# Clean Music



## Steazo (Feb 22, 2007)

Hello Controlbooth Family,

I am DJ-ing my first gig this weekend and it is a party for a four year old african american girl. I am having a hard time trying to find a music pay per download site that offers a good selection of CLEAN up to date music. The ones I have tried have not been much help. I am trying to find radio edits of hip hop/Rap music. The sites I have tried the music is not very up to date or the selection was not that great (the latter being the biggest problem). I have tried iTunes and MSN. Can someone suggest a site that offers a great selection of current clean hip hop/rap music. I have had no problems finding music with explicit lyrics but the clean stuff has been challenging.


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## stantonsound (Feb 22, 2007)

WalMart.com only sells radio edited versions of songs. I Tunes also offers both explicit and radio edited versions of all of the music, but you have to know how to look for it.

In the future, if you are going to be DJing at least a few events a month, consider getting a subscription service (I use Top Hits USA, www.tophitsusa.com). You pay about $50 a month (you probably spend $50 a month on music anyway if you are DJing) and you get a CD every week with the newest music on it. You get Adult Contemporary, Country, Rock, Dance, Rap, Urban, and Hip Hop on every disc. With all of the new music, you can't go wrong. All of the music is edited!

You can also try the US versions of "NOW! That's what I call music", as they are edited.


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## 6ftstudios (Feb 22, 2007)

hey hey....make sure you're taking care of the legal end. You play it - you pay for it. By playing music that isn't yours off of the "master recording" you are infringing copyright laws unless you obtain the proper licensing. You can get more info at http://www.bmi.com or http://www.ascap.com. A lot of people get away with it, but a lot of people get caught every year. Just a little heads up.


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## Steazo (Feb 22, 2007)

You mean even if I pay to download music from iTunes or some other legal pay to download site and burn it on a disc there still is a chance that I could get into trouble?


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## stantonsound (Feb 22, 2007)

No, if you pay for it, you own it. Just don't go and make copies for your friends. And as long as you are not broadcasting it, on the radio or TV for instance (or using it in a movie soundtrack), you are fine.

Please note, steazo said that he was looking for a pay per download site.


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## Van (Feb 22, 2007)

stantonsound said:


> No, if you pay for it, you own it. Just don't go and make copies for your friends. And as long as you are not broadcasting it, on the radio or TV for instance (or using it in a movie soundtrack), you are fine.
> 
> Please note, steazo said that he was looking for a pay per download site.


 
Actually if you are earning a fee for playing music in a public forum and you are not a paying ASCAP or BMI dues then you are open to a copyright infringment lawsuit. PERIOD. Any public presentation of someone elses work without permission of either themselves or thier representatives constitutes an infringment of thier copyright. Now if you own a bunch of music and you throw a party at your house and you play that music for the assembled masses, you are within your "fair-use" rights. This brings up a point that has been discussed here in several other threads. If you are going to be DJing professionally I suggest you insure you have the proper licenses. Copyright infringement issues also arise from theatres, professional, community,highschools using copyrighted music as part of the sound design without having paid ASCAP or BMI. 

BTW try Kidspace.com. They advertise on Disney channel all the time and they have most popular music that has been re-recorded by kids, for kids.


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## 6ftstudios (Feb 22, 2007)

Exactly. Van hit it on the nose. It doesn't matter if you pay for the CD - if you're using it to DJ, then you have to pay for the licensing to rebroadcast it. Same goes for restraunts, work places that play music for their employees, 'ON HOLD' music ect.


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## Footer (Feb 22, 2007)

6ftstudios said:


> Exactly. Van hit it on the nose. It doesn't matter if you pay for the CD - if you're using it to DJ, then you have to pay for the licensing to rebroadcast it. Same goes for restraunts, work places that play music for their employees, 'ON HOLD' music ect.



This also applies to music that you might play for house opening/intermission/exit. Also, anything you use during a show. Most sound effect company's however, sounddogs included, give you full rights to their stuff after you buy it.


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## Van (Feb 22, 2007)

Hey I just saw a commercial, while watching "Dora the Explorer" with my Daughter, for the place I was talking about its actually www.musicspacekids.com Sorry bout the wrong URL earlier.


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## Steazo (Feb 22, 2007)

Do you have to pay for these licenses? If so, I think that's a shame. I feel DJ-ing, in a way, is a service for the music industry. How many times has anyone who DJs has been asked "who made that record, I would like to buy it". There are several artist and DJs that I buy their CDs because of file sharing (when I used to do it). If it were not for file sharing (AGAIN, WHEN I USED TO FILE SHARE WHEN IT WAS THE THING TO DO VIA NAPSTER) I would probably have never heard of them.


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## Van (Feb 22, 2007)

Steazo said:


> Do you have to pay for these licenses? If so, I think that's a shame. I feel DJ-ing, in a way, is a service for the music industry. How many times has anyone who DJs has been asked "who made that record, I would like to buy it". There are several artist and DJs that I buy their CDs because of file sharing (when I used to do it). If it were not for file sharing (AGAIN, WHEN I USED TO FILE SHARE WHEN IT WAS THE THING TO DO VIA NAPSTER) I would probably have never heard of them.


