Would $15,000 towards your next music project help?

The Australia Council has details of a new grant in place that closes Nov 2014

PPCA - AUSTRALIA COUNCIL RECORDING ARTIST INITIATIVE

Music Section in partnership with PPCA (initiative)

Amount $15,000
Applications close 25 November 2014
Decisions advised February 2015
Eligible projects commence from 15 March 2015

Click here for Eligibility and selection criteria

You will also find an online application form and FAQs about the process.

Information from the Australia Council website:

The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Limited (PPCA) is a national, non-government, non-profit organisation that represents the interest of record companies and Australian recording artists.

The PPCA - Australia Council Recording Artist Grant is a partnership between the Australia Council and PPCA to support Australian artists to create new sound recordings.

Costs

You may apply for any costs primarily associated with the creation of a sound recording, which may also involve some costs associated with the promotion of that recording.

RECOMMENDED READING

Assessment meeting reports

CONTACT

Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss their application. For information and any questions relating to this initiative, contact:

Rosanna Marks-Smith
Program Officer, Music

Phone (02) 9215 9108, or toll free 1800 226 912
Email [email protected]
Skype consultations available: please email the above contact above and arrangements will be made for a skype call.

Good luck with your application. 

Basic Music Copyright questions answered

ProCopy as a reproducer of peoples musical and other works often gets asked to explain about copyright. Here are some basic points as per the guidelines set down by APRA & AMCOS (further information can be gained from their website at www.amcos.com.au )

There are two separate rights or ownerships associated with a musical work - the sound recording, and the associated underlying musical work. When either of these are performed or reproduced, a royalty is incurred. 

PPCA - Collects royalties for the Performance of Sound Recordings 
ARIA - Collects royalties for the Reproduction of Sound Recordings 

APRA - Collects royalties for the Performance of Musical Works 
AMCOS - Collects royalties for the Reproduction of Musical Works 

This grid shows you which organisation is responsible for the collection of each instance of copyright. 

Copyright Administration Companies Australia

To explain the difference between sound recordings and musical works, take the example of Hey Jude, by the Beatles. If you were to make and sell a CD featuring the recording of the Beatles performing that song that was originally sold to the public, you would have two copyright responsibilities: to pay a royalty to the owners of the sound recording, in other words that particular version of the song (which would be owned by a record label and administered by ARIA). The other responsibility would be towards the underlying musical work - the arrangement of music and lyrics owned by songwriters/publishers, and administered by AMCOS. 

Now if you were to hire a group of musicians to come into a studio and perform a cover version of that song, rather than use the original, you would not need to seek permission from ARIA in order to make that reproduction, as a new sound recording is being made, of which you are the owner. You would still need to pay a royalty to AMCOS however, as you are making a reproduction of a musical work. 

In short, musical works are the compositions themselves; sound recordings are mechanical versions of those compositions. Sampling of small sections of music is also covered by copyright, please see our other articles on that matter.