Under National laws that protect creators' and other rights holders' moral and economic rights in musical works, performances, and sound recordings., the owner of a Typically, the recorded performance of a musical work protected as a phonogram under copyright law. is the person or company responsible for the creation of the sound recording.
That person or company usually finances the production and oversees the entire process of creating the sound recordings, including booking the recording studio, brokering a deal with a Sometimes called a studio producer or record producer, a person who typically helps a recording artist record a musical work. They are usually responsible for the entire recording process., and organizing and paying for the The process of blending separate recorded tracks together to create a cohesive and balanced sound recording. and The term used to describe the final process of adjusting levels, tone, compression, spacing, etc., to enhance the overall sound of a sound recording before release. of the sound recording. The legal term for this entity is The term under copyright law to describe the owner of a sound recording..
In simple terms, the owner of the sound recording is usually the person or company that made and paid for the Individual tracks or recorded pieces of performances that make up a sound recording, for example, separate recordings of drums, guitar, or voice performances. or Separate recordings (tracks) that represent an individual line of recorded performance, such as a vocal, drum, guitar, keyboard, or bass performance. making up the recording. This can be an In the context of music, a solo performer or group of performers who perform a musical work live or recorded., a music producer, or a A company that invests in, manufactures, distributes, promotes, and monetizes sound recordings on behalf of the artist..
Companies or individuals responsible for the sound recording are sometimes called The person or company taking the responsibility for making a sound recording. who can be Artists that release their music without the support of a record label., or A company that invests in, manufactures, distributes, promotes, and monetizes sound recordings on behalf of the artist., or Not affiliated with any other entity or company. music producers.
Learn more about record labels in the Record Labels section of our Music Industry Ecosystem topic.
What rights do sound recording owners have?
The sound recording owner has the legal freedom to maximize commercial opportunities and generate income from various channels, pay Anyone who contributes to creating or performing a musical work, a live performance, or a sound recording. according to their contracts, and ideally make a profit. These legal freedoms, or rights, are typically called the The rights to the ownership of, and all other rights in, a sound recording..
Ownership of the The controls creators or rights holders have over what they have created or produced and over their identity and image. in the sound recording also depends on the terms of the agreements between the artists, the record label, and any other parties involved in the creation of the sound recording.
Sound recordings are usually owned by record labels, but some creators are negotiating deals that allow them to own their sound recordings and, hence, the master rights.
If you are an independent creator without a record deal and working solo, you will usually own the sound recordings you create and have the master rights.
For more information, visit the topics on Music Creators’ Rights, Rights Transfer and Licensing, and Scope of Protection.
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