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Well, I filled out the form, didn't get anything back from them yet.

It's free to join for songwriters. Figure it couldn't hurt to get my songs "BMI-ed", not that I expect any monetary payouts.
Question, though: what about 'publishing'? I know a lot of songwriters create their own publishing company, but do songs need to be published? It costs $150 to register a publishing company with BMI, so I'm not doing that!

You don't need to be a publishing company co. to get the "publisher's share" ... just set the "writer's share" for 200% when you register a song. You can set it differently for each song.

VinnyViolin wrote:You don't need to be a publishing company co. to get the "publisher's share" ... just set the "writer's share" for 200% when you register a song. You can set it differently for each song.

What about 250%?

I will see your 250% and raise to 300% !

Just send your money to my paypal!

If you put out a CD and play at a venue that hasn't paid their BMI and ASCAP fee, then as a BMI member can you "legally" perform your own material at that venue? That's almost the position we're in. We're gigging at such a venue and have two recording artists siting in wth us. I know one isn't a BMI or ASCAP member but I'm not sure about the other guy. Maybe I better ask...Could be a weird situation...Performing your own originals and the bar is visited by a sniveling little attorney who turns the barowner in to BMI or ASCAP because a BMI or ASCAP member is performing his own tunes there. Now THAT would be just my luck....

fisherman bob wrote:If you put out a CD and play at a venue that hasn't paid their BMI and ASCAP fee, then as a BMI member can you "legally" perform your own material at that venue? That's almost the position we're in. We're gigging at such a venue and have two recording artists siting in wth us. I know one isn't a BMI or ASCAP member but I'm not sure about the other guy. Maybe I better ask...Could be a weird situation...Performing your own originals and the bar is visited by a sniveling little attorney who turns the barowner in to BMI or ASCAP because a BMI or ASCAP member is performing his own tunes there. Now THAT would be just my luck....

If you see an attorney at the bar here is what you need to do to intercept any and all POSSIBLE grief.

1) Send him strong drinks (Anonymously)
2) Call Up a a very hot chick and pay her to seduce him at the bar... (Preferably a well dressed hooker)
3) Get Pictures.

Blackmail his spineless ass:

PaperDog wrote:

fisherman bob wrote:If you put out a CD and play at a venue that hasn't paid their BMI and ASCAP fee, then as a BMI member can you "legally" perform your own material at that venue? That's almost the position we're in. We're gigging at such a venue and have two recording artists siting in wth us. I know one isn't a BMI or ASCAP member but I'm not sure about the other guy. Maybe I better ask...Could be a weird situation...Performing your own originals and the bar is visited by a sniveling little attorney who turns the barowner in to BMI or ASCAP because a BMI or ASCAP member is performing his own tunes there. Now THAT would be just my luck....

If you see an attorney at the bar here is what you need to do to intercept any and all POSSIBLE grief.

1) Send him strong drinks (Anonymously)
2) Call Up a a very hot chick and pay her to seduce him at the bar... (Preferably a well dressed hooker)
3) Get Pictures.

Blackmail his spineless ass:

. All well and good, but the venue will still get fined, and the attorney will have fun at my expense. Not a wise plan. If the sax player I recruited is a member of BMI or ASCAP we won't do any of his originals. WEIRD situation to be in...

fisherman bob wrote:

PaperDog wrote:

fisherman bob wrote:If you put out a CD and play at a venue that hasn't paid their BMI and ASCAP fee, then as a BMI member can you "legally" perform your own material at that venue? That's almost the position we're in. We're gigging at such a venue and have two recording artists siting in wth us. I know one isn't a BMI or ASCAP member but I'm not sure about the other guy. Maybe I better ask...Could be a weird situation...Performing your own originals and the bar is visited by a sniveling little attorney who turns the barowner in to BMI or ASCAP because a BMI or ASCAP member is performing his own tunes there. Now THAT would be just my luck....

If you see an attorney at the bar here is what you need to do to intercept any and all POSSIBLE grief.

1) Send him strong drinks (Anonymously)
2) Call Up a a very hot chick and pay her to seduce him at the bar... (Preferably a well dressed hooker)
3) Get Pictures.

Blackmail his spineless ass:

. All well and good, but the venue will still get fined, and the attorney will have fun at my expense. Not a wise plan. If the sax player I recruited is a member of BMI or ASCAP we won't do any of his originals. WEIRD situation to be in...

