Production Music

Production music refers to music that is owned by production music libraries.

Generally the music is composed specifically for use in Film, TV, Radio, Multimedia and Business.

Since these libraries generally own all of the rights in the music they can licence it directly without the need to gain permission from composers or writers. It can therefore be licensed immediately with a clear cost to the end user.

The advantage of a production music library is that it can cater to a wide range of musical styles and themes with many libraries holding ten of thousands of tracks and cuts.

Production music gives producers and directors a platform from which to choose audio that is suitable for their project or brief. Libraries often have tracks relevant to current musical genres, styles, charts and culture. Many libraries will hold music across the entire spectrum of music history and include Classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock n Roll, Dance and Reggae - amongst a host of contemporary collections or themes created for business or media applications.

The convenience factor means that anyone who needs production library music can choose from a huge range of styles, access the audio from one place and know exactly how much it will cost. Most libraries have Rate Cards so producers can budget for the costs of a project in advance.

Their is also the peace of mind that many libraries will almost always have a piece of music suitable for the job and if not will help you to find some. Many will also offer custom music production services.

History of Production Music

Typical music for production has been around since the days of silent cinema. In those days the audio was supplied in written form and sent over to small orchestras and bands who would perform the sound live in time with the film.

Since then many production music companies have built up sound and audio libraries. These include Boozy & Hawkes, Cavendish, Sonoton, Extreme Music, EMI, Sony BMG, KPM, De Wolfe and many others.

Traditionally, music libraries sent out their music collections on CD. These days it is more likely to be accessed via the internet, file-downloading, hard drive or CD's, CD-Rom, DVD-Rom

Production Music Online

The Internet has enabled music for production to be distributed online via downloading. It has also given a platform for new companies and libraries to set up independently.

There are now many production music libraries online. The quality and price can vary enormously as can the actual license terms or use of the music. However production music downloads now seem to be the preferred method for many media professionals around the world.

Royalty Free Music

Royalty free music varies slightly to the attributes of production music.

Production music has generally been licensed on a pay-per-use basis. That is you pay for every single use of the music - If you want to use music on a TV show then you license the rights for that. If you want to additionally use that music on an interactive CD-Rom then you would have to license those rights.

Royalty free music on the other hand offers customers a way of purchasing a CD of the music which can then be used as many times as you like without any further payments or fees.

However the Internet and other issues has meant that many royalty free music libraries now operate more like traditional production music libraries and vice versa.

This is most likely attributed to the growth of independent music libraries who can create their own license and finance models according to their own marketplace requirements.

Sync Fees and Dub Fees

A Production music company charges a fee for the licensing of their music. This is often referred to a 'Synchronization Fee' or 'Dub Fee'. This is one of the main income streams for music libraries.

Performing Rights Organisations

Performing Rights Organisations (PRO's) protect, administer and collect performance royalties on behalf of its member composers, artists and publishers.

Performance royalties are generated when music is broadcast on TV or Radio or played in public places like restaurants and other business spaces.

Music that is publicly performed or broadcast has to be licensed. For example a broadcaster such as the BBC or SKY has to pay to broadcast music as do restaurants, shops and users of music on hold systems and others.

These licenses are issued by PRO's to music users whenever music is broadcast to the public. The revenues from these licenses is then collected and split up between all of the members of that particular PRO.

Most countries have their own PRO such as PRS (UK), ASCAP (USA), GEMA (Germany). Many countries have more than one.

See the FULL LIST of Performing Rights Organisations

Music libraries are generally also music publishers. Their musical works are published via a PRO and any broadcast or public performance of that music will accrue performance royalties.

The Beat Suite Music Library

Beatsuite.com is a music library that supplies production music uk to companies all over the world for all kinds of media, broadcast and advertising platforms. The library features over 10,000 music files ready for immediate Preview, Purchase and Download. To get access to production music online visit http://www.beatsuite.com now

Disclaimer

We have written this article to be as accurate as possible at the time of publishing. This is not a legal document nor is it intended to be anything other than a reference document. For more information please see Wikipedia

Beatsuite.com Production Music Library

Music and Television Programming: Good Inexpensive Production Music

Television has taken on an entirely new look and feel, even in the past decade. What was once an industry based on three major networks with very limited programs in the 1950's has erupted into many major networks and thousands of cable channels available throughout the world in every imaginable language. Television has truly become a three-dimensional experience for producers, directors, project coordinators and other professionals in the industry, not to mention a multi-dimensional experience for viewers. With a variety of genres and styles of programming available, from news programs and specials to different types and lengths of commercials, sit-coms, dramas, reality programs, game shows and countless others, being someone involved in television production is both wrought with opportunity and teeming with challenges.

