FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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 an exclusive license ?
Yes, the audio tag which acts as a layer of protection is only audible in the streaming file of the store or marketplace.
How much do you charge for an Exclusive single with permanent buy-out ?
The price depends on the hit potential of the instrumental single and your popularity status as artist or record label.
I want an Exclusive License but can not afford it right now - do you accept payment in installments?
The usual procedure is of course to pay the agreed price at once.
However, in certain cases John accepts installments a well.
What does „STEMS“ mean?
If you purchase an instrumental song exclusively 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 the vocal recording and vocal integration more convenient and easy. In addition to that it is usually possible to 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 the final result sounds more polished and high-end.
Is it possible to receive the beat / song without any vocal adlibs?
Exclusive instrumental songs always come with several stem files with pre-mixed sub-groups for convenient vocal integration and 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" commercially.
Is it allowed to mute vocal adlibs / hook elements from your productions esp. as they come on separate stems 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 ?
-> Bank transfer
-> PayPal
-> Credit/Debit card (via PayPal)
Can my "New Song" be released via your own label SONIC JOY Records ?
SONIC JOY Records currently releases 6 international projects. We are not looking for 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 contact John and if we think that it could make sense, we can talk about a fair cooperation deal.
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) ?
If you purchase a song of John EXCLUSIVELY you ecome the sole-owner of a beat/song, and therefore 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 composer/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 (and 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 ?
In the LightwaveMusic SONG-Store you can find the field "Make Offer" besides each track. By clicking on it you can conveniently read the full "EXCLUSIVE License" agreement. It is standard without pitfalls... however, we suggest that you read it carefully. 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":
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 (or record label of the artist) 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 as download 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 songwriting share (50%) of the New Song.
You still got serious questions?
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