Legalities of soundtracks in slideshows

[Lochnar]

I recently purchased a really nice piece of slide show software to have one more great way to display my client's photos. The software allows for audio tracks to be embedded. My question is this:
What are the legalities of putting songs from popular artists in the slideshow then selling the slide show to my customers? Do I have to buy a copy of the song each time I create a CD, can I purchase one copy of the song and just place the song info in the credits, or do I have to throw a bunch of money at record labels to cover my arse from all kinds of lawsuits?

[candleman]

Dont know,
i cant help you when it comes to known artists i'm afraid

but what i'm doing is buying royalty free music, theres tons of websites selling the stuff. And thers no annoying singing too

www.royaltyfreemusic.com

[Jim Poor]

You can't use someone's music for making money even if you were to buy a disc every time - period. The exception, of course is RF music but it can be a major search to find something good.

[Izzy]

This one I know well. You can not use the music from any artist for any purpose including not for profit without expressed consent. You could read the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) to get a better feel for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital..._Copyright_Act

There is a clause of fair use. However fair use does not cover your intended usage. Fair use is basically along the lines of parody, commentary, etc.

The better choice would be to find independent musicians who would love to have you use their material in your slide shows. Most will let you do it for a credit mention or a small compensation. You have to shop around.

Here is a good place to start
Creative Commons

[Lochnar]

I appreciate the quick replies. I kinda knew it couldn't be quite as easy as I had hoped. I will definately go surfing through the creative commons and royalty free sites, and maybe I could get my buddy to start composing again.

Thank you every one. If anyone else has more suggestions, please let me know I am just now start to get my business off the ground so the sky's the limit

[Xposurepro]

Music laws are insanely stupid. Naturally, including a song in a slideshow is illegal as it should be .. RF or CC music is the right thing to do and the most cost efficient. However, I'm sitting here at my desk in the studio and I have a playlist going on my iphone .. technically I'm breaking the law. I could turn it off and put a CD in the stereo .. but I'd still be breaking the law .. plug my mp3 player in and crank it up ... oh yeah I'm still breaking the law. Just because I'm sitting here in my studio I'm legally required to purchase not one but in many cases two licenses for every song I want to listen to. It's completely ignorant. Btw, I'm breaking the law this very minute .. I feel like such a rebel. LOL

[NicoleScraps]

Originally Posted by Xposurepro

Music laws are insanely stupid. Naturally, including a song in a slideshow is illegal as it should be .. RF or CC music is the right thing to do and the most cost efficient. However, I'm sitting here at my desk in the studio and I have a playlist going on my iphone .. technically I'm breaking the law. I could turn it off and put a CD in the stereo .. but I'd still be breaking the law .. plug my mp3 player in and crank it up ... oh yeah I'm still breaking the law. Just because I'm sitting here in my studio I'm legally required to purchase not one but in many cases two licenses for every song I want to listen to. It's completely ignorant. Btw, I'm breaking the law this very minute .. I feel like such a rebel. LOL

I don't understand why you are breaking the law? Is it because you are playing the music at your place of business?

[jdepould]

Originally Posted by NicoleScraps

I don't understand why you are breaking the law? Is it because you are playing the music at your place of business?

Yes.

For free music, also check:

Free and legal music downloads - Jamendo
Freeplay Music, Broadcast Production Music Library, Free and Mp3 Music Downloads, See Usage Terms.
Royalty Free Music

[theosus]

Originally Posted by NicoleScraps

I don't understand why you are breaking the law? Is it because you are playing the music at your place of business?

Technically you're only breaking the law in certain cercumstances. If you are playing music in a place of business you have to pay ASCAP fees - fees for a performance, like you were holding a concert. But its only if customers are there. You can play music for your own benefit all you want while you and your staff are alone. Its really stupid. You cant even play an FM radio in a business when customers are there without being liable for the ASCAP fees. Thankfully its only a civil thing - no one goes to jail for playing a CD in their business.
XM - for example has a "business" program. You pay extra - they take care of paying the fees for you and you play XM in your business. If you live in a big city, the ASCAP people might send someone to check. Im in a small town, and most of the businesses play some sort of music in the background. Ive never heard them complain about someone checking on them.

[jojonac]

Its amazing how quick we as photographers will complain about someone right clicking and saving our online image, and then turn around and use lime wire to download our music. I wish the photography industry had some of the same laws as the music industry.

just saying...and Im not talking about any individuals so ease up, unless of course you are guilty of stealing music, software, movies, or pictures, then shame on you.