composers of the songs you use.
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Do I get the actual licenses, the paperwork signed by the publishers?
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No. Under Compulsory Law, no paperwork is received from the copyright holders. Instead, a license is automatically granted and the copyright holder is not required to send any return paperwork. Instead, we give you a signed statement explaining all the steps of the Compulsory Law and our legal committment to follow through with those steps on your behalf.
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How long does it take to get my Proof of Licensing?
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About 1-2 business days after we receive your payment. If you choose to wait for search results before buying, add 1-2 business days for a total of 2-4 business days from the time you submit your songs.
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How is it possible for you to help me license any song?
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Meant to foster creativity, the Compulsory Mechanical Licensing Law makes it possible for you to legally record your new version of any existing song, even without the copyright holder's express permission. If you ask a publisher directly, they can demand any fee or reject your request outright. But under Compulsory Law, they cannot reject the license. Even in cases where the copyright holder is highly protective of their work, this law allows small-timers to cover some very popular songs.
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What if I sell out and need to distribute more copies of my album?
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It's up to you to monitor your sales and make sure you do not exceed what you have licensed. You can always come back to us and get a new license for additional units. If it's an exact reorder without changes, our fee is half-price. This makes it easy for you to license only what you need upfront and avoid paying too much in fees for reorders.
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How does licensing for digital downloads work?
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For digital downloads, you prepay for a certain number of downloads upfront before you distribute. We suggest you license what you think you will sell in one year. It's up to you to monitor your sales and make sure you do not exceed what you have licensed. You can always come back and get a new license for additional units. If it's an exact reorder without changes, our fee is half-price. This makes it easy for you to license only what you need upfront and avoid paying too much in fees for reorders.
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If I do CDs and digital downloads, does that require two separate licenses?
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Yes. We have to send separate paperwork for each different format you release. So, if you plan to distribute on multiple formats, such as CDs and digital downloads, you will need to buy a separate license for each, and we will have to charge our fee each time.
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What information do you need from me?
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We need to know your complete contact information, the title of your album, and the artist (you or your group). We need to know what formats you will release (CDs or Digital Downloads) and how many copies of each format. Finally, we need to know the title, composer or original recording artist, and length of your recording of each song in minutes and seconds. You can submit this online or email it to us.
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How much does it cost?
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Licensing costs vary greatly depending on how many copies you plan to make. That's because royalties are calculated based on number of copies made. Click the following link for more information on pricing, or to estimate how much your licensing will cost. You can get an exact quote by submitting your songs to us for a free search.
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What methods of payment do you accept?
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We accept credit card payments online and over the phone. If you wish to pay by check, send your payment, written to Legacy Productions, to 2600 N 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55411.
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What is your refund policy?
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We will automatically refund the royalties and fees for any song we are unable to license or any song we find to be in the Public Domain. Except for these two cases, we cannot refund your money after a license has been purchased because of time and royalty expenses we pay to process your licensing.
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Can I make changes to my project after licensing has started?
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In some cases, minor changes will be allowed depending on the timing. However, once requests have been sent to the publishers changes are not allowed. If you have concerns, ask your licensing expert for details.
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What types of coupons and discounts do you offer?
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We offer free research of your songs before or after you buy, automatic discounts when you license multiple songs, half-price fees on exact reorders, and a 100% money back guarantee for Public Domain songs. Additional coupons and discounts may periodically arrive with our quarterly newsletter.
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Can I change the lyrics with this license?
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No. One of the limitations of the Compulsory Law is that changes to the lyrics or fundamental melody of the song are not allowed.
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Can I change the melody of the song with this license?
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Yes. However, you cannot change the fundamental nature of the melody. In other words, the original song must remain recognizable in your new version.
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Can I distribute internationally with this license?
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For digital downloads, yes. For physical formats (such as CDs), no. The Compulsory Mechanical Licensing Law allows us to help you license any song without the express consent of the copyright holder, but only for release within the United States. Digital downloads may be released internationally, however.
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Can I get just one license for a song that I will put on mutliple albums?
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No. For reporting and tracking reasons, you need a separate license for each release, even if the same song is used on multiple releases.
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Can I rearrange the song with this license?
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Yes. You can make your own arrangement, however you cannot change the lyrics or fundamental nature of the melody of the song.
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Can I sample existing recordings with this license?
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No. A Master License is required when licensing an existing recording that you did not make.
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Can I split the license, and get just one license for two different formats?
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No. We have to send separate paperwork for each different format you release. So, if you plan to distribute on multiple formats, such as CDs and digital downloads, you will need to buy a separate license for each, and we will have to charge our fee each time.
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Can you copyright my songs for me?
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No. We don't do this right now. Click the following link for information about why you should register your copyright and how you can do it.
