I need to sell a beat that I own the copyrights to

[Beatsbybeth]

Step by step, how do I go about doing this? I want to give them the copyrights, I want nothing to do with the beat, just want to sell it and have the money deposited into my bank account...

Thank you.

-Beth

youtubedotcomeslashbeatsbybeth

[rjd2? yes, rjd2.]

honestly? unless its a major, i'd do a handshake deal where they pay you before you deliver the "masters" or session. if its something that might get some airplay or public performance, then consider a simple agreement and terms for publishing. if not, dont sweat it, and treat it like a couch on craigslist, literally.

[nrjetik]

honestly? unless its a major, i'd do a handshake deal where they pay you before you deliver the "masters" or session. if its something that might get some airplay or public performance, then consider a simple agreement and terms for publishing. if not, dont sweat it, and treat it like a couch on craigslist, literally.

yes, that would be a simple way to do it. but for me, i want myself to start acting like how I would if I were to be a professional artist/producer. I have contracts that outline their rights and have them sign it along with me for recorded proof. They send the money to me and then I send them the masters via a pass-protected file or if they request, I can send them a CD with the masters.

if its more simple for you to just approach the selling part of music production in a barter-like fashion, then it's alright as long as it's nothing major. if it is somethin major, i suggest you do what I do in order to maximize your opportunities.

[Beatsbybeth]

Okay, thanks. Can you tell me how you figured out what exactly to put in a contract that will be outlining their rights for full 100% ownership of the beat? I have NO idea where to begin with that. Also, is having them sign a contract I've made myself saying I am giving them full ownership of the beat enough for it to then officially be theirs (since they still won't be the ones with the copyright on the official us copyright website or are there other steps I need to take? This is what I need to know. So simple yet seems so impossible to find out.

[rjd2? yes, rjd2.]

if they register the work w/ US copyright office, then yes, they will be the ones with the copyright.

yes, a contract saying they own the master recording signed by you and them means they own it. ownership of a recording can be transferred. the writing of a composition cant.

[K¥O Beatz]

hold up though.

rjd2,why would he master the beat he made if someone is just going to lay vocals over it & its gonna get mixed again & then mastered again. i guess its just my way of working but i would never give them the master beat only because i know they are gonna mix & master it again.

off topic sorry lol

[moses]

Seriously, there is absolutely no point involving money in such low level projects. It just hinders friendship and an easy atmosphere, no way to be really creative under such circumstances.

Do cool and exciting music, build up some real artistic value. Money must be secondary (and it will be, no matter if you want it or not). I'm regularly shocked to see how a huge part of the US hip-hop newbies take a strange disney-hyper-commercialism-plastic-pop-business approach.

Just a few years ago in the hiphop scene, it was a real shame to have such a "money first" attitude. People looked for results and fame, not income.

[rjd2? yes, rjd2.]

hold up though.

rjd2,why would he master the beat he made if someone is just going to lay vocals over it & its gonna get mixed again & then mastered again. i guess its just my way of working but i would never give them the master beat only because i know they are gonna mix & master it again.

off topic sorry lol

google "master recording". google "mastering process for records". it'll make sense. 2 different things.

moses is right. if you are worrying about a contract for a one-off project having a contract for someone's record they are putting out themselves, or is on a small scale, IMO you are totally missing the point. people like hi-tek/madlib/your favorite producer did not get to where they are thru having airtight contracts on every project they made(nobody would get shit done), they got where they are by doing LOTS of projects. sheer volume is your friend right now.

[Xabiton]

Seriously, there is absolutely no point involving money in such low level projects. It just hinders friendship and an easy atmosphere, no way to be really creative under such circumstances.

Do cool and exciting music, build up some real artistic value. Money must be secondary (and it will be, no matter if you want it or not). I'm regularly shocked to see how a huge part of the US hip-hop newbies take a strange disney-hyper-commercialism-plastic-pop-business approach.

Just a few years ago in the hiphop scene, it was a real shame to have such a "money first" attitude. People looked for results and fame, not income.

and the music is really suffering for it. I mean to the point where people know they are making plastic pop records and do so only because they feel it will pay and doing more classic hip hop wont. its even funnier because the main thing these guys are afraid of is sample clearances for a beat they may sell to a guy who might sell 1000 copies of his cd locally in a 5 year time span. The guys who are lucky enough to get onto a major album will have label backing to cover clearances anyway but these guys are so scared that they will continue to make plastic pop music and call it hip hop for years #hiphopisdead

[Tyree D.]

the attitude is slightly understandable. When I was broke doing something for nothin didn't seem good. Now that I got a career and around people that don't have the American mentality I can enjoy music for the first time since school.