 
Yeah, it's the funny thing about this industry they get ya comming and going. Depending on your area < what regional market you are in> the cost of the BMI / ASCAP license will vary. In some places I have heard that they ofer a combined license and in others you are forced to purchase two seperate licenses. 
I know it seems counter-intuitive they make you pay through the nose for a license, for giving an artist exposure and both ASCAP and BMI will tell you it's to benefit the Artists but in truth it doesn't. The money generated from licensing goes mostly to the coffers of ascap and BMI. 
How big of an issue is it ? Well that depends. Not too long ago Both agencies started a crackdown here in portland and leveled huge fines and lawsuits against several restaurants for playing the radio for background music. They also nailed people for playing CD's as ambience. It really depends on where you are how exposed you are , and how active these companies are in your area.


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## stantonsound (Feb 22, 2007)

If you check out the ASCAP website, it is not the DJ that is responsible for obtaining the license, it is the owner or corporation that owns the premises on which the music is to be played.

Check it out, it is not your responsibility. 

" Aren't musicians, entertainers and DJ's responsible for obtaining permission for music they perform?

Some people mistakenly assume that musicians and entertainers must obtain licenses to perform copyrighted music or that businesses where music is performed can shift their responsibility to musicians or entertainers. The law says all who participate in, or are responsible for, performances of music are legally responsible. Since it is the business owner who obtains the ultimate benefit from the performance, it is the business owner who obtains the license. Music license fees are one of the many costs of doing business."


There have been several lawsuits about this and the courts have ruled that DJ's DO NOT need to have any licensing. As long as they legally own the music, they can play it. The owner of the hotel, bar, restaurant, etc... is ultimately benefiting from you playing the music (even though you are getting paid, their customers booked the room or space for you to have a party and they are making money) and they must pay the licensing fee as part of their operating costs.


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## Steazo (Feb 22, 2007)

What if you are a mobile DJ doing a house party somewhere and I am going to be compensated for my services. My first gig this weekend is a freebie by the way. If I am not getting paid then is that considered a gig....smile.


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## stantonsound (Feb 22, 2007)

Good question. My understanding is if you are playing music at your house, where no one is paid and no one paid to attend, it is ok. It is like your friends coming over and watching a movie that you rented from BlockBuster.

For instance, I can sing "Hey Jude" in the shower with my dog listening and Apple Corp or The Beatles can not sue me.

As far as at someone else's house....not sure what the textbook would say. I searched cases online and it appears that no DJ has EVER been sued. If anyone can find a case, please let us know (please provide specifics, dates and who was involved).


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## Van (Feb 22, 2007)

You know it's a real iffy area. Technically, according to ASCAPs FAQs, any public performance, including playing of purchased/owned music, falls under the jurisdiction of ASCAP licensing. They define public performance as any gathering at which more than your normal family / social group might be in attendance, ie. You can spin at a Bar mitzpha < I know I just massacred that word> but at a Rave your should be licensed, Or as Stantonsound pointed out the venue should be licensed. Now Let's say your'e DJing a block party in downtown Hoboken. There is no Venue persay, and there really isn't a producing agency, so who would be responsible for being covered by a license ? my closest guess would be the DJ or entertainer. However I encourage you to hit the ASCAP sight at www.ascap.com and talk to someone there. It seems to me that BMI is really much more in the business of licensing singers and performers of "non-dramatic" music and therefore wouldn't have much pervue in this particular debate. The folks over at ASCAP Would be happy to Talk to about this issue , specially if you told them you'd come back here and explain it all to us.


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## gafftaper (Feb 23, 2007)

Van said:


> Hey I just saw a commercial, while watching "Dora the Explorer" with my Daughter



Swiper No Swiping!! Swiper No Swiping!! Swiper No Swiping!!


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## Van (Feb 23, 2007)

gafftaper said:


> Swiper No Swiping!! Swiper No Swiping!! Swiper No Swiping!!


 
Yes be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.


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## len (Feb 23, 2007)

Steazo said:


> What if you are a mobile DJ doing a house party somewhere and I am going to be compensated for my services. My first gig this weekend is a freebie by the way. If I am not getting paid then is that considered a gig....smile.



I used to be a dj. For 25 years. Don't worry about ASCAP and BMI. First, if you do private parties, such as weddings, birthdays, etc., then you don't have to pay royalties. The fact that the entertainer is compensated for playing music is irrelevant. It's still a private party. Second, if you work in a bar, club, etc., as a dj, it is the club's responsibility to take care of licensing/royalty fees. 

Finally, even if they've changed the rules since last I checked (which was a couple years ago) there is no enforcement for private parties from ASCAP, BMI, RIAA, etc. They just don't have the manpower. 

For a more thorough conversation of the royalty topic, search such places as prodj.com, djchat.com, etc.


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## avkid (Feb 23, 2007)

Van said:


> but at a Rave you should be licensed


That is the funniest thing i've heard in a long time!!


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## 6ftstudios (Feb 23, 2007)

my motto - better safe than sued. Now, I don't DJ - so i can't be positive there, but make sure you cover your bases.


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## Van (Feb 23, 2007)

avkid said:


> That is the funniest thing i've heard in a long time!!


 
Ok OK it was a Ferinstance.  

And 6ft I agree Better safe than sued. Who would have thought that ASCAP would start walking around Portland Oregon, handing out cease and desist orders to restaurants playing the radio ? Guess what it happened. Ignorance is not a defensible claim in civil court.


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## Steazo (Feb 25, 2007)

I would like to thank everyone for their helpful suggestions. For the record I used Walmart.com to get the radio edits of the music I was looking for. Walmart's site is great for radio edits, older R&B and most other types of music I listen to and need for DJ-ing. My first gig went off without a hitch and the customer was very satisfied. Again, thanks to all.


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