Are you signed to MCPS & PRS?

I know i have mentioned this a thousand times but do you know you COULD be losing out on royalties?

MCPS & PRS is the ONLY UK governing body (I know there is PPL but this is mainly for publishers) who will collect royalties for you.

I recently got my PSR through and although it wasnt that much, its something i get 4 times a year for practically doing nothing and probably more than most get from digital downloads who arent in any way signed to PRS or MCPS!!

If you have had commecially available releases then you can join both as writers, you can register your works and keep track of who uses them. anything from Club to ringtone use!

Something as small as a £60 payout may not be much but can be more than a few quid or if anything from a digital download site.....and can vary from payment to payment depending on its use.

Interesting you say that when a few months back someone was saying what such small  volumes hard house sells in.... would be worth it?

MCPS = waste of time most of the time - it's directly related to numbers pressed. Virtually nothing being pressed means virtually nothing in mechanicals, if the label pays them anyway....hardly any do. Where you can get quids in is if one of your tracks goes onto a compilation and its all done properly and above board.

PRS and PPL - try getting them to register all of your catalogue and not jsut a few of them. The new web systems suck - my account says that quite a few hundred quid are due yet when the distributions come round I get nothing. How does that work then?

Its not a simple process, never straightforward and you never get what you should BUT you will get something, which is better than a kick in the bollocks.

is only really worth it these days if:

a: you get a track on a compilation

b: you get radio play (which must be filed officially by the station)

c: your track is signed and released as a single by a label that pays mcps royalties... such as tidy

 

i thought my publishers dealt with MCPS and PRS directly for me?

 

they will

I am signed up for IRSC which is basicly like MCPS, I think its better to be as offical as you can be. So if a track does go onto a CD or on the radio, then the label and artist will be able to collect a bit of extra money, even if its not that much

who do u use for publising clarke?

Publishers are a waste of time unless they actually DO something.

KEEP your own publishing if you can.

As for the comments on MCPS and PRS being a waste, well as said, probably IS if you arent selling any tracks and they are crap

But who knows the future of your material?! Id rather register everything and collect something if due....then if anything DOES get taken on by Radio, ringtones even live or TV then you will get what is due as long as all the paperwork is ok.

MY publisher of past was and is a total COCK as he screwed me over but thats now a lesson learnt, at least i still get something each year.

I got to admit i dont know how the rules have changed in joining both MCPS and PRS but im sure they are on the cas with new media and technology...and with some of the crackdowns lately there will be more cash in the pot.

If you aint got any releases or a publisher handling your work then dont worry as yet.

I got to admit that Tidy have been great with supplying me with paperwork on sales and royalties and would have had more if it wasnt for my past publisher STILL being a cock.

It is a lot easier to just get a publisher in the long run. Found it very difficult to try and get my head round what you have to do. Think, like most things, its probably best to go on peoples recommendations as to which one to go with.

Most do it on a track to track basis so you will always have the opportunity to jump ship if you feel you ever need to

But getting a publisher is even more money down the drain. You're going to end up with a minus figure if you're not careful.

i'm not recording anymore, but when I was this shit wound me up to hell and back.

I've run my own publishing for years and sorted out a couple of other people - it's not that difficult and by doing it yourself you get a nice monthly income instead of twice a year...

 

 

I could be a big man and ignore it but sometimes Si has anyone ever told you  you can be a right bitch

 

I work on cruel to be kind as if have been through the same and always want the truth from people, in this industry you can easily accumulate too many "YES" people that cloud your creative judgement and a load of cunts that just want to rip you off. I tend you avoid the dodgy lot and glad to say i have a real good solid bunch of composers, musos and producers who i can call friends and truthful ones at that who know what they are talking about. you need these to keep on track and your feet firmly to the floor......its all too easy to beleive your own bullshit and create your own small ego bubble.

Im certainly not the be all end all or have all the answers but it wouldnt take a brain surgeon to work out why any particular composition you have created and sent to all and sundry isnt selling or gaining any interest...so something is wrong...ditch it and move on, thats my motto. Give a track 15-30mins tops to work on and if it doesnt gel...ditch and move on as the next one may just be the dogs bollox!

...saying that though i have heard some real top production techniques on here wishing i knew how to do them...or just have the patience to learn, i can def hear the ones with potential...and the ones who aint CRAP so to speak, just need a little more knowledge, so if i was to say CRAP then i would also offer them my reason why and what I would do to acheaive something "i" would concider a more commercial mixdown...or just say, the track itself doesnt work for me but would add 'this' to maybe give it something else that may help?!

Publishing - This is for the busy and knowing at least something about why you should have one. Maybe the record label insists otherwise they will not release you. But be careful as i know there have been well dodgy underhand tactics with them! READ THE CONTRACT!!

Bloody wish id done that! Tony and i got well fucked over!!

ever thought of doing it for others Paul?

 

 

as per my publishing, I used Mr & Mrs Music for the track on Tonka, and newer stuff will be with Truelove.

 

 

Fair dos...apart from MCPS doesn't really have that much to do if you are selling or not as it's down to how many are pressed. Label presses up 5000, only sells 3,000...at the first royalty statement oops we didn't recoup, they then sell every copy over a 2 year period but you never hear from them again. You later find there are no mechs either. Sound familiar? THEN try getting MCPS to chase a label, ANY label, I've done it several times, and you will find that it is a complete and utter waste of time. Whether the records did or did not sell or were, in your opinion, crap has absolutely fuck all to do with anything.