[Dixielandjazz] CD costs

[Vaxtrpts at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/2/2006 1:06:42 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, Edmetzsr  
writes:

Mike, how about the new one (at least to me) - mechanical licenses? We're  
doing a new CD with the Bob Cats which requires me to obtain mechanical  
licenses from publishers/administrators, assuming you can even find them,  which will 
add nearly $2.00 to the cost of each CD. All of the major  replicators (CD 
Production Houses) now make it mandatory to have mechanical  licenses before 
they will commit to stamping out copies. The lawyers seem to  have won again. My 
concern is that it will lead to even more piracy and  illegal copying.



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This is news to me.  I know many bands who don't go through this and  still 
get CD's pressed.
As far as my situation, I am a Summit recording artist, so the company  takes 
care of all that.
(Thank goodness!!!!)  When doing the mechanical licenses, one usually  goes 
through the Harry Fox Agency in New York.  They want to know how many  copies 
will be printed, which usually has some bearing on the cost per  tune.  Are you 
doing an newer tunes?  Those are usually more expensive  than older ones, and 
of course public domain tunes don't require this.
$2.00 sounds a little expensive to me.  Depending on the number of  tunes you 
record, it should usually be about .05 to .08 cents per tune.   (At least 
that is what it used to be......)

But you are right that it is just another cost that we have to bear, in  
order to get our music heard on recordings..............
Mike Vax