If you don't mind me asking.... -ACID Product Family

Subject:If you don't mind me asking.... Posted by: VU-1 Date:11/26/2001 11:00:10 AM How much are ya'll charging your clients to "write" a 3-4 min. song using Acid & loops? I have a dance instructor client that has asked me to write her some music that she can use for some routines. Usually, she brings in commercial tunes & we edit them together to make her sound track. But now she wants something new. Also, do you copyright your tunes & what exactly do you sell them as - ie.: do you sell the publishing rights, or just charge them for your time to put it together, or what? Thanks for the info. Jeff Lowes On-Track Recording
Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking.... Reply by: Iacobus Date:11/26/2001 9:36:09 PM That's somewhat of a toughie. I would probably charge somewhere in the realm of $150-200 a project—maybe a little more depending on the complexity and the satisfaction of the client. Not sure about copyrighting. Supposedly, placing a copyright on the material is considered legal enough. However, if you're concerned with copyrights definitely consider consulting with an attorney who specializes in this field. Same goes for publishing rights. Personally, I wouldn't sell away my projects if I knew the recipient was going to make a nice chunk of cash off of it without any compensation to me. And just why did you place the word "write" in quotes? Hmm? What, you think we all just plaster a bunch of canned loops together? It just isn't true! throws his clenched fist straight into the air It just isn't true! :) Iacobus
Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking.... Reply by: Rockitglider Date:11/26/2001 10:32:17 PM Shhuuure it isn't TRUE HEY I believe you........ What makes you think I DON'T :) Rockit
Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking.... Reply by: VU-1 Date:11/27/2001 11:20:52 AM $150-$200 seems a little cheap to me....maybe you're more effecient at it than I am. I can easily spend all day tweaking and nudging and EQing and...... So, what...you make up your own tunes and then just charge an interested client aome sort of usage fee? (Any number of clients can chop & splice & dice 'em as they see fit for their particular need?) I guess you'll have to tack on some add'l editing time to "customize" the tune for each client. Am I on the right track yet? Thanks. JL OTR
Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking.... Reply by: Iacobus Date:11/27/2001 1:24:21 PM Yeah, it actually is cheap. I'm suggesting that as a basis. The final price could definitely end up being more. You could end up charging the client on a periodic basis based upon the usage of the project, especially if the project will be used constantly. Or you could just charge a one-time fee, seeing that you'll be like a store where she gets her music from. It's all up between you and the client. Me? I'd probably go with the one-time fee. I would make sure I'd be credited with the work, of course. I really wouldn't want the client to hack up the project as they see fit unless they agree to remove my name from the project. I don't want to create a face-raking tune only to have it turned into a Britney Spears tune and have my name attached to it. (Sorry to any B. Spears fans in here. Just not my cup of tea.) True, anyone can splice & dice a bunch of loops together...but can they do it well? I've always thought arranging is just as much an art as composing. (I sound like a broken record.) I can hack up, say, a canned guitar loop and make it sound like it's my own. Oh, wait...it is my own at that point. (Kudos go to SF for the Chopper in ACID Pro. I love that thing.) And let's not forget One-shots either. With various types of One-shots and a little music theory know-how, you might as well consider ACID a virtual sequencer. And that definitely would be considered original. Iacobus

Subject:If you don't mind me asking....

Posted by: VU-1

Date:11/26/2001 11:00:10 AM

How much are ya'll charging your clients to "write" a 3-4 min. song using Acid & loops? I have a dance instructor client that has asked me to write her some music that she can use for some routines. Usually, she brings in commercial tunes & we edit them together to make her sound track. But now she wants something new.
Also, do you copyright your tunes & what exactly do you sell them as - ie.: do you sell the publishing rights, or just charge them for your time to put it together, or what?

Thanks for the info.
Jeff Lowes
On-Track Recording

Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking....

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:11/26/2001 9:36:09 PM

That's somewhat of a toughie. I would probably charge somewhere in the realm of $150-200 a project—maybe a little more depending on the complexity and the satisfaction of the client.

Not sure about copyrighting. Supposedly, placing a copyright on the material is considered legal enough. However, if you're concerned with copyrights definitely consider consulting with an attorney who specializes in this field. Same goes for publishing rights. Personally, I wouldn't sell away my projects if I knew the recipient was going to make a nice chunk of cash off of it without any compensation to me.

And just why did you place the word "write" in quotes? Hmm? What, you think we all just plaster a bunch of canned loops together? It just isn't true!

*throws his clenched fist straight into the air*

It just isn't true!

:)

Iacobus

Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking....

Reply by: Rockitglider

Date:11/26/2001 10:32:17 PM

Shhuuure it isn't TRUE

HEY I believe you........ What makes you think I DON'T
:)

Rockit

Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking....

Reply by: VU-1

Date:11/27/2001 11:20:52 AM

$150-$200 seems a little cheap to me....maybe you're more effecient at it than I am. I can easily spend all day tweaking and nudging and EQing and......

So, what...you make up your own tunes and then just charge an interested client aome sort of usage fee? (Any number of clients can chop & splice & dice 'em as they see fit for their particular need?)
I guess you'll have to tack on some add'l editing time to "customize" the tune for each client. Am I on the right track yet?

Thanks.
JL
OTR

Subject:RE: If you don't mind me asking....

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:11/27/2001 1:24:21 PM

Yeah, it actually is cheap. I'm suggesting that as a basis. The final price could definitely end up being more.

You could end up charging the client on a periodic basis based upon the usage of the project, especially if the project will be used constantly. Or you could just charge a one-time fee, seeing that you'll be like a store where she gets her music from. It's all up between you and the client. Me? I'd probably go with the one-time fee. I would make sure I'd be credited with the work, of course.

I really wouldn't want the client to hack up the project as they see fit unless they agree to remove my name from the project. I don't want to create a face-raking tune only to have it turned into a Britney Spears tune and have my name attached to it. (Sorry to any B. Spears fans in here. Just not my cup of tea.)

True, anyone can splice & dice a bunch of loops together...but can they do it well? I've always thought arranging is just as much an art as composing. (I sound like a broken record.) I can hack up, say, a canned guitar loop and make it sound like it's my own. Oh, wait...it is my own at that point. (Kudos go to SF for the Chopper in ACID Pro. I love that thing.)

And let's not forget One-shots either. With various types of One-shots and a little music theory know-how, you might as well consider ACID a virtual sequencer. And that definitely would be considered original.

Iacobus