Idle Tuesdays Recording Studio

02/14/2023

Good Things coming February 17. Follow

02/12/2023

01/14/2023

Wanna go to the Grammys?

12/10/2022

Merry Christmas! ‘Tis the season!

11/15/2022

Grammy nominations are today at 9am Pacific. Tune in 😎👍🏽

11/15/2022

Grammy Award nominations are today at 9AM Pacific. Click to watch :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ZXqCaP6-w

About the Recording Academy / GRAMMYs: Recording Academy is the world's leading society of musical professionals and is dedicated to celebrating, honoring, a...

10/01/2022

Gearin’ up to tape some interviews in the studio.

08/31/2022

Today is the last day to submit your project for Grammy consideration.
https://mcusercontent.com/3b5cb1550f39156742743cb10/files/5902dc4c-550b-fe4a-9b72-576beb8d3ea0/65th_GRAMMYs_QuickRefGuide.pdf

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owdVHf6ittQ

http://www.ascapexperience.com Every song needs a voice to bring it to life. But there’s a lot to know about how voices work when you’re writing music inten...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZJSvpbz5s

http://www.ascapexperience.com We’re kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with a one-on-one ASCAP Experience conversation between Latin music icons Draco Rosa...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY7yEFLUEgs

http://www.ascapexperience.com Musicians have more control over their careers than ever before. You can record, distribute, sell, stream and promote your mus...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGk2axVSkoI

http://www.ascapexperience.com To reach optimum creativity, you need to take care of your mind, body and spirit. Fortunately, there are simple methods you ca...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvMecvRk4wY

http://www.ascapexperience.com Your career has started to take off, and you’ve landed a coveted publishing deal. Now that you’ve got your foot in the door, h...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVsqIY0fZu0

Writer-producers Tommy Brown & Mr. Franks talk about process, collaboration and what's around the corner for their heatseeking music careers.Writer-producers...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX2DDtazwAQ

Watch and learn from our 2022 International Women’s Day celebration featuring a fascinating conversation with a trio of world-class women in music, each one...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTRbMXKmgqE

http://www.ascapexperience.com While the last few years have seen an explosion of new voices bringing their diverse stories to the film and TV screen, opport...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ddJKnlC-EQ

Singer-songwriter Camilo’s romantic, reggaeton-tinged pop hits have earned him five Latin Grammys, millions of adoring fans and the 2022 ASCAP Latino Songwri...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-xVvqgVVG4

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, watch this provocative discussion with playwright, librettist and lyricist David Henry Hwang and composer and concept...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3H8Ix2CODE

Watch this great conversation with three of today's top composers for TV's hottest streaming series. The explosion of streaming television has brought with i...

08/30/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8_32SWan6k

Want to start creating music NFTs? Watch this session to learn about the value of NFTs for music creators. Our music + NFT experts explain non-fungible token...

08/17/2022

We just submitted a single, called Ice Cream Musical, for Grammy consideration. Cross your fingers!

08/01/2022

Checkout Billboard's latest digital issue...

https://digital.emagazines.com/Billboard/20220729/index.html?t=fda0dcf9-4a7b-45a7-b6ba-d36ac36cc551

04/06/2022

Friendly California Nonprofit Reminder: Stay in good standing with the Registry of Charitable Trusts, and file your Form RRF-1 renewal. https://oag.ca.gov/charities/renewals

Also, be sure to file your Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF or 990 e-postcard before May 15. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/required-filing-form-990-series

Review 990 series, forms, schedules and instructions.

01/07/2022

What Songwriters Need To Know About The Next Royalty Rate Decision
https://www.grammy.com/advocacy/news/what-songwriters-need-know-about-next-royalty-rate-decision?utm_source=loop&utm_medium=email

In October, streaming services again asked the Copyright Royalty Board to lower royalty rates for songwriters. Here's a breakdown of what that might mean over the next several years.

Two weeks ago, the Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 64th GRAMMY Awards. We're proud to have nominated the highest number of songwriters in the history of the awards due to a groundbreaking rule change this year that created unprecedented inclusivity and recognition of the craft of songwriting.

Unfortunately, in October when digital services submitted proposed rates to the Copyright Royalty Board(opens in a new tab) (CRB) for the next five-year period, which will cover 2023 through 2027, the major streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube (Google), and Amazon Music proposed lowering mechanical rates back down to as low as 10.5 percent — a mechanical rate lower than the current rate.

​​What does this mean? It means that streaming services are trying to lower the compensation rate they pay to songwriters. Additionally, they want to redefine what revenue goes towards those royalties, which would generate the lowest amount of royalties paid in 15 years.

If these proposed rates were adopted, the tech companies would continue to grow at the expense of the music creators who create the content that makes their businesses possible. That is unacceptable.

These submissions undoubtedly set the stage for an administrative proceeding and showdown that will start next year and include witness testimony from both the digital services and the music publishers. As a songwriter myself and the Chair of the Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing, I am committed to making sure songwriters know what's at stake in the months ahead.

My friend and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. frames the issue clearly, stating, “As streaming services continue to grow, it's imperative that they value the work of the songwriters that are the foundation of the music they use to fuel their businesses.”

DiMA (the Digital Media Association), which represents the streaming companies, attempted to shift attention away from the low rates proposed by its members by asserting that(opens in a new tab) such proceedings only "help ensure that the music distribution system works efficiently and effectively," that songwriter royalties are affected by the terms of their deals with publishers, and that "the number of songwriters contributing to hit songs has grown astronomically."

On the other hand, the NMPA (National Music Publishers' Association) believes this to be endemic of a disconcerting paradigm. "It is disappointing, but not surprising, given how they have treated songwriters over the years," the NMPA said in a statement(opens in a new tab). "The next time you see a billboard, paid ad, or token gesture from a streaming service claiming to value songwriters, remember that their actions speak louder than any hollow gestures."

While it is essential that we ensure an equitable relationship between publishers and songwriters that includes full transparency, that has no bearing on the low rates that digital services are advocating for. If the streaming services prevail with their proposal, the small payments that songwriters receive from streaming and digital radio would shrink even further and music would be further devalued, jeopardizing the income and livelihood of songwriters.

During the last rate setting for the period stretching from 2018 through 2022, songwriters and publishers won a hard-earned victory as the CRB actually increased mechanical royalty rates by 44 percent, a decision that has been defended by the Recording Academy. Unfortunately, that decision was appealed by the streaming services and is still tied up in litigation, meaning those higher rates have never gone into effect.

At the same time, the CRB also recently reopened the comment period for setting rates on mechanical royalties for physical records and downloads. Music publishers and record labels had proposed keeping this rate frozen at 9.1 cents per song, the same as it's been since 2006. But critics in the songwriter community(opens in a new tab) sought the opportunity to provide additional input on the impact of the outdated rate.

The CRB hearings for the new rate setting won't begin until April 2022, so there's a long process ahead before the rates are formally set by the CRB. In the meantime, continue to watch this space for updates and ways you can get involved to ensure all music makers are paid fairly for their work.

Learn More About The Songwriters & Composers Wing

In October, streaming services again asked the Copyright Royalty Board to lower royalty rates for songwriters. Here's a breakdown of what that might mean over the next several years.