I have just finished a music composition titled: "Night's Battle." I am proud of my hard work of course, and after seeing August Rush I was wondering how the music written by composer is published? How much does it cost, and what is the net and gross pay?
The piece is orchestral, and I need to be able to copyright it for this year! You will need to get it played and a demo recording made. Then send the demo and score to a publisher that publishes the style or genre of music you have written. Then you wait to see if it is accepted.
When accepted you sign a contract and the royalty rate can vary but normally is 10% of retail. You will also be expected to supply a set of parts and a full score at this time.
EDIT: I can only speak to my experience with publishers of orchestra, band and choir music in the US but most of them would prefer to have an acoustical performance rather than a midi-realization. I use Finale for the score and parts, but I always submit with a live recording.
Also, if you send your music to an established music company (G. Schirmer , Hal Leonard , Warner Bros., etc.) you probably don't have to worry with copyrighting it. Hey, they are going to keep 90% anyway, why worry with the remaining 10% and risk a lawsuit? If you self publish you have to take into consideration printing, packaging, advertising and distribution problems and costs.
Musician, published composer, director. First of all congratulations on your composition.
As Bearcat already stated, you need a demo, there are however cheaper ways to make it. All major music writing programs (Finale, Sibelius) include the option to record a demo using Midi and Samples. It can be a bit of hard work to make it sound really good, but its definitively cheaper than having it played and recorded.
I don't know where you come from, but here in the Netherlands, you van take your Original score to your local Tax office and have Stamp the date on it. You can allways prove then that on date xx-xx-xxxx the piece, written by you existed.
There is an online publisher, called noteheads, you can put your score on their server and they will sell it.
Basically it doesn't have to cost you anything. But if you pay them, the share ratio is far better. Look at www.noteheads.com
Even if it isn't a major, well known publisher, you can allways put it on their server without loosing your rights.
Unfortunately, the company isn't very active, so you should decide for yourselves whether it's an option or not.
Btw, they used to make a wonderfull a wonderfull score writer called Igor Engraver. Unfortunately that project is allmost dead. Congratulations!
As a rule, nothing leaves my desk without a copyright.
You can download the necessary forms from: www.copyright.gov. or (202) 707-9100.
Good luck. |
