A “Mechanical License” fee must be paid for audio copies of published music.

In the U.S.A this “Mechanical License” fee is issued by The Harry Fox Agency (http:/(www.harryfox.com) and in Canada, it is the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency. A “Mechanical License” fee must be issued for each song and of course when it is a “Medley”, you are required to pay a “Mechanical License” fee for each song used (even in part) in the medley.

The Harry Fox Agency represents most U.S. publishers and the minimum number of copies is 25 (you have to pay for at least that many, whether needed or not). Once this fee is paid, then the chorus or quartet can make up to 25 duplications of the song where each track (whether tenor, lead, bari, bass or 4-part) counts as 1 of the 25 possible copies. If your chorus needs over 25 copies you would just pay for the additional copies when you request and pay for the Mechanical License.

In Canada, the CMRRA has a “Pay-as-You-Press/Import” plan for licensing small run productions. Royalties are payable at the time your license application is made at the standard royalty rate (eg. in 2006, $0.077 per song per copy, where the running time of the recording is 5 minutes or less – or a minimum amount of $38.50). As a Canadian, you also have to pay the GST.

When you pay the “Mechanical License” fee for recording/duplication a song you will be able to explain how you’re planning to use the number of recordings that you paid for. As with sheet music, choruses and quartets can post the learning tracks on their websites for their members to access as a learning tool. However, the chorus must do everything possible to protect the music. The learning tracks must be posted in a MEMBERS ONLY section of the website with password protection. Written records must be kept to count the number of downloads that occur in order to stay below the number of duplications that were licensed.

As a singing organization, let’s support the men and women who write and arrange the music we sing. Let’s keep it legal