Did you miss the part about leverage with dirty pictures? There is no attorney in the world that will risk that kind of publicity. to be caught slumming like that (a: A prostitute, B: Intoxication, ) is a virtual death sentance to his career. Pictures don't lie...and his credibility goes in the toilet. That's all the bargaining power you need to get that guy to find a different project. The trick is to set him up in away that he wouldn't suspect. Vanity is the best weapon to use against legal professionals... (They starve for power)

fisherman bob wrote:All well and good, but the venue will still get fined, and the attorney will have fun at my expense. Not a wise plan. If the sax player I recruited is a member of BMI or ASCAP we won't do any of his originals. WEIRD situation to be in...

Bob, if that venue is earning an income by using music a songwriter wrote, and an artist recorded, then what's the problem with that venue paying for a license to do that?

It's not a prohibitive amount. If they think it is, they can just turn off the music and see how long people will hang out.

OR they can find someone that owns their own music (originals) and pay them to play. I think its a win/win for songwriters.

Who cares what cheapskate club owner think if they don't want to pay musicians?




.

fisherman bob wrote:If you put out a CD and play at a venue that hasn't paid their BMI and ASCAP fee, then as a BMI member can you "legally" perform your own material at that venue? That's almost the position we're in. We're gigging at such a venue and have two recording artists siting in wth us. I know one isn't a BMI or ASCAP member but I'm not sure about the other guy. Maybe I better ask...Could be a weird situation...Performing your own originals and the bar is visited by a sniveling little attorney who turns the barowner in to BMI or ASCAP because a BMI or ASCAP member is performing his own tunes there. Now THAT would be just my luck....

As far as the bar owner paying fees .. unless all the bands there play 100% un-released originals and public domain songs, the bar would much more likely get busted for not already paying the fees for all of the cover tunes bands play.

BMI or ASCAP collects and will send your friend his royalties, and Freddie King, Willie Dixon and all's estates will get their's.
Unless someone cheats them out of it!

Even if you are a BMI/ASCAP member, you still need to register each song. Not sure what happens if you perform songs not (yet) registered.
There are a few venues around here that say 'originals only' (I haven't played any). I assume they have not paid for licenses. So if I perform my (registered) songs, they would not know I'm BMI-registered until BMI gave them a call? How likely is that to happen? Do BMI and ASCAP really have a network of people checking out venues to see if their registered clients are playing at unlicensed places?

GuitarMikeB wrote:Even if you are a BMI/ASCAP member, you still need to register each song. Not sure what happens if you perform songs not (yet) registered.
There are a few venues around here that say 'originals only' (I haven't played any). I assume they have not paid for licenses. So if I perform my (registered) songs, they would not know I'm BMI-registered until BMI gave them a call? How likely is that to happen? Do BMI and ASCAP really have a network of people checking out venues to see if their registered clients are playing at unlicensed places?

BMI does nothing until you register the song with them. If you send them documentation of venues where you have played your registered songs, then they will collect and send you your royalties. They do employ people to check venues for compliance, similar to the way the musician's union used to do. They don't care where you play though.

That's interesting Vinnie - I assume you can only collect royalties for songs AFTER they have been registered (I have been playing some of my songs for years). I'm guessing the actual royalties are pennies, but its encouraging to start doing more originals when I play out.

Still haven't got any membership info back from BMI, not sure how long it takes them to process the application.

yod wrote:

fisherman bob wrote:All well and good, but the venue will still get fined, and the attorney will have fun at my expense. Not a wise plan. If the sax player I recruited is a member of BMI or ASCAP we won't do any of his originals. WEIRD situation to be in...

Bob, if that venue is earning an income by using music a songwriter wrote, and an artist recorded, then what's the problem with that venue paying for a license to do that?

It's not a prohibitive amount. If they think it is, they can just turn off the music and see how long people will hang out.

OR they can find someone that owns their own music (originals) and pay them to play. I think its a win/win for songwriters.

Who cares what cheapskate club owner think if they don't want to pay musicians?

.

Ted, In an Ideal situation , you are correct... But there is a whole different enchilada with lawyers and such , who try to make a living by slamming venues, or chasing ambulances an such (My understanding is that BMI and ASCAP has to outsource its field investigators to get anything done) You can see where a mean spirited system emerges. I'm just guessing...