Production Music

I currently do not own any production music libraries and recently I'm getting more and more freelance work, so I have a couple questions.

1. What's the rule of thumb - Do you charge clients for the production music you use? Or is that "charge" usually part of your rate/budget that you've worked out beforehand?

2. Can someone recommend any music libraries out there? In the past I've used Extreme Music but I know they're a bit pricey.

Thanks!

>Do you charge clients for the production music you use?

Yes...absolutely. Because you have to pay to secure the rights to them. That is a cost that is part of the production, therefore it is something the client pays for.

>Or is that "charge" usually part of your rate/budget that you've worked out beforehand?

Your "rate" is how much you charge for your services. How much time you put into a project. That is part of the Rate. But additional costs like graphics, music, background plates, sound effects...that is something you pass onto the client. Those are separate expenses.

>2. Can someone recommend any music libraries out there?

Extreme Music is more the norm, but there are lower rate places to be found. www.sounddogs.com is the place I go for low cost. Mind you, the quality of the music generally matches the price. Low price, low quality. But you might find a gem out there.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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I've always found APM Music to be very easy to work with when negotiating rights. Their fees are reasonable, and their reps understand the difference between a nationwide spot that'll run for a year and a one-time-airing of a PSA. One of only two downsides I've found is that their library is effing huge, so I had to set aside a chunk of time, sometimes a whole day or more, to find the right track.

The other downside is this: APM is popular. Which means there's a very good chance if you thought one of their tracks was cool, somebody else has too. On two separate occasions I've heard needledrop tracks from shows I've cut used in other productions. Most recently, a track I used about 18 months ago has showed up in a series of Toyota spots. The other time was much worse; a snippet I used in a spot I'd delivered that day I heard under a "next week on" promo at the end of "American Idol" the same night. Rotten luck, that was. Ended up having to replace the music, because something like fifteen million people had heard it already.

Other than that pitfall, though, I recommend APM. They're a heck of a lot more economical and convenient than trying to get something licensed from ES Posthumus or a similar group.

Yes, the client is responsible for music costs - otherwise you might find yourself spending up in the tens of thousands for some clients and almost nothing for others. They decide the level and cost, and pay for it.

The FAQ has a list of a bunch of places to check out, although of course it's not exhaustive : [www.lafcpug.org]

Most studios charge for music licensing, but, of course, it's up to you.

Music libraries charge, generally, by three different methods

(1) "Needle drop" where there is a charge for each cut of music, and/or the length of music in the production.

(2) Annual "Blanket License". The studio or production company pays an annual fee which allows any amount of use of any cuts in the entire library.

(3) Buyout, where a studio or production company is charged once, and the purchaser is given a "lifetime" license to use the music.

For all three methods, the studio or production company is allowed to effectively resell the music rights to the final customer.

Many studios pay the blanket license fee, then charge their customers what would have been the "needle-drop" fee for the music. That's kind of an industry standard.

I know several audio studios who have buyout libraries, and they still charge for each track used.

Pricing can range from free to tens-of-thousands of dollars. In general, you get what you pay for.

Travis
VoiceOver Guy and Entertainment Technology Enthusiast
[www.VOTalent.com]

Thanks for the input!

Studio Cutz has a wide selection. We have licensed over 40 CDs for use.