How to hire a singer?

[AirJordan]

Hey guys, I have been looking for vocalists all over the interwebz and actually found a few of them that I would want to feature in my tracks. BUT, I actually don't know if you have to make it official with a contract, or how you manage things with royalties, etc. Basically the buisness part of things including copyrights and stuff.

So, once I've contacted the person and he/she agrees to be featured, what do I do? Knowing that the tracks will be commerically released in the future of course.

[Deep Purple]

Hey guys, I have been looking for vocalists all over the interwebz and actually found a few of them that I would want to feature in my tracks. BUT, I actually don't know if you have to make it official with a contract, or how you manage things with royalties, etc. Basically the buisness part of things including copyrights and stuff.

So, once I've contacted the person and he/she agrees to be featured, what do I do? Knowing that the tracks will be commerically released in the future of course.

Over the interwebz I would advise that you get a contract lawyer.

Doing it yourself is no substitute for a guy that went to college then practices law every day, especially if you're trying to protect yourself from the extremes of contract issues, like lawsuits.

[Sampleconstruct]

Just bribe them with money, if you have a high enough budget, go for a well paid buyout, if not, offer the singer a share of each copy sold, if you don't sell, bad luck then. If the singer contributes lyrics and is registered with a PRO organization like ASCAP/GEMA she/he will automatically be rewarded a share of the royalties if you declare/sign in the respective song with a PRO organization. I would skip the the lawyer part, just unnecessary costs...

[Deep Purple]

Actually, that's a good point. If you provide them with lyrics and a melody to sing they have no recourse to claim publishing rights - just pay them as a session musician.

[AirJordan]

Over the interwebz I would advise that you get a contract lawyer.

Doing it yourself is no substitute for a guy that went to college then practices law every day, especially if you're trying to protect yourself from the extremes of contract issues, like lawsuits.

I already don't have a whole lot of budget for the vocalist himself that hiring a contract lawyer would be far from being possible.

Just bribe them with money, if you have a high enough budget, go for a well paid buyout, if not, offer the singer a share of each copy sold, if you don't sell, bad luck then. If the singer contributes lyrics and is registered with a PRO organization like ASCAP/GEMA she/he will automatically be rewarded a share of the royalties if you declare/sign in the respective song with a PRO organization. I would skip the the lawyer part, just unnecessary costs...

I've found this model contract that needs to be filled by both the producer and the singer and that's certainly something that is more legit than bribing someone I just wish there'd be a lawyer here so I could be sure of what I'm doing but this type of contract looks pretty legit to my eyes: http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIME ... sic_en.pdf
The first contract would be the one I'd be using but again I'm not a lawyer so yeah.

[jancivil]

You seem to think this singer is going to assert rights, such as to collect royalties. THAT person is going to want/need a contract in order to have any rights. By default, she does not. As mentioned, if there is a creative contribution, other concerns enter into it. "session musicians" have no such rights, they're hired hands.

[AirJordan]

You seem to think this singer is going to assert rights, such as to collect royalties. THAT person is going to want/need a contract in order to have any rights. By default, she does not. As mentioned, if there is a creative contribution, other concerns enter into it. "session musicians" have no such rights, they're hired hands.

Oh alright I didn't know that. So basically it's the singer's job to provide a contract if she/he wants to the claim rights to the music, right? Does this mean I actually own the final product and could totally ignore his/her name in the title of the track even if he/she wrote the lyrics to it?

[Harry_HH]

You seem to think this singer is going to assert rights, such as to collect royalties. THAT person is going to want/need a contract in order to have any rights. By default, she does not. As mentioned, if there is a creative contribution, other concerns enter into it. "session musicians" have no such rights, they're hired hands.

Oh alright I didn't know that. So basically it's the singer's job to provide a contract if she/he wants to the claim rights to the music, right? Does this mean I actually own the final product and could totally ignore his/her name in the title of the track even if he/she wrote the lyrics to it?

No, you can't. You have to make a copyright deal with the lyricist, of course he/she can give all rights to you but you must have that written. Very often the "default" copyright share is 1/3 for the composer, 1/3 for the lyricist, 1/3 for the arranger/producer (sometimes record label), but all depends on the deal. Musicians and vocalist don't own copyright if they are not composer, lyricist or arranger. They are paid by the session and/or Gramex payments. Then there may be a publisher which has his/her own publishing contract.

