Traveling by air with instruments is an important part of how many musicians make a living.  Security clampdowns since 2001 have made traveling by air or across international borders with instruments  more difficult, complicated, and frustrating, but recent regulatory changes may mean more consistent and predictable policies. The following are some guidelines and suggestions to get you and your instrument where you need to go. read more

Orphan works are copyrighted works whose owners are hard or impossible to identify or locate. Orphan works probably comprise the majority of the creative works of 20th century. They exist in a purgatory of sorts, not able to be used in new creative efforts or made available to the public due to uncertainty over the status of their ownership.

Orphan works are copyrighted works whose owners are hard or impossible to identify or locate. read more

In the United States, royalties for public performances are paid to songwriters, composers and publishers. But what about the person who performs the song?

Consider this. When you hear Counting Crows’ recording of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ on the radio in the US, Joni Mitchell – the composer of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ – is compensated through BMI.  But Counting Crows receive nothing for this performance.  

However, if you hear the same performance on Sirius XM, or via a webcast, or on a cable music station – even on that terrestrial radio station’s webcast — both Joni Mitchell AND Counting Crows are compensated.

Why the difference? US terrestrial broadcasters are exempt from paying a public performance right for sound recordings. read more