General Music Licensing Questions
This section answers basic questions about the fundamentals of getting permission to use copyrighted music through a process called music licensing. A music license is an agreement between a music user and the owner of that music that says it's okay to use their music. If you use music that other people created, no matter how you use it, you need to get permission in the form of a license. This is true even if you are giving away your project for free, or if it's for a non-profit.
- What Are the Two "Sides" of a Song?
- True or False: Do I Only Need a Mechanical License if I'm Releasing a Physical Product Like Vinyl or CD?
- When Should I Have My Public Performance Licensing in Place?
- Who Gets Paid by a Public Performance License?
- Do I Need a Public Performance License?
- When Should I Have My Master Licensing in Place?
- Who Gets Paid by a Master License?
- Affordable Alternatives to the Original Master Recording
- Do I Need a Master License?
- When Should I Have My Synchronization Licensing in Place?
- Who Gets Paid by a Synchronization License?
- Do I Need a Synchronization License?
- Who Gets Paid by a Mechanical License?
- When Should I Have My Mechanical Licensing in Place?
- What Happens if I Don't Get a License?
- Do I Need a Mechanical License?
- Can I Sample Existing Recordings?
- Do you license songs written by international composers, such as a song by a composer living in Japan?
- How long does it take to get my Proof of Licensing?
- What do I get as Proof of Licensing?
- What if I can't get permission?
- What information do you need from me?
- What is the licensing process?
- Does my album track order matter for licensing purposes?
- What types of uses do the licenses you clear for me allow?
- Do the licenses expire?
- Deciding How Many CDs To Make
- Can I get just one license for a song that I will put on multiple albums?
- Can you help me license a song that has never before been released?
- What Is a Cover Song?