How do you get it done?

AlexGotBeats

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Usually you would purchase a cover permission at their record label. If I remember correctly that's called sync license.
This seems right i just looked it up. I assume certain networks(Fullscreen and Maker) help youtubers contact and ask for cover permission. But if i'm doing this by myself i have no clue where to go + it seems like you actually have to purchase the permission.
 

nb001

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And i'm curious how are they allowed to do it and even sell their covers on itunes.
Selling covers on iTunes requires a different license than the one required for a song playing on a video. Synch licenses are obtained for visual media while mechanical licenses are obtained for sales such as physical copies and digital downloads. Fortunately (at least in the U.S.), mechanical licenses are compulsory, meaning the conditions of the license are pre-negotiated and you do not need to seek permission, as long as you follow those conditions. check out details here: harryfox.com/public/MechanicalLicenseslic.jsp
 
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AlexGotBeats

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Selling covers on iTunes requires a different license than the one required for a song playing on a video. Synch licenses are obtained for visual media while mechanical licenses are obtained for sales such as physical copies and digital downloads. Fortunately (at least in the U.S.), mechanical licenses are compulsory, meaning the conditions of the license are pre-negotiated and you do not need to seek permission, as long as you follow those conditions. check out details here: harryfox.com/public/MechanicalLicenseslic.jsp
Thank you!! Quite interesting though ''It should be noted that a mechanical license does not include the right to reproduce an already existing sound recording. That is a separate right, called a Master Use Right, which must be procured from the copyright owner of such sound recording.'' Well if i choose a song to cover i plan on reproducing instrumental myself and record my own vocals. So i need a master use right don't i? I just plan on uploading it on youtube i don't plan on distributing it on itunes or anywhere else.
 

nb001

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Thank you!!
you're welcome, happy to help

Quite interesting though ''It should be noted that a mechanical license does not include the right to reproduce an already existing sound recording. That is a separate right, called a , which must be procured from the copyright owner of such sound recording.''
What this is addressing is the sale (not synch) of an existing recorded song such as what you may find in a compilation CD. With recorded music, there are 2 copyrights in play. The copyright on the composition (controlled mainly by writers and publishers) and the copyright of the sound recording (controlled mainly by labels). So for instance, if I wanted to make a 70's Disco Hits compilation and sell it as an album, I'd need mechanical licenses for all of the compositions and the master rights for all of the individual recordings.

Well if i choose a song to cover i plan on reproducing instrumental myself and record my own vocals. So i need a master use right don't i? I just plan on uploading it on youtube i don't plan on distributing it on itunes or anywhere else.
Because it's a video, a mechanical license would not work. You'd need a synch license and/or permission from the publisher/writer. Because you are creating your own backing track, you would only need permission from the composition side. It looks like Fullscreen and Maker struck a deal with Universal for their content creators earlier this year:

billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1538590/universal-music-publishing-inks-deals-with-fullscreen-maker-studios

Main thing to understand is that mechanical licenses do not cover, well, YouTube covers, only sales.


oops just noticed this too....
But if i'm doing this by myself i have no clue where to go + it seems like you actually have to purchase the permission.
You'd need to contact the publisher of the song. You'll find that in the credits or you could lookup online.

Hope this helps!
 
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AlexGotBeats

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you're welcome, happy to help


What this is addressing is the sale (not synch) of an existing recorded song such as what you may find in a compilation CD. With recorded music, there are 2 copyrights in play. The copyright on the composition (controlled mainly by writers and publishers) and the copyright of the sound recording (controlled mainly by labels). So for instance, if I wanted to make a 70's Disco Hits compilation and sell it as an album, I'd need mechanical licenses for all of the compositions and the master rights for all of the individual recordings.



Because it's a video, a mechanical license would not work. You'd need a synch license and/or permission from the publisher/writer. Because you are creating your own backing track, you would only need permission from the composition side. It looks like Fullscreen and Maker struck a deal with Universal for their content creators earlier this year:

billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1538590/universal-music-publishing-inks-deals-with-fullscreen-maker-studios

Main thing to understand is that mechanical licenses do not cover, well, YouTube covers, only sales.


oops just noticed this too....


You'd need to contact the publisher of the song. You'll find that in the credits or you could lookup online.

Hope this helps!
Thank you this information helped a lot. I didn't even know about that website. But i registred and looked more into it and theres actually a ''interactive streaming'' license option that people can choose which is what i need as well. The thing is you still need to pay the fee. That article you posted about Maker and Fullscreen strucking deal with Universal i found that months ago and found it interesting. Now i'm assuming these networks can make better deals with music publishers for youtubers. Seeing how normally i'd need to pay. I'm guessing these networks can offer deals like all ad earnings from those cover videos go to copyright holders while allowing to cover the song. I'm not sure but now i'm thinking i should contact these networks directly and ask for this information.
 

nb001

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But i registred and looked more into it and theres actually a ''interactive streaming'' license option that people can choose which is what i need as well.
Be careful with this one. Remember that it's for streaming of audio only.....


I'm guessing these networks can offer deals like all ad earnings from those cover videos go to copyright holders while allowing to cover the song. I'm not sure but now i'm thinking i should contact these networks directly and ask for this information.
You are right. “....Ultimately,we’re saying that this cover video is not possible without them, so we want to treat them like a true partner by giving them a larger than typical split,”
 
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