Offline
Brunswick, GA USA
SwebMusic wrote:

Sound guy doesn't get paid royalties like most live performers do, provided the fill in a live performance return with their collection society

Although there are unions in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville, for the most part we do not have this in the US. You can be paid (poorly) as the songwriter.

Offline
Sydney Australia
e.s.c. wrote:

royalties? never been paid any of those in the past 12+ years. literally gigs with 6 acts, 50+ attendees and after venue, soundguy and doorgirl get their cuts, they say theyve got $37 for the acts to split.. sometimes nothing at all

If your not being paid royalties, its your own fault, provided your music is original, register with a collection agency, Like APRA for copyright Or PPCA for Phonograph here in Australia, I think you BMI & ASCAP in the US (Look Up, Im Not entirely Sure), Every quarter or 6 months or so, You fill in a Live Performance return with all the shows you played and once that is verified, KA-CHING. Royalty payments.

The bigger the performance the bigger the check.

Hope that helps you get some dosh. smile

Offline
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Deets on live royalty collection: http://blog.songtrust.com/how-to-2/coll … royalties/

Offline
IL, US

so its my own fault that i dont want to pay someone else to try and get paid myself?... for the record its only very recent that ascap would even let anyone get live performance royalties for anything but a top-grossing tour (top 200-300 of the whole year)... seems that changed last year... and from what i read online, those royalty payments aren't really more than a few dollars if you're playing to small crowds.. probably much worse since who knows how many of those venues even pay ascap to begin with.. its like how i can get my last.fm royalties, but thats not what id call real money

Offline
Sydney Australia

I don't understand the "dont want to pay someone else to try and get paid myself" < Are you talking royalties or engineers.

And even if it is petty money, Its better in your pocket than someone else's, The beauty of it is, YOU don't have to perform, Bit different with chip but in other genres, if I write a melody, register it with APRA, Then Joe Blow down the street performs, I still get paid.

I can't really talk about ASCAP, But APRA, Any one could register, I know there is a 3 year old registered, Its a cute story for another time but yeah. And yeah your right, thats what I was saying with the Bigger Crowds Bigger Cheques.

But seriously man, you may aswell register with them, Whats the worst that can happen, You get a Cheque for $5. Theres a free meal basically.

Offline
IL, US

it costs $50 to register with ASCAP

Offline
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
e.s.c. wrote:

it costs $50 to register with ASCAP

Is that a one-time fee? You might want to talk to some ASCAP artists with similar levels of expose to you. It's a bit different in Canada as SOCAN paid for my US registration fees but even if you're only earning a couple dollars a week in royalties it's not necessarily a terrible idea if it's a one-time registration fee and if your music continues to be played/performed for years to come.

Offline
Sydney Australia

Ah, Totally worth it though, APRA is free here in Aus, What about BMI, As far as I know they offer the same features as ASCAP.

Personally I pay the $50, If you gig a lot that is a great investment