Production Music

What is Production Music

Production music (also known as stock music or library music) is music that can be licensed to buyers for use in film, television, radio, and other media. Often, production music libraries produce and own the music. Music producers individually compose and arrange this type of music for licensing on a nonexclusive basis. It enhances visual and audio productions, such as television programs, television and radio commercials, documentaries, training videos, and additional multimedia formats.

Copyright

The licenses are generally issued as synchronization licenses. This means that the buyer is to use the music in audio and/or visual projects, and they cannot use it without negotiating a synchronization fee. The licensing fees are reasonable because they are nonexclusive. On the other hand, the disadvantage is that the music is not composed explicitly for the particular project it's synchronized with. Consequently, the music does not match the action in the project as much as customized music will. It is rare to hear extensive use of library music in high-budget projects. Unlike popular and classical music publishers, who typically own less than 50 percent of the copyright in a composition, production music libraries own all of the copyrights of their music. Thus, they can license it without the composer's permission (as is necessary for licensing music from standard publishers). This is because the composers create all the music used in the libraries on a work-for-hire basis. This is a convenient solution for media producers—they can license any piece of music in the library at a reasonable rate. In contrast, a specially commissioned work is usually prohibitively expensive.

Music Type

Production music libraries typically offer a broad range of musical styles and genres, enabling producers and editors to find everything they need in the same library. Music libraries vary from a few hundred tracks up to many thousands. Consequently, clients frequently use this music as a theme and/or background music in radio, film, and television. Music producers create this type of music for audio and video programs. When schools buy it, they also purchase copyright permissions not granted with standard music purchases. So, students and teachers can use this music in their video projects, make and even sell copies of the program, and broadcast the program without paying royalties or violating copyright law. When you buy production music, you buy the right to do this.

Competitive Nature of Production Music Bussiness

Production library or production music is a competitive business. The music can be costly to produce, advertise, and promote. It is a niche business and can be lucrative for versatile composers/producers. Dozens of companies are in the business of creating, marketing, and selling professional-sounding production music. Depending on the company, the songs may be similar in mood and style, or they may be quite different from one another. Production music composers and session performers typically work anonymously and have rarely become known outside their professional circles. Production music is a bit more expensive than popular music. Avoiding copyright problems is one of the biggest reasons to buy and use it, but there are several other reasons. Production music is anonymous, perfect for narration, and has acceptable context. It also creates a professional atmosphere in your studio and has various lengths. This type of music sounds quite similar to the pop and jazz tunes we hear on the radio. However, it is designed to be purchased by video producers for use in programs that will be broadcast or duplicated.

Source texts

• Wikipedia
• Google Books
• SoundBridge Academy Exclusive Interview: WeMakeDanceMusic.com