Cover Songs, worth the trouble?

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 6:47 pm

I would like to know, or actually I'd like to just hear others' "take" on the issue.. of recording other peoples tunes, or copyrighted material like Wold Horses or BrownSugar but any, not just stones....and what it'd be involving at the lower or home studio-level..produced mp3's or whatever to offer from a website dedicated to self promotion.
I have discovered that its a quicker to-do for me in the case of non original material-songs, as in those I am recording to try and establish a listeners base from.. or thos eI am trying to do.. seems i spend a great deal of time on my own stuff.. where if i knew it would not turn out to have been a mistake.. I am simply asking for folk's ideas on the matter; often times, a new group can get a sort-of a "leg-up" by doing a good established song, really well..
Anyhow this is what I am saying;
I mean if you don't sell the tunes that you've recorded and offered for listening or download.. that shouldn't be a "sweat" or could it? I'm sure the untold possibilities of ways it could go badly if approached incorrectly, or geez i just sort hven't the foggiest... like I know what I would expect... but these things can certainly catch me off-guard every time I fail to keep a good lookout.
Sure I'd expect If in the unlikely would be-flattersome event someone else sold them...like in quantity or some crazy sh8tt and if it got to the wrong persons.. if it was extensive enough, maybe... or am I just really being naive... or can or would anyone care to offer his/her opinion/s on this stellar brainstorm of mine..
I can literally imagine lotsa stuff about this, I do wish anyone might "chime in" for me on this with some shoptalk le confidente.
I'M JUS' ASKIN FOLK'S OPINIONS
Hey- if a dreamer is but allowed to dream..
I do know what i'd think to be "right"
But I'd really like to know anybodies practical experiences or knowkedge , they'd share with me if they feel so inclined.

Thanks for the stamina and for any thoughts..

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 9:27 am

You can legally record any cover tunes if you pay the piper first. Go to the harry Fox agency website and you can pay the going rate (I believe 8 1/2 cents?) minimum 500 copies of a song. That translate about $40+ a song. Whatever you do with your 500 copy licence is up to you- see them, give them away for download, whatever. After you sell of give away 500 copies of a song you have to pay the piper again. That's the law.

Anyone can record any previously recorded song if they pay- that's also the law. You can not be kept from covering a tune if you pay. Only unreleased songs are protected from you recording them and releasing them first. This protects the artist and/or songwriter from someone else beating them to the punch with their own song. Imagine if you got hold of a say, counting crows song and release it a week before them just by paying a fee! Thus the law is made to prevent this. However, after the song hits the stores is fair game for anyone to cover.

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 3:41 pm

Very perceptive answer MainT. Thanks

thanks

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:46 pm

"it sort'o looks as if I'm a bit of an outlaw for more than just the reasons I'd previously been consious of!

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:18 am

my take

live show - always play at least one cover song, but make it your own

recording - never record a cover song, to much hassel

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:51 pm

Actually I just noticed on the Harry Fox website that you can obtain mechanical rights for songs in quantities of 25 now! It used to be hundreds of units. This makes is very reasonable to record cover tunes and pay the rate of less than .10/ song per unit. 10 songs = 1.00 With the cost of duplication and printing at all time lows, you could record a CD for a few bucks and make 70-80% profit if you know what you're doing and have the right equipment and knowledge.
The process of obtaining mechanical rights takes about 2-3 minutes per song at most once you know what you're doing.

Phil

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