FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I re-name a song/beat once I’ve purchased a license ?
YES !
You just have to make sure that you inform producer and songwriter John Meisel about the new song name which you’ve used for the public release and the registration at your local "PRO" (which means your "Performance Rights Organization" like ASCAP, BMI, JASRAC, GEMA, SAMRO, SACEM, SOCAN, SGAE, SIAE, BUMA) so that John can register the "New Song" correctly with his PRO, the German GEMA.
Are the songs/beats new or have they been on the market for many years?
Will the audio tag of LightwaveMusic be removed when I purchase a license ?
Yes, all licenses come without any tags. The audio tag which acts as a layer of protection is only audible in the streaming file of the store or marketplace.
I would love to receive a custom song which is created exclusively for my artist personality?
This is possible. Please visit the section „Services“ and check out John’s offer for „Exclusive CUSTOM SONG“ Is it a disadvantage that also other vocalists/rappers have the possibility to license the same song/beat?
Whereas it can be beneficial if you purchase an Exclusive license (or upgrade your license someday to „Exclusive“, so that no other artists can license it anymore), bear in mind that you will receive a high-end production at a very fair price.
As your vocals and lyrics will be unique and as many successful songs on the market have been released in many different versions, the only problem you could face is that you have to prolong or upgrade your license after a couple of years if your streams, downloads/sales or the licensing period exceed the agreed threshold or timeframe. Or that someone else buys-out the song/beat as Exclusive License and you could not prolong or upgrade your current license anymore.
What happens to the licenses of others if I purchase an "Exclusive License" ?
Once you've made a permanent buy-out of a song/beat it will no longer be offered to other artists and be removed permanently from John's store and marketplace offer. Current license holders are still allowed to use their release until their agreed timeframe or download/stream threshold expires, but will no longer be able to prolong or upgrade it.
Can I be informed how many other artists or labels have licensed a specific song already?
Customers who are seriously interested in purchasing an „EXCLUSIVE“ license for a song, can be informed on request how many times the track has been licensed already.
What happens in case my license expires or if my download/streams exceed the allowed number on my licensing contract ?
In case you need to prolong your license or want to re-new or upgrade your license, then simply order the same or higher license directly via John's BeatStore and you will receive a new or upgraded contract. In case your "New Song" is successful a permanent buy-out (via purchasing an "Exclusive License") can be a good option, although it usually is no problem if a song is released in different versions (esp. as vocals and lyrics make each release unique).
How much do you charge for an Exclusive License with permanent buy-out ?
The price depends on the track and on the popularity status of the artist. Usually you can expect a price starting from about 2k up to much more.
(for contract details you can read John's terms for "Exclusive License)
I want an Exclusive License but can not afford it right now - do you accept payment in installments?
The usual procedure is to pay the agreed price once (esp. as John's SONG-Store and the BeatStars marketplace currently do not support installment payments or payment plans for licenses) via the BeatStars marketplace (and thereby receiving your contract as well). However, in certain cases John accepts to deal directly for "Exclusive Licenses", via e-mail ( info@lightwavemusic.com ) which means that you would get your signed contract as PDF or printed via snail mail (including a CD-R or USB-stick) and in certain cases installments are possible for "Exclusive Licenses" as well.
What does „STEMS“ mean?
If you purchase a „PREMIUM Gold Lease“ or UNLIMITED Lease“ you will also receive several high-resolution WAV files (48 kHz - 24 Bit) that are comprised of pre-mastered sub-group mixes (e.g. drums, bass, synths, vocal adlibs) to make your vocal integration more convenient and easy. If you purchase an „EXCLUSIVE License“ then you could also ask John to receive each track isolated. However, as John’s productions have a lot of tracks and because John is using high-end hard- & software as well as elaborated, unique mixing & mastering techniques, the provided stems usually should suffice. They will make sure that your final result sounds more polished and high-end.
Btw, you are not allowed to share, offer or sell any STEMS you may receive. They are only meant to facilitate your vocal embedding/mixing/mastering.
Is it possible to receive the beat / song without any vocal adlibs?
Customers who purchase a Premium, Unlimited or Exclusive License, will receive several stem files with pre-mixed sub-groups for convenient vocal integration.
If you purchase a Premium, Unlimited or Exclusive License, you can be sure that any vocals / adlibs / choirs that have been used in John’s productions come on a separate track, so that you can decide whether you want to use them or not.
Are your productions safe reg. cleared samples?
When purchasing the license of a beat/track from John, you can be sure that all 3rd party licensing rights, virtual instruments, live recordings, sample library content, loops and/or audio samples that are used in his productions are cleared and can be used in your "New Song".
Is it allowed to mute vocal adlibs / hook elements from your productions esp. as they come on separate stems with your Premium, Unlimited or Exclusive Licenses and to sing along the same or similar vocal melodies, lyrics and lines or parts from them like these adlips/hook elements in my "new song"?
Whereas all vocal adlibs or hooks that are used in John's productions are cleared (-> they are either recordings with vocalists which John recorded in his studio or cleared vocal samples from sample libraries or sample instruments), they represent micro compositions and must not be used independently from your new song itself. You are allowed to use them in your new song without paying any further royalties. You can either use them as „vocal support“ for your own lyrics and vocal melodies and performance or you can mute them and just use them as a basic hint to imagine how your new song could sound like. But you are not allowed to mute them and to sing these melodies and lyrics by yourself as if they would be your own melodic and lyrical creations.
