Legal and Contracts

OWNERSHIP OF MASTERS 4HISISPERHAPSONEOFTHEMOSTIMPORTANTTHINGSYOUNEEDTOBEAWAREOF)T MAYWELLSEEMOBVIOUSTOYOUBUTYOUNEEDTOKNOWTHATBYDOINGTHEREMIX ANDASSUMINGITISACCEPTEDBYTHECLIENT YOUARETRANSFERRINGTHEFULLRIGHTSOF THESOUNDRECORDINGOFYOURREMIXTOTHECLIENT7HATTHATMEANSINREALTERMS

ISTHATTHEFULLREMIXANDALLCOMPONENTPARTSINCLUDINGANYRECORDINGSOFLIVE INSTRUMENTSAREOWNEDBY THECLIENTAND THEYHAVE THE RIGHT TOUSE THEMAS THEYWISHWITHOUT EXCEPTION AND INPERPETUITY MEANING FOREVER )T IS ALSO COMMON TOHAVE A CLAUSE IN THE AGREEMENT THAT ALSO STATES THAT THE CLIENT IS UNDERNOOBLIGATIONTOACTUALLYUSE THE REMIXYOUHAVEPROVIDED4HISMIGHT SEEMCOUNTER INTUITIVEIFTHEYHAVEACTUALLYPAIDYOUFORTHEREMIXBUTTHINGS LIKETHISDOHAPPENFROMTIMETOTIMEANDYOUCANTLETITGETTOYOU)TMIGHT SEEMUNREASONABLE ANDYOUMAY FEEL LIKE THE REMIX YOUHAVE GIVEN THEM IS YOURBESTWORKANDBEKEENFORITTOBEHEARDBUTBYSIGNINGTHEREMIXAGREE MENT IF THIS CLAUSE ISPRESENT YOUAREAGREEING TO THATPOSSIBILITY SO THERE IS NOTHINGYOUCANREALLYDOINTHATSITUATION

!PARTOFTHISSAMECLAUSEMIGHTALSOINCLUDEYOUGIVINGTHECLIENTTHERIGHTTO USE YOURNAME YOURPROFESSIONALNAME AT LEASTWHICHMAYORMAYNOT BE YOURREALNAME YOUR IMAGEORPHOTOANDANYBIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATIONYOU PROVIDETOTHEMINCONNECTIONWITHTHEUSAGEOFYOURREMIX)CANTSEEANYREA SONWHYYOUWOULDNTWANT THISBECAUSEASIDE FROM THElNANCIALBENElTSOF REMIXINGTHESECONDARYˆORPERHAPSPRIMARYDEPENDINGONYOURMOTIVATIONˆ REASONFORDOINGTHESEREMIXESISTOPROMOTEYOURSELF.ONETHELESSYOUSHOULD BEAWARE THATYOUAREAGREEING TO THIS SO IF YOUHAVEANY ISSUEWITH THISYOU NEEDTOCHECKANYREMIXAGREEMENTFORTHISCLAUSEANDIFNECESSARYREQUESTTHAT ITBEREMOVED/FCOURSEREQUESTINGDOESNTMEANGETTING

PUBLISHING RIGHTS .ORMALLYIFYOUAREWRITINGYOUROWNMUSICORCONTRIBUTINGTOTHEWRITINGOF APIECEOFMUSICYOUWILL RETAINAPUBLISHING INTEREST IN THEWORK )FYOUARE UNFAMILIARWITH THE CONCEPT OF PUBLISHING PERHAPS THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION ) CANGIVEYOU IS THATYOUGETAPUBLISHING SHAREWHENYOUCONTRIBUTE TO THE writingOFASONGEITHERTHEMUSICALORLYRICALPART 9OUDONTNECESSARILYHAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION RECORDING OR PERFORMANCE BUT OF COURSE ITDOESNTPRECLUDETHATEITHER9OUCOULDFOREXAMPLEWRITESOMELYRICSONA PIECE OF PAPER AND HAND IT TO AMUSIC PRODUCER FRIENDWHICH THEN BECOMES THEBASISOFAHITRECORD9OURINVOLVEMENTWASPURELYWRITINGTHOSEWORDSBUT YOUWOULDBEENTITLEDTOAPUBLISHINGSHAREOFTHERECORD0UBLISHINGINCOME ISNTDERIVEDFROMRECORDSALESORDOWNLOADSALES BUTISBASEDONTHEPERFOR MANCESOFTHESONGEITHERATAMUSICVENUEORBROADCASTINSOMEMANNER

