Posts Tagged ‘license’

What’s The New Normal In Contract Practice?

Thursday, March 20th, 2014

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: What’s the new “normal” in reviewing and exchanging contracts? We are receiving an increasing number of contracts that had been issued as PDF files coming back as word files or even revised PDF files which means I have to read every single line of the agreement […]

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What Do You Mean I Need To PAY For Music?

Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Greetings, I have recently been contacted by ASCAP asking for fees based on music played by live musicians. Are we required to pay if we do not pay the musicians? Any musician who plays at the location is not compensated for their efforts. Is anyone else who works at or […]

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A “Thank-You” Note Is Not The Same As A License

Thursday, November 21st, 2013

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: I was wondering if I have my own blog and post a music video from iTunes in the blog, giving full credit to the musician, including the musician’s original link, would this be legal? And can you please specify on what full credit means.  Further, if […]

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Licensing May Not Be Music To Your Ears

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: Since ASCAP does not cover dance or theatrical performances, how does a dance group go about getting the appropriate permissions/ copyright releases needed for their performance? Another word for “permission” or “copyright release” is “license.” Dance performances, like theatrical performances such as opera or theater, as […]

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Using Existing Recordings–Not So Fast!

Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: A few weeks ago you wrote a great article about how to obtain a mechanical license when someone wants to record music. But what about using a recording that already exists? We would like to promote an upcoming concert at our venue by putting some recordings […]

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The Mechanics of Mechanical Licenses

Wednesday, March 6th, 2013

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: Does all music (if not in public domain) require a mechanical license to be recorded? I don’t quite understand when it is needed and when a person could pay a statutory fee and move forward without permission. Yes, anytime you want to make an audio recording […]

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Dad, May I Borrow the Car?

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: May we borrow music for an orchestral performance from another organization that purchased this music, but is currently not using it? When you write that the other organization “purchased this music”, do you mean that they actually purchased all performance rights to the music or merely […]

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Ask, and Ye “May” Receive…or Not

Wednesday, January 9th, 2013

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder, I am a music professor at a medium-sized state college. We have two questions with regard to live streaming some of our concerts and recitals. We, of course, have paid the ASCAP and BMI licenses/fees to cover the rights for live performances. I believe the licensing […]

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Can We Loan Sheet Music?

Wednesday, November 28th, 2012

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: May we loan music that we own for orchestral performances by other non-profit organizations (schools, community orchestras, etc? Would the other group still need to obtain performing/recording permissions? Could we be liable if they don’t? It depends how define “own.” If by “own”, you mean that […]

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Does Original Music Exist Anymore?

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: I have a small venue. All 3 licensing companies are claiming I need to pay them for my karaoke and music that occurs weekly, but the bands that I have sign contracts making sure they only play their original music, nothing copyrighted. These companies have been […]

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