Help: What are mechanical rights?

Subject: What are mechanical rights?
From: Jim Krause
Date: 04 Sep 01 - 05:42 PM

I was talking to a cousin while on vacation visiting relatives. Since my cousin's brother, now deceased some many years had been something of a songwriter, we got to talking about the music biz. My cousin told me that he still gets royalty checks every once in a while from his brother's recordings. He asked me if I had the mechanical rights to my songs secured.

What are mechanical rights, and how does one secure them? (OK all you Star Trek freaks, I'm not talkin' 'bout what Data did on TNG. Besides, I never watched that show anyways.) Any help and procedural advice would be very much appreciated.
Jim

Subject: RE: Help: What are mechanical rights?
From: Jim Krause
Date: 06 Sep 01 - 02:48 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Help: What are mechanical rights?
From: MMario
Date: 06 Sep 01 - 03:01 PM

jim - mechanical rights:

I'm not sure of all the ins and outs - but I know it involves duplication of an item rather then just playback or performance. I believe the fees you pay when you record someone elses song are "mechanical" I know if you pay a fee to legally duplicate sheet music that it is due to machanical rights.

whereas license fees etc when you perform are performance fees.

Subject: RE: Help: What are mechanical rights?
From: Jim Krause
Date: 06 Sep 01 - 03:12 PM

Yeah, MM I think you're on to it. My cousin said it was complicated. He seemed to be saying that merely registering copyright didn't guarantee sufficient financial protection for the composer.
Jim

Subject: RE: Help: What are mechanical rights?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 06 Sep 01 - 03:22 PM

Jim are you in the USA? If so the information you need can be found on the BMI and ASCAP websites http://www.ascap.com/ or http://www.bmi.com/home.asp.

You can secure your mecahnical rights by registering with one of these and buy regestering your songs with the US Copyright office.

Subject: RE: Help: What are mechanical rights?
From: bob jr
Date: 07 Sep 01 - 02:00 AM

mechinacal rights differ from publishers rights as they refer to the acual production of the music in question .securing your mechinacal rights requires you to have either a publishing deal or a recording contract. if you have a recording contract often the company will attempt to have you sign a 3/4 mechinacal rights deal to cover breakage (really give aways/returns lost items etc)if you havent actually recorded your own songs for another label then mechanicals mean nothing (the artist who recorded your song would get the mechinacal )