View Full Version : Music Licensing for web ad....


Gerald Webb
November 13th, 2010, 05:10 PM
Hey guys, I know I could scour the web for this, but I thought I'd ask here first seeing alot of you guys would be doing this all the time.
Doing a web ad, about 1 min vid, to go on a Business's site.
I knocked up a rough draft just to see if we were on the same page creatively,
and guess what, they loved it, exactly the way it was. I really thought it was just the first of about 10 drafts, go figure.
So the problem is, I used a bit of music I had laying around, chill out piano stuff.
So if I want to use that piece, who do I have to seek approval from, or pay, whatever.
Whats the process?
Previously everything I've done has had the music supplied, so this hasnt been an issue.
thanks for any input.

Craig Longman
November 13th, 2010, 09:01 PM
Gerald, I think that's a really tough/impossible question to answer. It really depends on what the music is and who played it. And even then, it's something that entirely depends on how they released it, or what it's current status is, or what organization they're affiliated with.

Different people will release the music under different licenses, and even uses. Some might allow public web release (like YouTube) but not private business release, or public video/film release.

Personally, I'm using SmartSound stuff, they've got a pretty flexible license. You can use what you buy, unless you're replicating more than 10 000 units.

Royalty Free Music and Sound Effects Library - SmartSound (http://www.smartsound.com/sonicfire/music.html)

It seems to me, music is something of a minefield. From all I've found out though, the SmartSound stuff, aside from being remarkably flexible to use, is also remarkably easy to satisfy the legal requirements.

Mike Kujbida
November 13th, 2010, 10:22 PM
Gerald, considering your location, APRA|AMCOS (http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/) (Australasian Performing Right Association / Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) is probably a good place to start.

Gerald Webb
November 13th, 2010, 11:01 PM
thanks guys,
Yes Mike, Apra was the first phone call tomorrow morning, its Sun arv here now.

I'll check out the Smartsound stuff Craig.

cheers guys.

Mike Kujbida
November 14th, 2010, 07:17 AM
Gerald, please let us know how it works out as, IMO, you folks have it much easier than we in North America do (copyright issues, that is).

Magnus Helander
November 14th, 2010, 05:02 PM
Don't miss Freeplay Music, Broadcast Production Music Library, Free and Mp3 Music Downloads, See Usage Terms. (http://freeplaymusic.com/)
Music. And more music. Flatrate and royalty free.
/magnus