How does the music industry in the Philippines operate? Does anyone know? Probably the more correct question is, does anyone care to know?
Music composers and artists are too engrossed in their music writing and performing skills (perhaps rightly so) that they leave the rest --- their bank accounts --- to the experts.
The question is, who are the experts? and whose interests are they really protecting? I don't mean to say the experts are bad people. No. All I'm saying is trust them but . . . verify, verify, verify.
I do not claim to be an expert. I'm just someone who had the privilege of getting into and out of the music industry from both the shoes of a licensee, and then as the licensor. I think I can describe some aspects of the music industry in the Philippines with the language of a layman and devoid of details that tends to compicate what essentially is a simple 7-step process:
Step 1 - Music Composition
Step 2 - Music Recording / Music Production
Step 3 - Packaging and Replication
Step 4 - Promotion
Step 5 - Distribution
Step 6 - Derivative Products
Step 7 - Royalty Collection
What I am about to outline is a rough estimate of what a common music composer goes through in the course of getting his or her song popularized in the Philippines:
Step 1 - Music Creation
Musical creation is about writing the lyrics of the song and the melody that goes with it. This can be done by the same musical composer, or by two or more people.
The Philippine National Anthem or Lupang Hinirang was "composed in 1898 by Julian Felipe" but its lyrics were "written by José Palma in 1899 (Wikipedia).
We have a lot of good music composers in the Philippines. The song "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang" is almost always attributed to Regine Velasquez. But she didn't write that song. She only performed that song. So, who wrote "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang"? Her name is Christine Bendebel.
So, an essential step in musical creation is, make sure that the song is attributed to you. Why? You do not want anyone else to start claiming your song as his or her own! No. Not a chance, Pedro!
I'll try to gather some solid tips on how to do just that in the Philippines. Meantime, see if these links help somehow:
How to Copyright Music (USA)
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/internet/how2copyright.htm
Fact Sheet on Music Copyright (UK)
http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/protect/p07_music_copyright
Next Post: Music Production
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