JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Mentor Questions Forum When two co-writers are different licenses companies--what then?

I am under BMI

I have listed songs under BMI with other co-writers who are also BMI and of course that is easy enough. Each gets 100% (don't ask me why it has to be 100% instead of 50%) it is just their way but anyways, if I have a co-writer who is ASCAP then what?

Do I list the song under BMI for just myself and them do the same for just themselves and do it at only 100% instead of the full 200%? Or do we each list the name only and the companies will find them? or just ignore the one not under their umbrella???

For those under BMI that have worked with other collaborators under other companies, please tell me in detail how to do it or direct me somewhere to show me how...I have a song someone may be interested in recording and need to get this bugga listed soon and correctly..
thanks
"forgive me, my blondeness is showing"
Kimberly

I'm with ASCAP Kim. Both writers and their affiliates have to be registered with the song. Plus each writer's ownership percentage. I'm sure it will be the same with BMI.

Best, John

Well, I just woke up, sorta but I will try to explain. Registering a song with a PRO is pretty straight forward. They have a Registration Form you fill out and send in. If you don't have a BMI Registration Copy you can probably Google it and find it. It is on the Web Site, or was. There is a place on the Pro Registration form for each writer to list his Pro and percentage share. Percentages are explained in the BMI, info where you can read all about it.

Issuing a Mechanical License to a Record Label or Artist is another thing all together.

If you don't have a mechanical license form already you should work one up. I followed the Harry Fox License and developed my own.

A Mechanical License should contain:
LABEL, Record Company (If any)
Artist Name
Contact Address
Contact Name
SONG TITLE, (Only One Song on each License)
Song Timing if needed.
Writer(s)
I have a requirement that Writer(s) names and PRO be listed on
Release.
Number of Copies License is issued for.
Total cost of License. Date Paid.

I have a permission letter that is sent to those that have requested a license giving them permission to record and release song or songs as requested by label/artist by paying the license fee(s).
I require a copy or two of the release and remittenance be paid before License is issued. Hope I have covered most of it.

ASCAP has a short form (though can't be used for all the info Ray mentioned). It's great for simple registrations with a couple writers. Also can copy info from one song registration to another. Makes it easy for bulk registration.

99% of the time my tracks are registered by the publisher.

John

I think what you're intending to ask is what happens when co-writers are from different PROs, not "licenses companies".

Each PRO has their own form for how you register your songs. Generally speaking each writer gets an equal percentage of the song. Thus with 2 writers, you'd split the writer's share 50/50. If it's 3 writers, it's 33 ⅓ per writer, etc...

The same holds true for the number of publishers involved. If there's 2 the generally it's 50/50. If it's 3 publishers, it's 33 ⅓ per pub.

Of course this is based on how you split songs with your co-writers, and whether each represents their own publishing, or the writers are giving up the publishing (like in John's case of a library owning his publishing).

Generally the publisher(s) are the ones to do the registrations of songs and their splits.

As the question was posed, I'm guessing that you're representing your own publishing and thus you register your songs with BMI (your PRO). Stating that each writer gets 100% of the song - in a 2 writer situation is a little strange. Essentially each writer is getting 50% of the writing and 50% of the publishing. That totals 100% overall, but isn't correct to say that each gets 100%.

When you co-write with someone from ASCAP you now have a slight change in how you register your song with BMI. You still submit the song. You still add both writers - each with a split of 50% of the writer share. For your co-writer you put their name, their IPI/CAE# and their writer affiliation (ASCAP), there will be a spot for that in the BMI form.

You register the publishing name of each writer. You already know yours for BMI. When registering the song, you also put in the co-writer's publisher name, publisher IPI/CAE# and affiliation (ASCAP), there will be a spot for that in the BMI form.

You might be wondering, what is an IPI/CAE#? It's a multi-digit number like (192.13.44.75) You have one as a writer. Publishers have one as a publisher.

On the flip side, your co-writer will need to do the same thing registering the song at ASCAP. They'll need your writer name from BMI, your writer IPI/CAE# and the writer share of the song.

They'll need your Publishing name from BMI, your publisher IPI/CAE# and the publisher share of the song.

Once they've registered the song, you'll want to check ASCAP's website to make sure the information is correct for your song. Likewise, they should do the same on your BMI registration.

Things change ever so slightly if you're writing with a SESAC affiliate. SESAC actually does their splits based on 50% writers and 50% publisher meaning each side ads up to 50% and not 100%. Meaning, two writers splitting equally gets 25% for the writer's share. Publishers work the same way. Otherwise it's the exact same process.

Hope that helps.

All my collaborators are BMI, and I'm ASCAP.

Song's I've released, we just register them with our respective PROS and both writers are listed on each.



Pat Hardy Lockwood