copyrights

[~nail in the coffin~]

i'll be honest with you all, i am confused as heck when it comes to copyrights regarding music. i have been looking around to see if i can find any info, but i haven't. i have kel's book and i don't see anything in there on it. can i use any old cd in my haunt? or do i have to have my own stuff? or does the copyright stuff only come into play when you're dealing with a movie soundtrack, like Halloween? help, please!

[Davey J]

You'll want to look toward ASCAP and BMI to license public performance rights of the music.

Here's a page that gives some background: http://entertainment.howstuffworks.c...licensing3.htm

I'm sure a Google search for ASCAP and BMI will yield a lot more information for you.

[Killer Katie]

Last I heard you would be able to use Midnite Sindicate soundtracks all you had to do was post up there poster and state that they provided the music. So I think it depends on how the artist wants "compensated"

[Scareview]

Man, that really isnt a big issue is it? I've been to way too many haunts that play whatever they want and no one seemed to be worried or care. As for ASCAP.....they are a joke!! Just another organization out to try and get your money. Maybe if you were a major production of some sort, it might be an issue.

[poison]

OR you can just use the SOUNDTRACKS ive created for just about every environment. And when i say SOUNDTRACKS i mean Background ambience, LIKE EVIL WIND with 12 years in the making (great for the line cue) ,THUNDER,100 FLIES BUZZING, CAVE DRIPS, SWAMP & CRICKETS, CROWS, INDUSTRAIL, BOILER ROOM,BUGS CRAWLING, with heavy breathing waved in & out and what ever else you can think of. That way you dont have to worry about music copywrites. Because it can add up fast for various MOVIE THEMES. Im a SOUND DESIGNER and i know just how expensive MUSIC SOUNTRACKS can be.

[HauntedWebby]

Legally and morally you are not suppose to use someone else's music for public performance without paying royalties.

Midnight Syndicate gladly lets any haunt use their music as long as you register with them that you are. It's free.

I pay a few hundred each year to get licenses. It's way cheaper then a law suit. Cuz' remember those 12 year olds never thought they'd get caught!

[JamBam]

music fees

Way back when I owned a tanning salon, the two, yes two, diffeant music fee companies could walk in and demand a contract be signed upon hearing music that was dictated to the customers. Yes, we do that in the haunt business.
The alternative choice accordiong to a salon owner I metr that had it happe ot was to deny the offer of the contract and be sued (most likely successfully) and then pay their fees anyways. And they each could do that because they represented differant artists. But they did let the business off if you were signed with the company they did not represent. Nice of them huh?

Now how I was able to get around thier legal rules and copyright fees by putting a boom box in each tanning room. If the customer had control of the music they listened to in each room, then themusic company contracts were not enforcable. Not sure why, but my customers loved it and I was the only salon that did it that way. They could even bring in their own music to play while they enjoyed their 20 minute vacation. I called it tanning, but the mothers would sometimes tell me that they wouldn't have minded if the bed didn't get turned on since it gave them 20 minutes of me time.

We use Midnight Syndicate and other music sold for our haunt purpose. The kids can hear the commercial music on their ipods anytime.

Brett Molitor
JamBAm/Huntington Jaycees Haunted Hotel-13th Floor
www.Hauntedhuntington.com
www.myspace.com/the_haunted_hotel