How much does it cost to...

[Slow Adam]

Anyone know how much music licenses cost?

That's a tough one to answer - you have to pay whatever the composer / publisher asks for.

Are you talking about a corps getting permission to arrange and perform, or for DCI to sell tickets and media?

[thewdude2]

That's a tough one to answer - you have to pay whatever the composer / publisher asks for.

That is true. I know of one funny case though.

In 2003, SCV's brass arranger Key Poulan wrote the brass book prior to asking the publishers for the rights. For the first piece, "Orawa for Orchestra" by Wojciech Kilar, it was hard for SCV to contact the publisher due to the fact they were based out of Poland. Finally when they got in contact with Kilar using transloators and whatnot, he offered to pay the Vanguard $1 U.S. for some strange reason. Thats right, he offered to pay them to use his piece. Why $1, only Kilar knows...

In the 2003 SCV tour DVD, Key makes a joke to the extent of "I didn't know whether to give 33 cents to the Vanguard and keep the other 66 for myself..."

I always found that funny.

As for how much it costs per piece, I would imagine pieces like those written by John Williams cost more to use than other composers.

[TAFL]

and about how much does it usually take to get rights (for lack of a better word) to music? I noticed there were a lot of uses of Star Wars music from Corps Reps... with popular music like that, how much does it cost?

That varies. We recently had to change show music due to not being able to afford the fees for arranging some Beatles tunes for use--$275 per tune referenced (well out of our start-up budget). I've no idea how much the fees vary by genre, popularity, or anything else. I suspect the amount paid to the arranger affects it, too, as there was a question on the form about how much the arranger was getting paid (in our case, $0).

Note that those fees were only for the right to arrange the music and play it. The fees for recording the music are something entirely different, so being able to arrange music for a show does not mean you can then make a video or audio recording using it.

TAFL

[NeutralNovice]

Haha my brain just got fried from trying to break down the costs... forgive me, it's monday and I had my dense classes today :)

Thanks for everyone's input for sure!

I can see how the cost of music licenses will vary from composer to composer... makes a lot of sense. I'm just guessing after reading that the more "popular" the music selection, the more it will probably cost.

I guess I should ask the question in a different way. Considering that the organizations are non-profit and educational, I would think that composers would offer their music at a reasonable rate. So... do they, for the "popular" music, offer a license to use/arrange at a reasonable price?

Slow Adam, thanks for the clarification. I didn't realize they were different. So if you can, for both.

Thanks!

[Slow Adam]

Considering that the organizations are non-profit and educational, I would think that composers would offer their music at a reasonable rate. So... do they, for the "popular" music, offer a license to use/arrange at a reasonable price?

Slow Adam, thanks for the clarification. I didn't realize they were different. So if you can, for both.

Thanks!

In 2006 we used two pieces by Maria Schneider Orchestra. We contacted her through her website, and she was excited a drum corps was using her music. She gave us permission to arrange for free. In the same season we used a concert band piece (I forget the composer and who published it) and that cost ~$250... I think in the end permission to arrange for the entire show came to about $400.

I have heard that John Williams can cost up to $500 per BAR!

I have no idea what DCI has to pay for licensing.

[NeutralNovice]

In 2006 we used two pieces by Maria Schneider Orchestra. We contacted her through her website, and she was excited a drum corps was using her music. She gave us permission to arrange for free. In the same season we used a concert band piece (I forget the composer and who published it) and that cost ~$250... I think in the end permission to arrange for the entire show came to about $400.

I have heard that John Williams can cost up to $500 per BAR!

I have no idea what DCI has to pay for licensing.

$500/bar??? WT%?? Wow. I mean (if true), I understand if it's for a for-profit organization.... but if that's what he's charging for educational non profits, then I think that's pretty messed up. Ah well. I've heard better anyhow :). I guess if you can, you can.

Thanks again!

Edited April 8, 2008 by NeutralNovice

[AlanAndreasen]

having helped my wife run the show here in Cedar Rapids I can tell you the logistics are insane. I can't tell you how much it costs but here are some of things you have to pay for up front:

local school stadium, printing of tickets and program, the local school boosters ran the concessions, insurance for liability and rain out, janitor pay for the housing and stadium grounds keepers, and media to advertise the show. This can all go south very quickly if you don't sell advertising in your program like a madman.

[Marc66]

We at Capital Sound are paying $1350 for the rights to our show this year (yes, ouch is right) as our show is based on more modern music. Last season, using older music, we paid significantly less.

Now, as for John Williams...no one gets permission to play his music anymore. I never have heard a clear reason why, but he's now off limits.

[mad_scotty]

$500/bar??? WT%?? Wow. I mean (if true), I understand if it's for a for-profit organization.... but if that's what he's charging for educational non profits, then I think that's pretty messed up. Ah well. I've heard better anyhow :). I guess if you can, you can.

Thanks again!

i know that sounds fierce, but think of some of the one or two bar motives williams has produced, about a dozen little snips from star wars, the indiana jones theme, heck, the nbc news theme, i owe that guy major back royalties on that one from aural skills, we used it to train that interval to our young ears!!

and honestly, at that price, it may be just as much about limiting use as licensing it, sort of, i won't even consider your request unless i know you're being serious here kind of thing. i can imagine his work is some of the most sought after material out there. i can't believe he was always that high though, scott stewart is notorious, among other things, for his honesty and frugality, and he sure as heck didn't pay $500 a bar for the scouts star wars show, or steal the music without license.

Edited April 8, 2008 by mad_scotty

[mad_scotty]

as far as stadium fees, the base fee isn't the whole package. i was part of the committee that started the jacksonville, alabama show in the mid 90's. the university donated the stadium, but charged us for university police, cleanup, and a group had an exclusive contract for concessions, so while the stadium was free the show wasn't a money maker, because there were still costs associated with it, and we had no concessions (or parking) revenue, which usually accounts for up to 1/2 the gate to a stadium event (depending on ticket pricing). in other words, it works like any business contract, there are a lot of variables, you need to be aware of them all, and familiar with how they work as individual pieces and as a cohesive whole in order to pull it off. winging it on a dci show with no prior experience at event promotion is not something i'd recommend.