FWIW, Bob, lots of music is posted on YouTube with a single picture that never changes for the whole song. Not everybody goes to the trouble of making a full-blown video.
I like this idea, but I've been trying in vain to find YouTube's official statement that it's OK to post covers. Haven't found it yet. If anybody else has, please let us know where to find it.
I think the forum for youtube links covers idea is great. You don't need a fancy video, just stick a picture up or just put you name and the song you're doing.
Pat, there's not going to be an "official" statement from YT saying it's okay because technically copyright law requires a sync license in addition to the streaming license. However, the millions of people posting covers continue to just do it. Keep in mind most of the YT "stars" got there by doing covers.
From my research, one of two things will happen when you post a cover. You'll get a notice which you will acknowledge that you don't own the rights and an ad will appear on your video. When anyone clicks on that ad the proceeds will go to the copyright holder. You can find out more about how to monetize eligible cover songs where you get a percentage in YT help. If the copyright holder objects to covers the video will be taken down.
I've read most of the players in the music business now realize there's more money to be made on YT from placing ads on covers. Today many publishers/labels actively promote covers of their artists' songs because more covers means more income from more ads. So they use content ID to be sure all are monetized for them. Plus covers can increase interest and sales of the original song.
My opinion for the majority of BIAB users who want to showcase their covers is to put it on Youtube and don't worry about it. Do a YT search - most songs are already covered by somebody.
For those who watch and listen to cover songs on YT - please do NOT use an ad blocker (you don't have to click on the ad unless it's something that interests you) and also if a video ad comes on before the song - watch one once in a while like you would if a TV commercial came on so that this new ecosystem for the music business continues for everyone.
but some of my friends have been posting original songs for years and have many tens of thousands of views, yet no one I know has ever received a royalty from YouTube plays.
Hi Matt It is quite a business setting up Youtube to receive income from your own original songs and many artists don't bother. Plus you have to have several thousand views for it even to tip the scales. You have to have a google adsense account linked to your youtube channel (BEFORE you get the tens of thousand views) and they will only pay you out when your balance is over $100, so it is quite hard to get there with original tunes.
I think what we are talking about here is cover songs rather than original music. Right now you or I can upload a cover song to Youtube. It will ask you if this is "you singing someone else's song" to which you obviously answer yes. It then places a adverts on the video and the revenue goes to the songwriters (and not to you).
So, in my opinion, Youtube is the perfect vehicle to start a showcase of cover songs. I am all for it Peter.
Edited to add: Sorry Josie, I didn't see your post before posting this. I think we are on the same page here.
My intention was never to propose anytihing that would be illegal, just to propose that it could be worth exploring the matter more deeply ! Noone would accept any illegal solution I´m sure !
You can make a video easily with NO CAMERA using Windows Movie Maker which is included in most Windows OS packages.... I actually use it for the video's I do.... nothing fancy, but it works.
As far as YouTube and copyrights..... I see lots of videos that, when I click the link, a notice comes up that the video has been removed for copyright violation. To me that indicates that YouTube doesn't pay copyright royalties and the owner has sent them a cease and desist on the violation.
BTW: we have a YOUTUBE forum already..... in the General discussion area, BEST OF YOUTUBE.
It looks like we're still on square one... it's up to the artist doing the cover to get the proper license.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 05/08/1512:48 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Herb, I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that this is what would happen if I tried to upload a cover tune and answered "no" to the question "is this you singing a song written by someone else" question. And then I tried to monetize the video on my channel. In otherwords if I was trying to get all the YouTube revenue singing somebody else's song.
As per Josie, post them on youtube and provide a link (with PG Music's approval of course here). There are thousands of covers on youtube, heck I even have a few and no knocks on the door yet. If I get a knock on the door and they scare me, off they come. But they must scare me 1st. LOL
I haven't really played with it, but doesn't BIAB have a "save as video" feature now. The features list says:
Quote:
Save as Video. Now you can save your Band-in-a-Box song composition as a video, that you can upload to YouTube or work with in video programs. Just press the [Save as] button and choose 'Save as Video'. The 'video' portion is the chordsheet in Band-in-a-Box that shows the chords and a highlighted bar moving as the song plays. Song title and song info displays at the top of the window. For example, you can make a backing track for a cool chord progression, and upload it to YouTube for others to play along to; do a visual transpose and upload a second version for Bb tenor sax players.
I would think that even if you did your song in another DAW, you could load it back into BIAB on the audio channel, mute any BIAB accompaniment, and then "Save as Video".
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
FWIW, Bob, lots of music is posted on YouTube with a single picture that never changes for the whole song. Not everybody goes to the trouble of making a full-blown video.
Understood but if you're not going to post a vid then why bother with YT, just put it on Soundcloud. Someone posted an article either here or on another forum that SC has signed a deal with the same company that monetizes the YT posts.
FWIW, Bob, lots of music is posted on YouTube with a single picture that never changes for the whole song. Not everybody goes to the trouble of making a full-blown video.
Understood but if you're not going to post a vid then why bother with YT, just put it on Soundcloud. Someone posted an article either here or on another forum that SC has signed a deal with the same company that monetizes the YT posts.