7HEN YOU AREWORKING ON A REMIX IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT YOU COMPLETELY REWRITETHEMUSICALPARTOFTHESONGANDUSENONEOFTHEORIGINALMUSICALPARTS OREVENTHEORIGINALCHORDSEQUENCE)NTHISCASEYOUMIGHTTHINKYOUAREENTI TLEDTOASHAREOFTHEPUBLISHINGSADLY)HAVEYETTOCOMEACROSSAREMIXAGREE MENTTHATALLOCATESASHAREOFPUBLISHINGEVENApro rataSHARE TOTHEREMIXER 4HERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CLAUSE IN THE AGREEMENT THAT STATES THAT THE REMIXER RELINQUISHESALLCLAIMSTOTHEPUBLISHINGRIGHTSOFTHEMASTERS4HEREHAVEBEEN MANYOCCASIONSINTHEPASTWHEREAREMIXHASACTUALLYBECOMETHEMOSTPOPU LARVERSIONOFASONGANDHASINFACTMADETHESONGAHIT)NTHATINSTANCEYOU

MIGHTFEELLIKEYOUSHOULDBEENTITLEDTOASHAREOFTHEPUBLISHINGANDPERHAPS ONAMORALLEVELATLEASTYOUMIGHTBEBUTAGAINTHISCLAUSEISSTANDARDSOEVEN INTHEABSENCEOFAREMIXAGREEMENT)THINKITWOULDBEVERYHARDTODISPUTETHIS hSTANDARDPRACTICEvTERM

PAYMENT 3ONOWFOR THEONEMOSTPEOPLEWILLBEMOST INTERESTED INPAYMENT4HIS IS ACTUALLYQUITE STRAIGHTFORWARD INMOST CASES )WOULD SAY THAT A VASTMAJORITY OFREMIXESAREONAhmATFEEvBASISWHICHMEANSTHATYOUGETPAIDASINGLEFEE FORTHEREMIXWITHNOFURTHERPAYMENTSORROYALTIESINTHEFUTURE,IKESOMANY THINGSINTHEMUSICBUSINESSTHEREWILLBETIMESWHENYOUMIGHTBEASKEDTO DOAREMIXFORAPERCENTAGEOFPROlTSFORASMALLERlXEDFEEANDAROYALTYLATER ON )N FACT THEREAREMANYPOSSIBLEOPTIONSBUT THESE TEND TOHAPPENMORE WHENYOUAREDEALINGWITHEITHERAMUCHSMALLERLABELORDIRECTLYWITHTHEART ISTHERSELF"IGGERLABELSTENDTOSTICKWITHTHEhmATFEEvBASIS

4HERE ISONEOTHER THING TO LOOKOUT FORORPOSSIBLY EVEN FOR YOU TO REQUEST WHICH IS THE PROVISION OF A SMALL ROYALTY PAYABLE IN THE EVENT YOUR REMIX BECOMESTHEhLEADMIXv!S)MENTIONEDJUSTNOWITHAPPENSQUITEOFTENTHAT A REMIX BECOMES THE VERSION OF A TRACK THAT IS THEMOST POPULAR WHICH GETS ALLOFTHERADIOPLAYANDWHICHULTIMATELYISTHEREASONFORTHESUCCESSOFTHE RECORD!GOODEXAMPLEOF THIS IS THE4ODD4ERRY REMIXOF%VERYTHING"UT4HE 'IRLSh-ISSINGvWHICHISPROBABLYTHEVERSIONOFTHESONGMOSTPEOPLEASSUME ISTHEORIGINALVERSIONBUTISINFACTAREMIX4HISISWHAT)MEANBYhLEADMIXv )NTHAT INSTANCEITDOESSOMETIMESHAPPENTHATASMALLROYALTY ISPAYABLEBUT lRSTTHATISINCREASINGLYRAREANDSECONDYOUHAVETHEBURDENOFPROOFWHENIT COMESTODElNINGhLEADMIXvANDESTABLISHINGTHATYOURREMIXWASINFACTJUST THAT)FWEARETALKINGABOUTARECORDTHATBECOMESAHUGEHITIFYOUHAVETHAT CLAUSEINTHEREMIXAGREEMENTITISDElNITELYWORTHPURSUING