[jancivil]

You seem to think this singer is going to assert rights, such as to collect royalties. THAT person is going to want/need a contract in order to have any rights. By default, she does not. As mentioned, if there is a creative contribution, other concerns enter into it. "session musicians" have no such rights, they're hired hands.

Oh alright I didn't know that. So basically it's the singer's job to provide a contract if she/he wants to the claim rights to the music, right? Does this mean I actually own the final product and could totally ignore his/her name in the title of the track even if he/she wrote the lyrics to it?

Don't do that. What I mean there is that the creative contribution (as opposed to merely hired to record something already prepared) rather demands a contract. Even best friends that co-write can end up in real conflict when there's money involved. There are people that provide their musical contributions to tracks that feel they are important enough to warrant collecting royalties subsequently, but no contract and that's typically a non-starter. Some sue anyway, and with enough legal clout can harass the producer or composer to settle.

[AirJordan]

No, you can't. You have to make a copyright deal with the lyricist, of course he/she can give all rights to you but you must have that written. Very often the "default" copyright share is 1/3 for the composer, 1/3 for the lyricist, 1/3 for the arranger/producer (sometimes record label), but all depends on the deal. Musicians and vocalist don't own copyright if they are not composer, lyricist or arranger. They are paid by the session and/or Gramex payments. Then there may be a publisher which has his/her own publishing contract.

So basically, I hire the vocalist to write the lyrics and perform on a track I composed/produced. I pay him/her for the recording sessions. The track is done, we're both happy with it. Now what do I do? Is there a type of contract model that I need to fill in? Also, how can producers release tracks without mentioning the featured vocalist in them?

Ugh, so many questions

[jancivil]

Well, Harry from Finland states there is a default split in such a case. Law differs from country to country. Simon has pointed out how if the singer is with a PRO org., ASCAP, BMI etc you have to reward royalties if you're such a member. Co-writing opens up a whole can of worms. If the track makes actual money, you should have gotten who owns what sorted first.

[Harry_HH]

No, you can't. You have to make a copyright deal with the lyricist, of course he/she can give all rights to you but you must have that written. Very often the "default" copyright share is 1/3 for the composer, 1/3 for the lyricist, 1/3 for the arranger/producer (sometimes record label), but all depends on the deal. Musicians and vocalist don't own copyright if they are not composer, lyricist or arranger. They are paid by the session and/or Gramex payments. Then there may be a publisher which has his/her own publishing contract.

So basically, I hire the vocalist to write the lyrics and perform on a track I composed/produced. I pay him/her for the recording sessions. The track is done, we're both happy with it. Now what do I do? Is there a type of contract model that I need to fill in? Also, how can producers release tracks without mentioning the featured vocalist in them?

Ugh, so many questions

I repeat - in this case you make written contract of the copyright share with the lyricist, its good if you have agreed of the share BEFORE the project at least orally.But written anyway at some stage, each country has a copyright organization(s), I think U.S. several competetive, all they have agreement forms and databases. You must be normally member for that organizatio. In my country it us TEOSTO, I'm member, it costs some bugs. These organizations have international agreements between them.

[Harry_HH]

Well, Harry from Finland states there is a default split in such a case. Law differs from country to country. Simon has pointed out how if the singer is with a PRO org., ASCAP, BMI etc you have to reward royalties if you're such a member. Co-writing opens up a whole can of worms. If the track makes actual money, you should have gotten who owns what sorted first.

What I said, there is often default (typical) share with the partners but in every case the share must be agreed. Even some extreme cases are documented. You may have heard e.g.the cases in the USA in the 50's and 60's, where some influental radio DJs' refused to play young (and later famous) artist records if DJs are not marked a co-writers to the song. Today thats not possible but in those days US was a Wild West in the music busines.

[4damind]

Has somebody some experience with this internet sites where session singers can be hired? The singers having their fixed price, sometimes providing also the writing of lyrics for some extra money. IMO this should be the easiest way to hire a singer.

Co-writing or a more permanent collaboration is of course a different thing and needs a contract. Typical it's a fifty-fifty deal with 2 persons (or 33,3% for 3 writers, 25% for 4 writers and so on).

[jancivil]

Well, to sum this up, if you are hiring somebody straight off the 'net, and they're offering lyrics along with their vocal talents, be suspicious enough to be very clear about where this is all headed.