Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    
    Most composers copyright their original material. Since there
    is no 'compenstation' stated here, I assume that the composer OWNS
    the music, and not DEC. But this is a legal issue.
    
    The question of who 'owns' the material depends on an agreement,
    low budget or otherwise.
    
    You might want to offer a token sum for performance rights to
    a piece that someone writes (or has written) on their own time.
        
    Say Channel 7 hears this theme and wants to BUY it. Now...who's
    is it? DEC's? Yours? Theirs? Ours?
        
    Then again, Im sure there are folks out there for which this
    aspect isnt a priority...the "opportunity" just to get a cassette
    to you is just as important to 'em. I can understand this.
    
    So fellow commusic'ers...where do you sit?
    
    ron
    
    

    I wouldn't do it.  You should buy a record of production music.  it
    won't kill you.
    Cable access stations can afford.
    Tom

    I've been looking at the patent agreement recently, and a similar
    arangement could work here.  If you invent something and Digital does
    not insist you transfer the patent to them, you keep the patent rights
    to do with as you wish.  BUT, Digital gets a royalty-free licence to
    use it.  For those concerned about this, something could probably be
    worked out.
    
    Any questions along these lines I will pass on to the people running
    this project.  My involvement is small, and I am acting as go-between
    here because I speak both "languages".

    You might give a listen to the old Commusic tapes.  Anything of
    interest and you could make contact.  I would imagine most participants
    would be happy to cut a $0.05 deal.  Heck, some of us would pay to have
    folks listen to our music.  (The rest of us are in it for the big bucks, 
    of course.)
    
    Steve

    I got slightly involved with this kind of thing many years ago. I found
    out that the usual way it was done was to have a record of various
    types of music. If you wanted say... "busy" music there would be a cut
    with an appropriate title and style.
    
    When you decided to use some of the music in your film or whatever the
    charge was based on the number of "drops", as in how many times you
    "dropped" the needle of the record player to use the music. I am
    reaching way back but I think the charge was $50 per "drop". 
    
    In the context of MIDI and taped music, it wouldn't be hard to figure
    out an equivalent pricing scheme. All rights remain with the composer,
    he/she is merely selling an exclusive licence to use all or part of a 
    piece of music.
    
    
    Mark

    
    
    
    
                         So, how much music do you need?   1 minute/
    
                              10? 20? 60? 1000?
    
                                           
                         Do you want something generic or do you want
                         it taylored to your program?
    
    
                                                   send mail
    
    
                                                        Chris

    10 and 20 second "buttons", and 2-minute show themes.  A button is
    a musical punctuation mark between program sections.  Listen to
    All Things Considered or Morning Edition on NPR to see how they are
    used.

    
    Should be a piece of cake, I just wrote the theme to a radioseries for
    a voluntary hospital station,it took me less than a day. but who would
    record it? I mean; I live in Holland
    
    Bernd.
    

    We can proably find some people who can read music on this side of the
    ocean. :)   I can transcribe sheet music (if that is how you work) into
    MIDI files.  Then we just need to find someone with reasonable SGUs
    and effects, and a sequencer, to tweak it and record it.  (my
    effectless TX81Z is probably not sufficient for anything but an
    audition tape.)
    
    I met with the organizers of this project yesterday.  The purchase req
    for the studio equipment is sitting on the final desk for approval. 
    The guy whose group is paying for it said "it will be signed - it is
    just a question of when".  They are going for low-end professional
    gear, which is still expensive enough to make your jaw drop.  I mean,
    isn't $4500 for an 8 channel stereo mixer with no EQ or effects loops a
    bit on the high side?  Built like the proverbial tank, apparantly.
    
    At the meeting they decided to spring for one open-reel tape machine to
    record all the live programs.  (Another $2000 or so - no Teac stuff
    here.  They want an Otari.)  I'll be able to make dubs off that to send
    samples to anyone who contributes, so you can hear people talking over
    your music. :)  That, and acknowledgement, is the only thing in it for
    contributors.  Just like volunteering at your local public radio
    station.
    
    This project makes constant training and information updates a regular
    part of everyone's work experience.  They are remodeling the space of
    about three offices into the studio and storage space, all to serve a
    group of around 100 people.   I wonder how well it would work in
    monster facilities like ZKO.

    A tip on doing buttons:  you don't have to write a 10- or 20-second
    thing from scratch.  It can be lifted out of a longer piece.
    
    Send manuscripts or tapes to
    	Paul Dickson
    	ZKO2-3/R56
    
    I hope the tapes get through the mail room.  This *is* work related.

    OK then, tell me specifficaly (rememeber, you gotta be speciffic to be
    teriffic) what you want, a main tune? background music? What we call in
    dutch "musical wall paper" (It's just there, while nobody pays
    attention)? what style, rock, jazz, easy listening, folk? with or
    without rhythm? What is it exactly for? how long? little pieces or one
    biggy? If you havve information, you can also send it to 
    HLFS00::TIMA_240632. Don't send it to where this comes from, it's a
    branch-wide acount.
    
    Bernd
    

    This is basically news programming.  What is needed is theme music
    for such programs.  Talk shows, prerecorded interviews, etc.  Credits
    will be read over the theme music at the end of some shows.  Any style
    is ok, keeping in mind that this is for industrial purposes, not
    winning Grammy awards.  No screaming guitars.
    
    A typical radio theme is 2 to 3 minutes long.  Can have A and B parts,
    etc, but you don't have time for a lot of development.
    
    "Buttons", 10 or 20 second snips used as punctuation *within* a
    program (like between news segments), can be written from scratch or
    extracted from larger work.
    
    I asked "how much do you want" and they said "how much have you got?"
    So the more the better; it gives them more to pick from.  The programs
    don't even have names yet.  I think they will be running "name the
    program" contests.