Finding inexpensive background music and production music for television programs can be much more difficult than finding it for other types of media projects because the medium is so diversified and so societally pervasive. As a director or producer of television programs looking for ear-catching television music for your show, you have to be very cognizant of not only your target audience, but also what you are up against in your allotted time slot. Sometimes whether a show succeeds or fails has nothing to do with its quality. Success in television programming has more to do with what you are up against and the time and day your program airs. If you are producing a talk show, for example, you might be on at the same time as more than five or ten other talk shows. Or your program might conversely be when no other talk shows are on television, but at a time when typically people are more likely to watch news programs, Sit-coms or other types of programming.

Still, choosing the right television music can certainly help you make the most out of your particular project. Again, because of the diverse nature of television, there are many different types of production music and background music to choose from. There is music for commercials, music for dramas, music for news programs and specials, music for sit-coms and many others. As a producer of a television show, you probably also will have to consider how your music will blend in with the music of commercials that might air during your broadcast. Because the line between commercials and programming has been blurred, starting in the 1960's commercials have become an integral part of all television shows, sometimes not only on network television but also on cable television. Before the mid-1960's, commercials used to have to be signaled in all television programs by an announcement that they would begin. Similarly, announcers were responsible for signaling the return of the regular program. Now, there is not always any clear sign where the show ends and the commercial begins or vice versa. It's all about the timing.

Because Copyright Law has become stricter to account for the proliferation of diverse recorded music, finding and affording production music and background music for television programming has been further complicated. Before the 1980s, music in commercials and even on many television programs was limited to jingles and transitional music, most of which was instrumental or with very brief and simple vocals. Occasionally lyrics to popular music would be changed to fit a particular product or the theme for a show, a phenomenon that would not work easily or cheaply under today's copyright standards, and didn't come inexpensively then either. Still, while some pop and rock songs were re-recorded for television programs and commercials, the cost of licensing original recordings was very daunting until the late 1980s when it became more doable.

Today commercials use many popular songs as background music and production music, and many programs, particularly those geared towards young people use popular music regularly in an effort to promote burgeoning music groups. Television has become such a cultural phenomenon and a showcase for music that many shows, including "Dawson's Creek" and "The O.C." have even gone on to put out music compilations based on music heard in episodes of the show throughout specific seasons. Previously, songs were often used without artist consent, but thanks to stricter Copyright Law this is no longer a possibility. Still, most artists are willing to accept often high payment for use of their songs in popular television programs and enjoy the exposure they get as a result to very specific markets made up of people that will buy music they make in the future.

Using popular music in television programs and commercials can be incredibly expensive for the typical producer and director. Whether your show is a hit with a large budget, or a smaller show just starting out, you want to make an impact musically at minimal cost, as there are so many other elements to consider in the production of television projects. Fees for use of popular music can total thousands of dollars, and when you multiply that by how often you will probably use songs as themes, production music, background music and other incidental elements, the numbers can add up quickly. But, even though you want to save money on television music, you certainly don't want to skimp on quality.

What are your options when it comes to production music and background music for your television projects if you want to build a collection inexpensively and still honor the spirit of your project?

As a producer or director of television programs, you most likely travel in circles of artists and musicians. You might know some good composers or bands, or people you know might know some that would be happy to help with music for your project. Because of the almost culturally invasive nature of television, most struggling musicians or composers would not object to helping you out with your project in exchange for exposure and the chance to work on something beyond the norm. Many bands have been launched when their song was chosen as a theme song for a television series, and many composers have broken into the film, television and music industry after working on scores for television programs.

Finding under-appreciated talent in your network is a good option and often one that could help get you a deal on production music or background music, but it is by no means a simple solution, nor one that is long-term. If your show is a hit, or your theme song or the band that sings it is a hit, you will be morally, if not legally obligated to pay more for the music you are using. This either leads to the same problem you had before of expensive music or back to square one, looking for inexpensive television music.

Another option for inexpensive production music, and one that more producers and directors are choosing every day, is royalty free music provided by reputable music companies. Choosing royalty free music allows you access to a catalog of music in varying styles and can be downloaded directly from a centralized royalty free music company website online. Well-known companies such as Royalty Free Music.com give you music libraries with songs you can add permanently to a collection. This means you can build your own store of production music and use it in present and future projects. And because of the nature of the music, you just pay a very low upfront fee to satisfy all aspects of Copyright Law.