Bob
Bob, Soundcloud's information states that only original music will be accepted. I just looked it up so if what you said is true it is not posted on their site yet.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
YouTube doesn't, to my knowledge, insist on original music but they are quick to act on a complaint of copyright infringement. I have some experience with this process, having assisted in taking down a scratch studio track that was only part of the final production.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
FWIW, Bob, lots of music is posted on YouTube with a single picture that never changes for the whole song. Not everybody goes to the trouble of making a full-blown video.
Understood but if you're not going to post a vid then why bother with YT, just put it on Soundcloud. Someone posted an article either here or on another forum that SC has signed a deal with the same company that monetizes the YT posts.
Bob
Bob, Soundcloud's information states that only original music will be accepted. I just looked it up so if what you said is true it is not posted on their site yet.
Also, because the topic of discussion is that of identifying ONE place where we could post our covers without incurring any legal liability for ourselves or for PGMusic. (At least, I *THINK* that's the topic.)
Given the "iffy" nature of all of the information I've found, I'm still not comfortable with the suggestion that "we probably won't prosecute you." Unless somebody puts it in writing that it's OK to post covers, the agreement we click on when we upload anything says that we understand the law and we accept the consequences of our actions.
Having spent the past couple of days reading thru the FAQs on various sites, I haven't seen ANYTHING that remotely resembles a formal approval to post cover songs. And I don't think we ever will. To do so would be the equivalent of allowing a public right of way across private property. It implies a surrender of ownership rights if left unchallenged.
Not a cover, but I did use BIAB's Save-as-video feature to create this original song video. It's not finalized and this is just an instrumental of a song my buddy Chris and I did. It's a Christmas song, but could be sung anytime. You can guess who the extraordinary man is...
To save a BIAB song as video, you have to use the toolbar "Save As" button and it will be the last item. You have a few options once it comes up.
FWIW.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
In 2002 we released a CD that featured our great friend Randy Howard on multiple instruments. Randy, who passed away at 39, was Grammy nominated, won the US fiddle championship 12 times and played on many Nashville "stars'" recording projects. After his death we put together the CD that consisted of songs the three of us had recorded over the years. And we stated from the get go that all proceeds would go to cancer research in honor of Randy.
Because of his stature we got good reviews and sold quite a few CDs...mostly through CD Baby and later iTunes. We bought mechanical licenses for all of the cover tunes of course (a couple of artists gave us the rights gratis - one from a big publishing company). BUT within two years ALL of the songs had been ripped off and were available in many places for free download. Janice and I didn't have the resources to fight it.
All meaning I've been meticulous about not posting "cover" songs anywhere unless we owned ALL the rights...and, yes, you can own all the rights if the song is in the public domain. And for the PD songs we posted here we've thoroughly researched them because US law differs from the laws in many other countries. Because so many people ignored the notion of "intellectual property" we were no longer able to make contributions in Randy's name from the CD. To this day this has shaped the way I feel about these things. So, if somebody can legally post a cover song on Youtube...that is fine. But I don't think the poster should earn from it, i.e., proceeds should go to the writers and publishers. The poster can revel in the glory of hopefully a lot of listens that may grow them an audience and ultimately earn them some money.
Pardon the rant from the ole curmudgeon. FWIW, etc.
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos are here on our website.
Janice and Bud, that's particularly sad because of your admirable purpose. But two years? My CD was ripped off onto illegal sites within two months. It might have been sooner, but that's when it first showed up from Google Alerts.
Every so often, I play whack-a-mole with them. It's often the same three sites that so many others link to.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Janice and Bud, that's particularly sad because of your admirable purpose. But two years? My CD was ripped off onto illegal sites within two months. It might have been sooner, but that's when it first showed up from Google Alerts.
Every so often, I play whack-a-mole with them. It's often the same three sites that so many others link to.
Thanks Matt. Well things were a bit slower 13 years ago and the rips started pretty soon but as I recall it was two years before you could get the complete CD at a single site. They even included the cover art! Interestingly we still get the very occasional check from CDBaby but it's mostly for Spotify and a few sites I don't even recognize. But the physical CD sales were where we collected the real cash for our donations.
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos are here on our website.
I have posted a lot of cover songs on Soundcloud. There seem to be hundreds of artists doing that. Anything that I did not right, which is only a few songs each, on my solo cd that are actually for sale I have paid the licensing fee to Harry Fox. I don't Cell anything that I have not paid for, but I have recorded songs that I didn't write just for fun.
I'm not exactly sure if that would be problematic but I do know there is something called the fair use rule which I think might apply to us on the PG music site. it states that copyrighted material can be used for discussion or comparison which would be the main reason weed post here, to check each others technique.
Steve, in regard to Fair Use, that is more easily justified in education, just as you mention about discussion and comparison here for the purposes of learning. Fair Use is normally limited to a one-time use, and in the case of books or articles, to an excerpt. I'm not sure how that applies to songs, since as academic dean I never ran into that case, but I would think to be safe the same ideas would apply. When in doubt, you can write to the publisher to get permission for what you plan to do.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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