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER 7HILE THOSE ARE THEMAIN THINGS TO LOOKOUT FOR IN A REMIX AGREEMENT THERE AREOTHERTHINGSYOUNEEDTOBEAWAREOFTHATMIGHTCATCHYOUOUTIFYOURENOT PAYINGATTENTION/NETHAT)HAVEOFTENCOMEACROSSRELATESTOEXACTLYWHATTHE LABELISEXPECTINGYOUTOPROVIDETOTHEM4HEREMAYBEACLAUSEINTHEAGREE MENTTHATSPECIlESTHATTHECLIENTREQUIRESANYORALLOFTHEFOLLOWINGCLUBMIX EXTENDEDMIX DUBMIX RADIO EDIT 46 EDITMIXSHOW EDIT INSTRUMENTAL AND ACAPPELLA)NADDITIONITMAYSPECIFYINTHEREMIXAGREEMENTTHATYOUHAVETO PROVIDESTEMSWHICHCANBEAPAINSTAKINGANDTIME CONSUMINGJOBINITSELFIF YOU ARE REQUIRED TOPROVIDE SEPARATE STEMS FOR EACH VERSIONOF THE REMIX YOU COMPLETED"UTIFTHATISWHATTHEREMIXAGREEMENTSPECIlESTHENTHATISWHAT YOUHAVE TOPROVIDE4HEDIFlCULT THING IS THATYOUWILLNORMALLYBEPROVIDED WITHA REMIXAGREEMENTONLYONCE THE REMIXHASBEENACCEPTEDBY THECLIENT ATWHICHPOINTITISREALLYTOOLATETOARGUEANDTHEONLYCHOICEYOUHAVEISTO EITHERDO THE hEXTRAvWORKANDGETPAIDOR GIVEUPONALL THEWORKYOUHAVE

ALREADYDONE&ORTHEMOSTPARTITISPRETTYSTANDARDTOBEEXPECTEDTOPROVIDEA CLUBMIXDUBMIXANDRADIOEDITANDINSTRUMENTALANDACAPPELLAVERSIONSARE FAIRLYEASYTORUNOFFSOTHATSHOULDNTTAKEUPTOOMUCHEXTRATIME4HEONLY THING)WOULDTRYTOAVOIDISHAVINGTOPROVIDESTEMS%VENIFTHEREISACLAUSEIN THEREMIXAGREEMENTTHATSTATESTHATYOUWONTALWAYSBEASKEDTOPROVIDETHEM IFTHECLAUSEEXISTSTHECLIENTHASARIGHTTOASK

!NOTHER COMMON CLAUSE IN MORE IN DEPTH REMIX AGREEMENTS IS ONE THAT INDEMNIlES THE CLIENT AGAINST ANY POTENTIAL LEGAL ACTION BY STATING THAT YOU HAVENOTUSEDANYSAMPLESINYOURREMIX4HEDElNITIONOFhSAMPLESvINTHIS CONTEXTISUNAUTHORIZEDUSAGEOFANOTHERMUSICALWORKINWHOLEORINPARTIT doesn’tMEANSSAMPLESINTHESENSEOFTHOSEINCLUDEDONASAMPLE#$ORCOL LECTIONOR SIMILARˆUNLESS THE LICENSEAGREEMENTOF THE SAMPLE#$COLLECTION SPECIlES THAT YOUNEED TO GETPERMISSIONBEFOREUSINGANYOF THE SAMPLES IN ANYCOMMERCIALRECORDING)TISINCREDIBLYRAREBUTBELIEVEITORNOTOCCASION ALLY THE ODD ONE CROPS UP THAT REQUIRES YOU TO GET PERMISSION !NY ORIGINAL RECORDINGSSTEMSORSINGLEPARTS PROVIDEDBYTHELABELAREOFCOURSEUSABLE)F YOUDIDWANTTOUSEASAMPLEFROMANOTHERPIECEOFMUSICITWOULDBEDOWN TOYOUTOGETALLTHEREQUIREDPERMISSIONSANDAUTHORIZATIONSANDPROVIDETHESE TOTHECLIENTpriorTOTHEMACCEPTINGTHEREMIX

