Distribution:

When you have completed a recording you have several choices you can make the first being absilutely nothing and sit on the product. The second choice is to distribute the product to the masses or a select group of people. In some cases you may alread have an outlet such as a broadcast outlet, websites, or podcasts. We can help you define the path you would like to take along with the various licensing needs, and revenue generation.

Licensing Cover Material:

The simplest policy an artist or group can follow is to utilize all original material on their recording or presentation event. This way you own all the rights. If however you decide to use the work of another artist you must secure permission rights for "cover" material, even if you are giving the recording away for free. Fees are calculated on per song plus royalties. Royalty rates are set in the US by the federal government and vary by format example cd, ringtones, etc. The fees are also based on quantity. Pullman Studios does not do licensing but we can point you to various websites that do so.....Note we do not have connections to any of the websites nor do we endorse their policies or fees. Important: Derivative works, including works like samples, cannot be cleared through a compulsory mechanical license. You need to seek the permission of their publisher. All songs published in 1922 or earlier are in the public domain, meaning they are no longer protected by copyright and can be used by anyone.

Cover material is considered published when recordings are available for sale. A copyright owner must give you a mechanical license if you pay the royalty fee based on the estimated revenue of the cover song. You can obtain an audio only mechanical license directly through the Harry Fox Agency. Note: A live performance is not publication however you will need a sync license, of which there is not set fee and no guarantee of acquirment.

Licensing Your Material:

If you write and perform your songs you are the owner. This is considered to be your intellectual property, and Copyrights protect it. If you wrote the material with another individual(s) you each own a portion of that song. If you work with a label, the label may control as negotiated, the copyright to the recording, per a set duration. Music oopyright is either composition (lyrics and music), and the audio recording. Songwriters and or publishers own compositions with audio recordings owned by artists and labels. You can register your works at https://www.copyright.gov/. Note: Copyright does not protect a title or short phrase, the concept of your song or idea, nor chord progressions.

Release Electronically:

You have completed your final product and now you want to distribute the work either to a restricted audience or to the masses. Electronic release is by far the fastest way to release material but the question is on what format and how.

If you have a limited audience or a particular audience (say a station or podcast) you can simply attach the file to an email, or ftp the file to the cloud or similar storage device. You control who receives the product.

If you want to reach your fans and the world, there are a multitude of sites that allow you to upload videos and audio recordings. Each site has it's own particular structure, fees, sales, or promotion terms.

You can only distribute your music to the streaming services through a distributor or a music distribution company. When a distributor signs musicians it gives them the right to distribute their music to Apple Music. Spotify, and other services. A distributor is directly responsible for collecting the royalties on behalf of the artists from the streaming services. The key is to keep 100% of the royalties, and ensure there are no hidden fees in agreements. Sone distributors also handle physical media like cds and vinyl. Pullman Studios can help you decide the best company to handle your distributions and to discuss their respective fees.

Release Physical Media like Vinyl, CDs:

Physical distribution of releases is still an important part of artist and label development. Pullman Studios will help you identify companies that can press or duplicate media and package accordingly. Some companies now provide on demand cd/vinyl printing and packaging with sales in stores like Amazon. You can choose to go that route or we can arrange for pressing/duplication, packaging and shipping for you, including yours or our storefront for sales.