#1625670 - 05/11/00 06:35 PM
Producer Agreement
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leesoong@hotmail.com
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Registered: 05/11/00
Posts: 35
Loc: ,,US
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Dear Al,
I have recently made a commitment to producing emerging artists. Most of these artists have minimal budget (barely enough to pay for studio time and hire musicians). I, therefore, am working mostly for the back-end money should they land a deal with a label, etc.
What would be a fair working agreement with these artists. Friends of mine, who have had major label production credits, tell me I can realistically expect to get about $8,000-9,000 per-song advance and 3 points on the album with a bump-up to 4 points should the CD go platinum. I have no prior production credits, although as a guitarist I have done many sessions including a recent platinum CD of a superstar artist.
What about publishing? With some of these artists, although they feel their songs are "complete and done" as presented to me, I find myself drastically changing the nature of the composition in terms of harmony, rhythm and melody. I should also mention I pretty much put together the tracks by myself (guitars, sequences and programming) at my home project studio: the artists usually present their songs to me by performing them to me.
Who owns the master? Although the artists I produce pay for the studio time when we go into a commercial facility to track vocals, that does not include studio time I put in at my own facility.
Lastly, If I were to co-produce a track with another producer, how would it affect the aforementioned questions I posed to you?
Thank you in advance for your expert advice.
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#1625671 - 05/12/00 12:40 AM
Re: Producer Agreement
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Pro Jules
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 03/11/00
Posts: 2729
Loc: A yank living in London, UK si...
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If I may be so bold, while the heading of Al's section reads Music Biz I think us studio bods need to appreciate that Al was hoping to give musician / artist friendly advice, not teach us producers how to tie up muscians like Xmas turkeys, with 'hard but fair' contracts! I asked Al a simelar question, I could tell he didn't really dig it! This cat is more on the other side of the glass methinks (he's just in the building a lot!)
It WOULD be cool if EQ got a friendly (HA!) lawyer to give tips but as this site has a heavy US bias you probably couldn't do something like that without sueing everybody till eventualy we are all forced to eat dirt, so on second thoughts, scratch that idea!
Jules
[This message has been edited by Julian standen (edited 05-11-2000).]
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#1625672 - 05/12/00 02:26 PM
Re: Producer Agreement
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leesoong@hotmail.com
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Registered: 05/11/00
Posts: 35
Loc: ,,US
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I am not interested in any form of artist-exploitation, not even in the smallest degree.
Fist and foremost, I consider myself an artist; and, having gone through the ringers in NYC as an instrumentalist (getting screwed by unscrupulous producers for fees and having to work for far less than going union rate), I simply would like to gauge what a "just" work agreement would be like between "artists" and producers.
Often I get approached by an artist interested in having a minimum of 3 songs produced (which in my case, arranging, composing, playing and putting together all the tracks and having the artist come in just to put the vocals, and that does not include logistics of procuring inexpensive studio time, additional musicians, etc.).
Perhaps I am a bit idealistic, but I always suggest that they start with one track with me to see we can further work together, on the basis they like the work.
In the end, I am only interested in doing good work and building a healthy productive relationship with my artist, and in order to achieve that we both need to realize what a "fair" working agreement should be.
Thanks.
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#1625673 - 05/12/00 06:51 PM
Re: Producer Agreement
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Doctor Al
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Registered: 05/05/00
Posts: 192
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Leesong
What Julian says is true: I dont wanna come in here and draw up contracts. I cant even do that for MYSELF! I've been as cheated in my lifetime as much as ANYONE who has been cheated. As an artist I just wanted to get my music across to people and have enough money to eat, put a roof over my head, buy magazines & records, and sleep when i could. That's why I got cheated. Record companies could smell people like me, and they licked their chops when i used to walk in the door.
Nowadays, there's an overeaction to our legal problems of yore, and people like Puff Daddy and Snoop are way overpaid for what it is they do. Look what happened to MC Hammer. Here today - gone today. Spent all his money and had nuthin to show for his "work" Took 100 people on the road with him and wondered where the money went. (How many people are onstage in Kid Rock's show?)
First of all Lee, you have no resume as a producer. If a label signs one of your acts, chances are they're gonna hire some name producer to do that act and consider your production the demo that got them the deal. So write something in that guarantees you SOME remuneration if they get signed. Once in a blue moon with an indie label, you'll get ac hance to produce the first album. Get a lawyer and let him work it out. Just tell him you dont want to cheat anyone if he's representing you. I read those contracts and it looks like Latin to me. I cant understand a word of it. Thats why God invented lawyers - they speak the language.
Good night
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#1625674 - 05/12/00 07:43 PM
Re: Producer Agreement
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leesoong@hotmail.com
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Dear Mr. Kooper and Julian,
Thanks you very much for your input and time.
I appreciate your candor and advice.
Good weekend to you all!
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#1625675 - 05/12/00 07:43 PM
Re: Producer Agreement
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leesoong@hotmail.com
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Registered: 05/11/00
Posts: 35
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Dear Mr. Kooper and Julian,
Thanks you very much for your input and time.
I appreciate your candor and advice.
Good weekend to you all!
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