!NOTHER COMMON INCLUSION IS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CREDIT FOR YOURWORK 4HIS IS WHERE YOU CAN REQUEST A WRITTEN CREDIT ALONG THE LINES OF h2EMIX AND ADDI TIONAL PRODUCTION BY 3IMON ,ANGFORDv 4HISMIGHT SEEM OBVIOUS BECAUSE YOUR NAMEORTHENAMEOFTHEPROJECTYOUAREWORKINGUNDER WILLALREADYBEONTHE REMIX ANYWAY BUT YOU CAN ALSO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED SUCHASh2EMIXANDADDITIONALPRODUCTIONBY3OUL3EEKERZWWWMYSPACECOM SOULSEEKERZMUSIC vORYOUMAYWISHTOINCLUDEANEMAILADDRESSORAS)USUALLY DOMYMANAGERS CONTACT INFORMATION $ONT GET TOO CARRIED AWAY BECAUSE THE LABEL PROBABLY WONT INCLUDE AN ESSAY LENGTH CREDIT IF YOUWRITE ONE !LSO YOU SHOULDKNOWTHATUSUALLYTHECLAUSEINCLUDESAhGETOUTvFORTHELABELWHICHSTATES THATTHEYONLYHAVETOUSEhREASONABLEENDEAVORSvTOINCLUDEIT!NDlNALLYWITH ANINCREASINGPROPORTIONOFSALESBEINGINTHEFORMOFDIGITALDOWNLOADSTHEDAYS OFHAVINGACREDIT INCLUDEDONTHESLEEVEORDISC ITSELFARENUMBERED4HEACTUAL INFORMATIONINCLUDEDONADIGITALDOWNLOADCANVARYFROMPROVIDERTOPROVIDER ANDTHISMEANSTHEREISNOGUARANTEETHATEVENIFTHELABELDOESITSBESTTOINCLUDE YOURCREDITTHEDOWNLOADPROVIDERWILLACTUALLYDOSO4HEREISALSOTHEOPTIONOF INCLUDINGYOURCREDIT IN THEMETADATA FOR THE-0BUTAGAIN THAT ISVERYMUCH DEPENDENTONBOTH THEDOWNLOADPROVIDERand THE LABEL DOING EVERYTHING THEY SHOULDINTHEWAYTHEYSHOULDANDISFARFROMGUARANTEED

3OME CONTRACTS WILL STIPULATE THAT YOU SHOULD SEEK LEGAL ADVICE BEFORE SIGN INGTHEAGREEMENTANDINTHEORY)WOULDHAVETOAGREE"UTTHEREALITYOFTHE SITUATION IS THAT THECOSTOF SEEKING LEGALADVICECOULDEATUPA LARGEPERCENT AGEOFTHEACTUALREMIXFEESOMOSTREMIXERSSIMPLYDONTBOTHER-ANYOFTHE REMIX AGREEMENTS ) HAVEBEEN SENT AREWORDED ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AND )WOULDNTBESURPRISEDIFTHEYWEREALLBASEDONSOMEKINDOFPUBLICDOMAIN hPROFORMAvAGREEMENTAVAILABLESOMEWHERE!FTERYOUHAVESEENQUITEA FEW

OF THEMYOUGETUSED TO LOOKINGOVER THEMYOURSELF FOR THEMOST IMPORTANT POINTSYOUAREEXPECTINGTOSEE)AMOBLIGEDTOTELLYOUTHATTHISISNOTASUBSTI TUTEFORPROFESSIONALLEGALADVICECLEARLYBUT)ALSOFEELOBLIGEDTOLETYOUKNOW THEREALITYOFTHESITUATIONFORMYSELFANDFORMOSTOFTHEREMIXERS)KNOW

