General Music Chat

http://www.songhack.com/blog/everything ... 1924143104


Another good article about how a musician can survive, and even thrive, in today's climate.

Just need to add up all the 'thousandths of a cent' payments!

Checking out that article, I read the following:

Part of our mission is to provide you with "hacks" to get what you want, whether it's something major like signing to a label or something simple yet mysterious like "choosing between ASCAP and BMI."

I already chose BMI, but was curious to read their comparison. So I clicked on the "choosing between ASCAP and BMI." link to read this:

OWN YOUR OWN PUBLISHING Whichever PRO you choose, we strongly advise you to register as both a writer and a publisher. Long story short, the writer and publisher will generally split royalties paid by the PRO 50/50. The writer's share is always half and paid directly to the artist by the PRO, but the publisher's share can be split up between multiple publishers. By default, the songwriter is the publisher but you have to be registered with a PRO as a publisher to collect that half of the royalties. You can also publish your songs with other publishers, and give them 50% of the royalties, or even negotiate a split of that 50% between your publishing company and theirs. ASCAP charges $50 for writer registration, $50 for publisher registration both are one-time fees. BMI has free writer registration, but publisher registration is a $250 one-time fee. WINNER: ASCAP

Having registered as a writer, and having received royalties in some instances, from both the writer and publisher shares, I know that this is incorrect info. With BMI, there are two 100% shares, one for writer, one for publisher. When a publisher registers a tune I sent them, I am paid 100% writer's share direct from BMI, and the publisher is paid the 100% publisher share from BMI. The publisher then splits the publishing share with me as per our contractual agreement. When I register a tune as a writer without listing a publisher, both shares, "200%", are paid directly to me.

I have never paid any fees at all to BMI.

Here is the explanation from the BMI site:

How does BMI split royalties between songwriters and publishers?

One half is designated for the songwriter(s), and the other half is designated for the publisher(s) or copyright holder(s). Learn more about how BMI pays royalties. If you do not have a publisher, you will also receive the publisher's share as a writer.


.... "simple and mysterious" perhaps, but they apparently did not understand what they were talking about here ... a "hack" indeed!

How to make money as a musician:

[img][img]http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm74/sanshouheil/GunsGear.jpg[/img][/img]

Nice pistol!


BMI defines song ownership with splits divided being measured as 100/100, while ASCAP defines the same splits as 50/50. It's really just semantics for the exact same proportions though.






BMI charges a fee to register as a publisher, but not as a writer

ASCAP charges a fee to register as a writer, but not as a publisher

I'm a writer with BMI (free) and a publisher with both.

At least that's what my failing memory says....

BMI defines song ownership with splits divided being measured as 100/100, while ASCAP defines the same splits as 50/50. It's really just semantics for the exact same proportions though.

BMI charges a fee to register as a publisher, but not as a writer

ASCAP charges a fee to register as a writer, but not as a publisher

I'm a writer with BMI (free) and a publisher with both.

At least that's what my failing memory says....

Their "Hack" says "ASCAP charges $50 for writer registration, $50 for publisher registration"

And they are simply wrong that, with BMI, a writer needs to register as a publisher to collect the publishing share when there is no other publisher assigned.
With ASCAP that may be the case, but it is not so with BMI.

Since it is on that basis that they declare ASCAP the "WINNER" ... they are wrong, BMI wins. They made this comparison being ignorant of how BMI works ... it is misinformation.

Their "Hack" says "ASCAP charges $50 for writer registration, $50 for publisher registration"

And that is true: ASCAP is a $50 membership processing fee for either writer or publisher.


Whereas BMI is free for writers, and publishing is $150 (individual) or $250 (partnership)

And they are simply wrong that a writer needs to register as a publisher to collect the publishing share when there is no publisher assigned.
With ASCAP that may be the case, but it is not so with BMI.

It's the same anywhere, if there is no publishing "company" then the writer is the publisher and gets that portion.

Since it is on that basis that they declare ASCAP the "WINNER" ... they are wrong, BMI wins. They made this comparison being ignorant of how BMI works ... it is misinformation.

I think the genre and types of broadcasts you experience would make the "better" choice variable. If you do mostly country radio songs, ASCAP is probably better, but if you are synching to major motion pictures BMI is maybe best.

For the average songwriter out here, neither really makes much difference until your songs are in Billboard.



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It's the same anywhere, if there is no publishing "company" then the writer is the publisher and gets that portion.

The "Hack" says "By default, the songwriter is the publisher but you have to be registered with a PRO as a publisher to collect that half of the royalties."
That's just wrong info.

I do agree with you about the variables.