Which one is your favorite?

Here's a bit of trivia you might love: Do you know that there are two copyrights in every song? 

1. The first one is the composition--the words and music, also known as publishing rights.

2. The second one is the recording, also called the master.

As music lawyers, we help our clients with contracts, copyrights, and business law. We take care of everything on the business side so they can focus on and enjoy creating music.

So if you're a musician or creative who needs some support with the legal stuff, that's our forte.  

Send us a message so we can help!

Songwriters! This is Part 2 on how you can earn mechanical royalties from your music! Dave shares about registering your songs through the MLC to get paid when your songs are streamed.

P.S. Missed Part 1? Tune into our previous reel on how you can earn mechanical royalties from covers of your songs!

Shout out to all Denver creatives and business owners! We love working with you and helping you launch and grow your creative businesses. 🚀✨

Follow us and get helpful tips and information—without the confusing legalese!

Songwriters! You probably know this—getting paid mechanical royalties when someone covers your song is one of the possible income streams from your music. Dave shares two ways you can collect income when others create a cover of your song.

P.S. We’ll talk about how you can earn from streams of your songs in the next video. Follow us on YouTube so you don’t miss it!

Never, ever, getting back together?

Music history is filled with messy band breakup stories, but it doesn't have to be that way. Our client's story is living proof.

He was a dedicated member of a respected band with no less than a Grammy® award-winning leader! Aiming for an amicable parting, he asked for our legal support in discussing the terms with the band, represented by a premier Nashville law firm.

The outcome—our client parted ways with the band:

• holding onto his copyrights

• getting paid what he was due, and

• continuing to receive revenue from his prior work.

Breakups can be tricky. But by recognizing and valuing the relationships involved and treating the process with care, they can all end on a good note.

For any creative business, the answer is most frequently...

YES.  Swipe to find out how #trademarks could apply to you.

If you are a musician... Your artist/band name is a trademark and should be protected.

If you are an influencer... who uses a pseudonym, that name is a trademark and should be protected.

If you are a visual artist, photographer, videographer, author or publisher... and you operate under a business or trade name, that name is a trademark and should be protected.

If you are a creative business owner... every business has a trademark and that trademark should be protected.

If you are selling products or services under a brand name, your brand name is a trademark and should be protected.

Bonus tip: Did you know? If someone else is using your trademark, you’re required to defend it.

P.S. Make sure to give us a follow 👀 because we're sharing the ultimate checklist on trademarks for creatives soon! 😎✨

3 P's to keep in mind before you do a collab:

1. Plan it out - Who are you going to do it with? How will you divide ownership? 

2. Put it in writing -  Document ownership rights and who is allowed to perform, record, license, or sell the song.

3. Protect your work - Register the copyrights in your songs and sound recordings.

Did you know? Copyright law says that if someone contributes to your song or recording, they are a co-owner unless you say otherwise in writing. 

But what if you want to keep full ownership while hiring someone to do part of the work? One way to retain full ownership in the copyright of the creative work is through A Work for Hire Agreement.

Don't just play it by ear! If you need any help to do your collabs right, reach out to us at Creative Law Network!

Could you guess?

Here are some hints:

The first one is the words and music, also known as publishing rights.

The second one is also called the master.

Copyrights are valuable and important to anyone in the music business, but they can be confusing. That's where a music lawyer can come in—to help you protect your work and business so you can be free to create the music you love!

As music lawyers, we help our clients with contracts, copyrights, and business law. This includes drafting, negotiating, and reviewing all sorts of contracts like recording agreements, management agreements, producer agreements, licensing, and all that jazz.

It means maximizing our clients’ rights and revenue. And it means answering questions about the ins and outs of the music business (in plain English!) so you can confidently make your mark in the industry.

Sounds good? Let's talk about it!

Want to hit the charts, but then you keep getting stuck with all the music legalese❓❗ 

We know that building a successful music career can be overwhelming... so we put together this checklist just for you! 😊💯 It's not exhaustive, and not every item is relevant to everyone—but this list should help you hit the right note as you navigate the legal and business side of your music! 🎶🎼

Save this post now... and thank us later! 😉

You have a LOT of rights when it comes to being the owner of a copyright, we'll call it a bundle of sticks. Have more questions? You know how to reach us!

Dave sat down with Entertainment Law Series to talk about this saying he learned in law school. 📝 Make sure to watch J.D. and Matt interview Dave below.

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