Television production gets more complex as time and technology progresses, but directors and producers will never lose the ability to control what production music and background music fits best with their projects. Television music is critical to keeping a program or a commercial at the top of its game, and helps communicate important themes to viewers. As a producer, director or project coordinator, the musical choices you make are some of the most important decisions.

How to Find Production Music for Any Project

If you are a producer, director or project coordinator for any type of film, television or video project, you know how challenging it can be to find production music that encapsulates fully the important themes and the message of your project. Not only is production music and background music for film and television often incredibly expensive, but the time required to shop around to the multitude of music providers or composers is also extensive. And since musical originality is often a concern, typically producers with limited budgets that can't afford to pay a composer to create a score of music specifically for their film, television show or video project, but can buy popular music or previously used film scores run the risk of hearing the very same production music and background music they paid so dearly for in another film weeks or months later.

Many film and television professionals that do not have multi-million dollar budgets wonder what to look for in high quality production music. Because the market for background music of all varieties, particularly those that claim to be "affordable" and "original" can be so inundated with poor-sounding, purely imitative scores and individual musical pieces, weeding through the rocks to find the gems can be a painstaking process for which no one has the time or energy.

The following are four important elements to look for when shopping for the right production music and background music for your film, television or video project:

1. Excellent sound quality. This may seem like an obvious element, because it is often the most immediately noticeable when listening to good music, but many don't think about sound quality unless it is very bad. If you are a producer or director, you probably have an understanding of sound quality in film or television, but may be less certain of your ability to gauge it in production music and background music. If you don't have the benefit of having a musical expert on staff, you can certainly gauge the quality of the music yourself by thinking about a few important aspects. If the music has been recorded under the best conditions, you will hear a perfect balance between bass and treble, as well as consistent sound and textures regardless of the volume at which you are listening to the music. You will be able to pick out the individual sounds of different instruments and not just a muddle of sounds, some fairly indistinguishable.

2. Vivid, true instrumentation. Some production music that claims to be "affordable" sounds more like bad elevator music or music that has been recorded in a dark room by someone's younger brother using a cheap synthesizer from the 1980's. Even if the music is synthesized (and as a professional with a limited budget, you should understand that sometimes it has to be in order to keep costs down), it does not have to sound fake and hollow. Synthesizers are capable of producing instrument sounds that are true-to-life, and the best production music and background music will have depth and approach if not fully embody the richness and intricacies of real violins, cellos, brass, woodwinds, electric guitars and percussion. If you can tell the instruments are merely simulated, your audience will know as well.

3. Originality. This one seems like something obvious to look for in great production music, but is actually much more complicated than at first thought. If you can't afford popular music, or don't want to risk hearing the music you've selected in other films or television programs that have nothing to do with your unique project, you want to find background music that is exciting and innovative, but also makes some musical sense and has continuity, and most importantly, fits the overall feeling of your production. First-rate production music will have technical accuracy and stylistic importance, but will be special and able to stand alone as a piece of good music. Still, as a producer, director or project coordinator you will want something original that still invokes the attitude and style of your film and perhaps even reminds audiences of the popular pieces of music you could not afford.

4. Well-written and -performed music by artists with real and verifiable credentials. Production music providers, even the smaller ones, that are legitimate and of the finest quality will provide credentials for the artists and composers they enlist, and will have full and confirmable information about all aspects of their production music. Film and television professionals should be prepared to ask specific questions of these providers if this history is not readily available, because sometimes a very new production music provider will have talented musicians involved, but not necessarily yet have the resume to prove it. If the provider's music has been used in other films and projects, you should ask for a list and make sure the projects are similar or at least remotely relevant in style and quality to your production.

Everyone has had the experience of buying popular music, even at cheaper prices, only to hear it in every film that comes out in the same year. Many producers and directors are thinking about alleviating the struggle of searching for production music by turning to providers of royalty free music and royalty free production music to fulfill their complex needs. Royalty free music and buyout music offers an excellent alternative to the hassle of searching for the right production music that fits a tight budget. Clients of royalty free production music companies pay a one-time, low fee and gain unlimited use of the pieces of music.

Companies such as Award Winning Music and http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com offer a very comprehensive library of royalty free music and royalty free production music that will suit the many and discriminating needs of producers, directors and project coordinators, and even offer experts that will help design packages of royalty free music and buyout music or even entire film scores for film, television and video projects at a fraction of the cost of the major music providers. Buyout music and royalty free music is an excellent option for professionals looking to communicate the themes and attitude of their project, and will make a film sound as original as it would had a score been created specifically for it.