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Royalty Free Music Licensing
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By Scott Meath
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Royalty Free Music Music Licensing
The term royalty free music, also known as buyout music orbuy-out music, is frequently a source of confusion. Some believethat it means there is no cost associated with the music. Othersbelieve that the music is ¡°copyright free¡±, or that there is nocopyright associated with the music. Each music library licensewill vary to a certain degree, however, as a general ruleroyalty free music simply means that you have purchased a¡°lifetime synchronization license¡± for a give song or group ofsongs. In other words, you have the right to synchronize themusic with your audio and/or video productions an unlimitednumber 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 ofmusic, and ¡°Blanket Licensing¡± where the user leases a group ofmusic or Cds, and can use the music for a specified set of usesduring the term of the lease (typically a one, two, or threeyear commitment). Each of these licenses are a bit more likerenting the music than buying. While you don¡¯t actually own themusic with a buyout library, you do own a lifetime license tosynchronize the music with your productions.
A buyout library like Studio Cutz MusicLibrary does away with much of the complication oftypical music licensing and allows the user to pay a one timelicensing fee, and then use it as much as they want. Not only isthis a more affordable option, but it is more convenient as wellbecause it eliminates much of the paperwork, calculating offees, and check writing associated with standard musiclicensing.
The other big misconception about royalty free music pertains tobroadcasting of the music on television, cable, radio, etc.Television broadcasters pay annual royalties to the PerformingRights Societies for the right to broadcast music on theirshows. When music is broadcast on television or cable TV, it istracked by something called a Cue Sheet. This is precisely wherethe term Royalty Free does NOT apply. Cue sheets determine wherethe royalties previously paid by the broadcaster get dispersed.There are no costs associated with cue sheets, however mostRoyalty Free music libraries require that cue sheets be properlyfilled out when the music is for broadcast use. A cue sheet ismerely a paper trail to ensure writers get paid what is due tothem out of the money that has been previously paid by thetelevision stations and broadcasting entities.
To summarize, a Royalty Free License means that you do notcontinually pay a ¡°synchronization royalty¡± each time you use agiven piece of music. You pay only one time. It does NOT meanthat a writer is forfeiting the performance royalty, orbroadcast royalty, due him when his music is aired. This royaltyhas already been paid by the broadcaster and should be dispersedappropriately through the filling out and submission of cuesheets.
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