Hello,
I would like to ask your opinions about the following situation :
Since few months I am working with a singer.
I composed/arranged few songs (melodies, arrangements ...)
He sometimes sent me some 'demo tracks'
Basically, he is humming a melody pattern and clap hands.
Sometimes with few chords as examples, or sometimes without chords, just humming "lalalalala..."
With severals of his "1 minute humming" I could make complete songs, wrote chords progression, structure etc
Okay, this is basically "arranging" the songs, but I had to decide and polish the melody, especially the chords.
Then
I realized on the credits,
"SONG TITLE"
Music by "His Name"
I am a little confuse, because just because humming "lalalal" and record with your iPhone while probably in the toilets, he got all the music credits.
I expected something like : Music by "His Name / My Name"
What do you think ?
Should I complain about it, or this is fair ?
Thank you
Question about "music credits"
- diminished
- Competition Winner
- Posts: 1880
- Joined: 15 Dec 2018
IANAL and not a professional musician, but I freelance in another creative field and here are my thoughts:estuary wrote: ↑30 Apr 2019Hello,
I would like to ask your opinions about the following situation :
Since few months I am working with a singer.
I composed/arranged few songs (melodies, arrangements ...)
He sometimes sent me some 'demo tracks'
Basically, he is humming a melody pattern and clap hands.
Sometimes with few chords as examples, or sometimes without chords, just humming "lalalalala..."
With severals of his "1 minute humming" I could make complete songs, wrote chords progression, structure etc
Okay, this is basically "arranging" the songs, but I had to decide and polish the melody, especially the chords.
Then
I realized on the credits,
"SONG TITLE"
Music by "His Name"
I am a little confuse, because just because humming "lalalal" and record with your iPhone while probably in the toilets, he got all the music credits.
I expected something like : Music by "His Name / My Name"
What do you think ?
Should I complain about it, or this is fair ?
Thank you
...when I read your post first, I thought: yeah, you should give the guy credit, maybe even as co-writer. That it's the other way round is blowing my mind. Unless you work for him on a work-for-hire base where the contract stated specifically that you waive all your rights to the other party, you do at least co-own the copyright.
Learn your lesson and have all such things in writing before starting to work with someone in the future!
Most recent track: resentment (synthwave) || Others: on my YouTube channel •ᴗ•
Thank you for answer,
Just to clarify,
It's like a duet, we sing together (and basically I play some instruments)
The contract it's clear and fair I believe.
I am just concerned about the songs credits
Songs I created all, the credits are fine (music / lyrics = my name)
Songs we created lyrics together (music = my name / lyrics = my name / his name)
But the songs I tried to explain above, like "humming melodies" are just "music = his name"
Also, the situation is perfectly fine between him and me, we didn't know about it, because the producer/manager decided it.
But I feel I should maybe complain about it. I don't think it's fair actually.
Just to clarify,
It's like a duet, we sing together (and basically I play some instruments)
The contract it's clear and fair I believe.
I am just concerned about the songs credits
Songs I created all, the credits are fine (music / lyrics = my name)
Songs we created lyrics together (music = my name / lyrics = my name / his name)
But the songs I tried to explain above, like "humming melodies" are just "music = his name"
Also, the situation is perfectly fine between him and me, we didn't know about it, because the producer/manager decided it.
But I feel I should maybe complain about it. I don't think it's fair actually.
- Marco Raaphorst
- Posts: 2504
- Joined: 22 Jan 2015
- Location: The Hague, The Netherlands
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it's fair to mention both names if both have been involved in the creation
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