Workshop at Academy Day May 27th, 2015

Music Matters: Licencing basics and the value of music

Lecturer: Ruth Simmons, soundlounge

 

Abstract

Session 1: So you want to sell your music to Brands and Advertisers – An overview of music in advertising, how it has been used, developed and where it is going.

Session 2: When is a license not a license? Why the musicologist is not always reliable through a seminal case history; writing for library music; buyout or sell out – the new models; looking after Session 1 and how to limit your liability.

Session 3: What do we mean by a synch license? – will look at all aspects of what constitutes a synch license; when is it required; reading a license; terms and a check list to limit your liability; some urban myths about licensing – How much am I worth? Re-usage fees and practical concrete advice.

Session 4: Music Matters – A 360 research report of how the brand and music industries are ‘working’ together. Who is in charge and what we can do as musicians to help our clients understand music and its value. Helping to build frameworks for clients.

 

Ruth Simmons

Ruth Simmons is the CEO of Songseekers International Ltd (SSI). Established by Ruth in 1980, SSI was the first company in Europe to address the ways that the advertising industry and brands used music copyright in their advertising. SSI entered the market when synchronization meant commissioning and writing music for film and TV. Ruth worked with Copyright Managers of global Music Publishing companies like Chappell’s and EMI and their lawyers to design and write a synch license that would work for Advertising Agencies incorporating existing copyrights into their campaign films.

In 1992 SSI set up soundlounge, the first dedicated creative research facility for Ad Agencies. Over the ensuing 30 years and a rebrand (SSI now trading as soundlounge (www.soundlounge.co.uk)), Ruth continues to pioneer new areas of sound and music application. At the ‘end of the last century’, she began to ask the question – ‘If you know what your brand looks like – do you know what it sounds like?’

Originally, trained as a biologist, Ruth applies her scientific training to provide her clients with the same level of insight and professionalism from music and sound as is demanded from every other area of design/creative and marketing disciplines – an ability to create, measure and evaluate the use of sound in their branding.