Which payment options do you accept ?
-> PayPal
-> Credit/Debit card (via PayPal)
-> Bank transfer (for customers of an "Exclusive License")
Can my "New Song" be released via your own label SONIC JOY Records ?
SONIC JOY Records currently releases 6 international projects. We are not accepting unsolicited demo enquiries at the current point of time. However, if your licensed new song of John should be a great match for one of our projects a release may be taken into consideration. Feel free to send John a link with your purchased beat and your vocals and if we think that it could make sense, we can talk about a fair cooperation deal. Do I „own“ a song/beat/stem once I purchased a license?
Unless you purchase an EXCLUSIVE Licence, you are not the sole owner of the music but receive a license to use the beat/track recording for adding your VOCALS and topline to it (vocal synchronization) partly or in its entirety and substantially in its original form („Master Recording“).
You are not getting the right to exploit the composition/beat/track directly, only to create and exploit a NEW recording that includes the beat/track along with new and unique material (-> a topline and VOCALS). You are not allowed to share, offer or sell any STEMS you may receive. They are only meant to facilitate your vocal embedding/mixing/mastering.
Can I register my "New Song" with You Tube content ID (or a similar ID service like that of TuneCore, CD Baby or other providers of audio fingerprint or content identification services) ?
You are not allowed to register your "New Song" with these content ID services (like e.g. YouTube's content ID). The purpose of this restriction is to prevent all artists who license my instrumentals from receiving a copyright infringement takedown notice. So this is simply a layer of protection for you and other artists to minimize unneccessary stress.
(However, if you purchase an EXCLUSIVE license and become the sole-owner of a beat/song, you can register it with e.g. YouTube content ID).
Are there further restrictions reg. my "New Song ?
You are not allowed to use licensed songs for insluting, pornographic, horror, war or drug promoting purposes.
Remixes require the permission of producer John Meisel.
You have to inform John of relevant changes of your contact data and stick to the contract.
What means PRO registration ?
John Meisel has written/composed/arranged the beat/track, which is commonly treated as one-half (50%) of the songwriting on a musical composition (sometimes referred to as „100% music“, whereas the lyricist / topline writer gets the other 50% for 100% of the lyrics). When you purchase a license from John, you agree that Producer John Meisel retains the ownership of his copyright in the NEW composition of yours (with regard to his contribution). You agree that any registration of the New Composition with relevant Performance Rights Organizations in your territory (which is called your “PRO” e.g. ASCAP, BMI, JASRAC, GEMA, SOCAN, BUMA, SIAE, SGAE, SACEM, etc.) will reference John Meisel having 50% of the total writer’s share (or in other words „100% of the music“) under John Meisel (GEMA International IP-Name Number: 770882313) and 50% of the total publisher’s share under John Meisel (GEMA International IP-Name Number: 770882313).
Where can I find the contract ?
At the bottom of the "Licensing Info" preview (in the LightwaveMusic SONG-Store) and also during the checkout process before paying an order, you can read the contract details for the specific license you want to purchase. After your license purchase you will also find your contract in your BeatStars account. Read it carefully as it is a legal agreement between you and producer John Meisel and defines all that could be relevant for your license in detail. Can I book a vocal integration/mixing and mastering for my new song?
Depending on John’s schedule you can contact him directly and tell him about your project, so that he can send you a quote.
Can you please explain the different types of royalties that have to be shared or paid when I license a beat/song from you?
In addition to the non-transferable license fee, there are different royalties that become relevant for you as creator of vocal melodies and lyrics and John as creator of the instrumental composition and producer of the instrumental music of your "New Song":
1. Producer Royalties: With your license you receive commercial rights and have to pay the Producer 20% from any sales/streaming income of the beat/track (which is usually collected by your label or directly by you via the distribution aggregator of your choice). If you want to avoid the 20% participation you can inquire for the EXCLUSIVE Licensing of this beat/track and negotiate the permanent “Buy-out” with John. As this track would afterwards be "yours" and could no longer be offered to new customers, the price would of course be much higher than for the “Unlimited” License. (-> There are many producers who are charging 50%, so 20% is my intention to act fair towards vocalists).
2. Publishing Royalties: Producer John Meisel and his publishing company "Lightwave Music" own 100% of the publishing of the underlying musical composition and shall own a fifty percent (50%) share in the publishing of the “New Song”. And you as the artist and lyricist shall usually own 100% of the publishing for the lyrics and own a fifty percent (50%) share in the publishing of the “New Song”.
3. Mechanical Royalties: When a copy of a master recording like your “New Song” is sold (either on a CD, or when someone buys it on a service like iTunes etc.) or is streamed (e.g., on a service like Apple Music, Tidal or Spotify etc.), copyright law requires that the songwriters get paid a royalty called a “mechanical license”. John Meisel is entitled to be paid mechanical royalties for the Producer’s songwriting share (50%) of the New Song (which is usually administrated via his own publishing company "Lightwave Music").
You still got serious questions?
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