Music Contracts

Do you allow musical artists to use your recording studio on a pay-later basis? Be sure you get paid with this Acknowledgement of Debt Obligation for Recording form.

• The Acknowledgement can cover all or part of the costs, including studio time, engineer, producer, session musicians, and CD mastering.
• The artist acknowledges the outstanding amounts still owing to various parties involved in making the recording and agrees to pay all the outstanding amounts prior to releasing the recording for sale.
• The form is easy to use - buy, download, fill in and print.
• This form is available in MS Word format and is fully editable.

Obtain the rights to a musical composition from the composer with this Acquisition Agreement for Limited Rights in Music template.

• The composer was contracted on a work-for-hire basis to write the composition.
• The composer assigns all of his/her rights and title to the musical composition to the client.
• The client has the sole right to copyright the work.
• The client grants performance rights for the composition back to the composer.
• The Acquisition Agreement for Limited Rights is a MS Word template. You can customize it, edit it, use it as often as your business requires.

Assign copyright of a musical composition back to the songwriter under a reversion clause with this Assignment of Copyright form.

• Some songwriter contracts contain a reversion provision, which gives the songwriter the right to repurchase copyright to one or more songs or compositions for a specified sum after a certain length of time or on certain conditions.
• If that happens, the music publisher must reassign the copyright back to the songwriter.
• This is a digital template that you can download, customize, and re-use as often as you like.
• The Assignment (Reversion) of Copyright to Songwriter form can be used in both Canada and the United States.

Assign copyright in a musical composition from one publisher to another with this easy Assignment of Copyright form.

• The assignment is made at the request of the original songwriter, who has consented to the transfer of rights.
• This is a generic assignment form which can be used in any country that does not have a statutory form.
• Downloadable reusable template.

Every music publisher needs a full set of assignment forms. Add the Assignment of Copyright between Music Publishers to your suite of music industry forms.

Canadian music publishers, obtain copyright in a composition written on a for-hire basis with this Assignment of Copyright form.

• The composer assigns worldwide copyright in the work over to the publisher.
• The assignment form contains a waiver of moral rights clause, which can be deleted if not applicable.
• The songwriter is still entitled to performance royalties as a member of any performing rights society.

Every music publisher in Canada needs a copy of the Assignment of Copyright in Musical Composition form. Get yours today.

Whether you're a booking agent or a band leader who books your own gigs, you can use this downloadable Booking Agreement to book a club engagement for a band or musical artist.

• The nightclub contracts for the services of a band, singing act, or musician for a specific period of time (a week, a month, etc) or for a specified number of performances. Provisions of the Agreement include:
  • what happens if the nightclub defaults in its obligations;
  • time and length of the band's breaks or intermissions;
  • rules applying to the performance, such as dress, behavior, general conduct;
  • commission payable to the booking agent (if applicable);
  • a blank contract rider form, which can be used to add additional terms for either the club or the band.
• You can personalize the agreement for each club or venue and tailor it especially for your agency (or for your band, if you don't use an agent).
• Available in MS Word format.

Sign up musicians, singing acts and bands for your services with this Exclusive Booking Agent Agreement.

• The artist gives the booking agent exclusive rights to book performances and engagements for the artist.
• The booking agent is paid on a two-tier commission scale based on the length of the engagement.
• The booking agent is not required to work exclusively for the artist, but has the right to sign other musical acts on the same terms or otherwise.
• The band or artist agrees not to book itself for return engagements at venues originally contracted by the booking agent for a specified time period following termination of the agreement.
• Available in MS Word format, fully customizable.
• Intended to be used only within the United States.

Music publishers need a sizable catalog of music. Expand yours by hiring a songwriter under this Exclusive Songwriting Contract to write new compositions for you to publish.

• The songwriter transfers to the publisher all rights to the compositions written during the term of the contract, in return for weekly advances and royalties on sales.
• The publisher will have exclusive access to the songwriter's services during the contract period.
• The publisher has the right to refuse any song, and any rejected song will remain the sole property of the songwriter.
• The songwriter has not and will not offer the compositions to any party other than the publisher as long as the contract is in effect.
• The publisher has the option to renew the contract.
• This digital legal form template can be used in either the United States or Canada.

Don't spend hundreds of dollars in legal fees to get a contract drawn up. The Exclusive Songwriting Contract is a standard form agreement that you can download and start using immediately.

Write up a Live Concert Performance Contract Rider for a contract between a band or musical artist and a concert presenter with this downloadable template.

The rider covers:

• the technical requirements (sound, lights, staging, etc.) for the show,
• any other performance requirements that the musical artist has, and
• the artist's obligations to the concert presenter.

This Live Concert Performance Contract Rider form is fully editable and can be easily customized to fit your circumstances.

License a master for use in a television broadcast or video with this Master Recording License.

• The composer of the music grants the producer of a television program a license to use the master recording in one or more episodes of the TV program, and in videos or other reproductions of the program.
• The license is a nonexclusive worldwide license to distribute a certain number of video and DVD recordings of the program.
• The producer can extend its distribution license to an unlimited number of copies by payment of additional license fees to the composer.
• The license does not extend to soundtrack albums or other recordings.

The Master Recording License for TV Broadcast or Video is a downloadable digital template which will be a valuable addition to your music contracts library.