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Can you help me get a license to play my songs on the radio?
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No. Radio airplay requires Public Performance Rights. In the United States, all Public Performance Rights are handled by three agencies, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Artists often do not need to secure Public Performance Rights for radio because they are covered by the station. Also most reputable web sites (such as Pandora) handle this for you. However, if you plan to stream on your own web site, you need to obtain rights. If you are unsure whether you need Public Performance Rights, you should contact these agencies.
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Can you help me license a song that has never before been released?
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No. One of the limitations of the Compulsory Law is that it applies only to songs that have previously been released. First release is one of the exclusive rights of the copyright holder.
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Can you help me license for video or DVD?
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No. Video requires Synchronization, Master, and Print licenses, all of which are custom-negotiated upfront with the copyright holder. We do not offer custom-negotiated licenses at this time. For further assistance, contact CopyCatLicensing.com
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Can you help me license international songs not copyrighted in the United States?
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No. One of the limitations of the Compulsory Law is that it applies only to songs copyrighted in the United States and subject to United States laws. To license an international work, you need a Custom Mechanical License Agreement directly from the copyright holder.
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Do you license for distribution in Canada?
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Digital download licenses are valid for distribution worldwide over the web. However, physical distributions are limited to the United States.
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Do you license for Karaoke or performance tracks?
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If you want to use a recording that someone else made you need a master license. We do not offer these at this time. You can contact copycatlicensing.com for assistance. If this is 100% your original recording of a song someone else wrote, selling your album is allowed under this license, but not for public performance; background track; or karaoke purposes. Only for private listening by the end user.
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What types of uses does this license cover?
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The Compulsory Mechanical License allows you to record your new version of an existing song that someone else wrote. It does not cover new recordings of existing recordings. Your release must be for personal, private use only (Selling your album is allowed under this license, but not for public performance, background track, or karaoke purposes. Only for private listening by the end user.) Click below for a complete list of the limitations of this license.
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Do the licenses expire?
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No. However, consider buying only what you will use in a year's time.
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How long have you been in business?
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Since 2005. We started out as a mobile recording service for churches, schools, and indie artists (Legacy Productions). From the start, we knew we wanted to do things legally, even when some of our competitors were not. That involved learning about mechanical licensing. In 2007 we began offering our music licensing services to the public through Easy Song Licensing. We still license music for our own productions and for our hundreds of licensing customers across the country.
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Do I need a license?
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If you use music that other people created, no matter how you use it, you need to get a license. This is true even if you are giving away your project for free, or if it's for a non-profit. You do not need permission to use songs that you wrote yourself or songs that you know are in the Public Domain.
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What is Public Domain?
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Songs written before 1923 are in the Public Domain and do not require licensing for any use. However, make sure you are not playing from copyrighted sheet music arrangements. If you are unsure, you can submit your songs to us and we will research for you for free.
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What is Fair Use?
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Fair Use is an exception in the copyright law that allows small portions of a work to be used without permission for nonprofit, news, educational, or parody purposes. The doctrine is "murky" and often misunderstood. To fall under fair use, only a small portion of the work may be used and the use must not affect the value or marketability of the work. Selling concert recordings or photocopying sheet music without permission would not fall under fair use. Check out the following links for more information on Fair Use.
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Why should I get a license?
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Even if you think you probably wouldn't get caught, there are five good reasons to get a license: 1) Confidence, 2) Reputation, 3) Karma, 4) Ethics, and 5) Example.
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What is a license?
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A license is a formal agreement between the music owner and you that says it's okay for you to use their music. If you use music that other people created, you need to get a license.
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What other services do you provide?
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We are experts at producing albums start to finish. We have producers across the country, an in-house graphic designer, in-house licensing experts, and partnerships with the best manufacturers in the country. We also have begun offering digital distribution services through our new social network for musicians, Tuneswoon.com. We publish your album for free and handle all the licensing for you.
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Do you offer digital distribution services?
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Yes. Our unique new social network for musicians, Tuneswoon.com makes it easy to sell your music online. We cover all the licensing for you so you never have to worry about it at all. You pay nothing upfront, we publish your album to the web, you keep all the rights to your music and you keep 56% of the sales. We take 44% to cover credit card fees, licensing, and our services. This is comparable to what you make through other download sites, but it saves you money and hassle with the licensing. We send you monthly royalty checks. Setting it up is easy. We just need a copy of your master and a digital image of your artwork.
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Do you provide ISRC numbers?
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Yes. We automatically add ISRCs to every song you add. If you have your own ISRCs please let us know and we can plug them into your project.
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Do you provide barcodes?
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No. Not right now. You can get these from your manufacturer or online distributor.
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