SOME ODDITIES )FYOUEVERTAKETHETIMETOFULLYREADTHEREMIXAGREEMENTSYOUARESENTAND YOUSHOULDOFCOURSETHEREMIGHTBEAFEWEYE OPENINGMOMENTSFROMTIMETO TIME/NETHAT)CAMEACROSSRECENTLYWASACLAUSETHATSTATEDTHATTHEMASTERS OFTHEREMIXHADTOBEDELIVEREDBYHANDTOTHE!2$IRECTORORHISEQUIVA LENT ATTHEMAINOFlCEOFTHECOMPANY/FCOURSE)DIDNTACTUALLYDOTHISAND )WASNTASKEDTOBUTTHEFACTREMAINSTHAT)COULDINTHEORYHAVEBEENASKED TODOJUSTTHATAND)WOULDNTHAVEHADANYGROUNDSTOARGUEGIVENTHAT)HAD SIGNED THE REMIXAGREEMENT3IMILARLY )HAVEALSOSEENACLAUSE THAT REQUESTS THEMASTERSBEDELIVEREDON TAPE TO THE LABEL ) IMAGINE THIS ISPROBABLY JUST THERESULTOFARATHEROLDREMIXAGREEMENTTHATHASNTBEENUPDATEDINAWHILE AS ) DOUBT VERYMANY REMIXERSWOULD EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO A REEL TO REEL TAPE RECORDER)NTHEEVENTTHATYOUDOSEESOMETHINGLIKETHISINAREMIXAGREEMENT THECHANCESARETHATYOUWONTACTUALLYBEREQUIREDTODOIT"UTIFYOUAREIN ANYDOUBTATALLGIVETHECLIENTACALLORSENDTHEMANEMAILTODOUBLECHECK

SUMMARY ) KNOW IT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE WE HAVE COVERED A LOT OF THINGS HERE BUT THESE REALLY ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL POINTS OFMOST OF THE REMIXING AGREEMENTS )HAVECOMEACROSS4HEBIGGESTDIFFERENCEBETWEENTHESIMPLERANDMORECONCISE AGREEMENTS AND THE LONGER AGREEMENTS IS PURELY ONEOF OBFUSCATIONDESIGNED TOMAKE THINGS UNNECESSARILY COMPLEX 4HE LONGER ONES SERVE NO PURPOSE AS WHENYOUlNALLYMANAGETOlGUREOUTWHATISBEINGSAID IT ISASIMPLEPOINT THATPROBABLYCOULDHAVEBEENMADEINAMUCHMORECONCISEWAY!DDITIONALLY SOMEREMIXAGREEMENTSWILLEXPECTYOUTOPROVIDEADDITIONALINFORMATIONSUCH ASNAMESOFPRODUCERSREMIXERSINVOLVEDADDRESSESOFSTUDIOSWHERETHEREMIX TOOKPLACEANDOTHERSIMILARKINDSOFTHING7HILE)DONTBELIEVETHISISTRULY NECESSARY IT CERTAINLY DOESNT DO ANY HARM ) ONLY GET THAT REQUEST ON REMIX AGREEMENTSFROMONEMAJORCLIENTANDTHEINFORMATIONREQUESTEDISTHESAME EACHTIMESO)HAVETHATPARTICULARhAPPENDIXvSTOREDASA0$&lLEONMYCOM PUTERWHICH)SIMPLYPRINTOUTWHENEVER)GETAREMIXAGREEMENTFROMTHEM

)N TERMSOF LEGALANDCONTRACTUAL ISSUES THE LIFEOFA REMIX IS CERTAINLYMUCH SIMPLERTHANTHATOFANORIGINALSONGBECAUSETHEPAPERWORKINVOLVEDISMUCH SIMPLER ANDMUCH LESS CONVOLUTED "UT ITMIGHT PAY YOU TO GET YOUR LAWYER TOHAVEALOOKOVERONEOFTHEMOREINVOLVEDREMIXAGREEMENTSANDTAKETHE TIMETOEXPLAINEVERYTHINGTOYOUINLAYMANSTERMSIFYOUAREHAVINGDIFlCULTY UNDERSTANDINGANYTHING!S)SAIDTHEYAREFORTHEMOSTPARTLARGELYSIMILARSO IFYOUCANGETYOURHEADAROUNDONETHENMOSTOFTHEOTHERSWILLSEEMMORE INTELLIGIBLE