Getting my track signed? Safe or not?

[Skyle]

So this company wants to release one of my tracks on their label. They are asking for the Reason project file and all the roots though, and I'm kind of skeptical about that; should I be or not? The reason they ask for it is because they say they want to fully master it, and I don't want them to steal my file and claim it theirs because they're more known than I am.

Let me know what you know!

[InternetSlaveMaster]

Firstly, do they seem reputable? Any websites, etc.? If so, that would be useful.

Also, have you signed anything? You'll want to get some sort of binding agreement towards this rather than just sending your files around.

Other than that there's no way for us to know. Wanting to master your track is a perfectly valid reason to want your project file, so I'm not sure. Depends if they are valid or not.

[the_agonist]

So this company wants to release one of my tracks on their label. They are asking for the Reason project file and all the roots though, and I'm kind of skeptical about that; should I be or not? The reason they ask for it is because they say they want to fully master it, and I don't want them to steal my file and claim it theirs because they're more known than I am.

Let me know what you know!

sounds odd.

are the label also the mastering engineers? are they gonna master inside of 'Reason'?! eitherway approach with caution.

if not, find out who it is and ask if you can send them an alternative format (wav etc), i.e. one that doesn't give away the guts of all your production/sound design ect.

wont the stems do instead? or even just the bounced track as 24bit wav?

is your mixdown really that bad that they have got to do your producing for you?

have they asked you to fix something in the mixdown, but you have failed, and so they decided they'll to do it themselves?

maybe the label is in fact a 14 year old boy who is going to fleece you for your own work and 'Reason' patches.

go for it!

[seckle]

ask for their distribution system. google the distro itself. then google,bing,yahoo the label itself, and if you can the name of the label head. good luck.

[InternetSlaveMaster]

is your mixdown really that bad that they have got to do your producing for you?

Exactly, why would they be signing a track that needs work?

The more I think about it, asking for stems isn't too out of the question, while the project file itself is. As mentioned, it could just be someone wanting your patches/etc.

Again, if you could provide us some links and such that would be helpful in our judgement of the label, but so far it seems like a scam.

[Skyle]

http://www.sumo-records.com/

Right there is the root to all their stuff.They seem legit but at the same time I'm skeptical about giving out my Reason file.

As for my final mixdown, it's not horrible, nor is it awesomely mastered (only been producing for 9 months).

Here is the track if you wanna take a listen and judge for yourself! http://soundcloud.com/sskyle/he8-myart

[beerz]

I'd be suspicious, just ask them why they want the project file to clear things up.

Any mastering engineer should be able to master your track with just the wav (providing the mixdown is live enough..)

[InternetSlaveMaster]

I'd ask them for a contract or something along the lines of that first.

EDIT: Just checked them out. I could be wrong, but they seem more-or-less like a promotional group; I only found links to iTunes to buy their existing releases. You can put a song on iTunes for 10 bucks yourself (via tunecore.com) and keep all the profits. Their (Sumo-Records) network doesn't seem that large, so you probably won't get too much exposure or anything. Sure, it's better than nothing, but I don't know if I'd risk giving the project file, especially without a contract or something first.

Anyways, best of luck!

[Skyle]

I'd ask them for a contract or something along the lines of that first.

EDIT: Just checked them out. I could be wrong, but they seem more-or-less like a promotional group; I only found links to iTunes to buy their existing releases. You can put a song on iTunes for 10 bucks yourself (via tunecore.com) and keep all the profits. Their (Sumo-Records) network doesn't seem that large, so you probably won't get too much exposure or anything. Sure, it's better than nothing, but I don't know if I'd risk giving the project file, especially without a contract or something first.

Anyways, best of luck!

yeah they are sending a contract through post mail (so they say) but they want the file asap which is weird. thanks anyways dude i appreciate it. and i think i'll give it a go! you only live once and ive got the talent to make many more songs anyway

[InternetSlaveMaster]

yeah they are sending a contract through post mail (so they say) but they want the file asap which is weird. thanks anyways dude i appreciate it. and i think i'll give it a go! you only live once and ive got the talent to make many more songs anyway

I mean who knows, it could all work out fine. Again, not sure about their constant insistence on getting it now, but whatever. Anyways, followed you on SoundCloud and liked you on FaceBook, keep it up!

Oh yeah, in He8 Myart, if their gonna be selling it, make sure you have the rights to the sample you used. I don't know where you got it from, but if you downloaded it from somewhere make sure it was royalty free unless you wanna risk legal trouble.

[Skyle]

Yeah you're the first person to like me on facebook haha thanks man.

Shit serious? It's actually an acapella from one of lady gagas song that i just decided to use. i uped the pitch though if that breaks threw the barriers of the law..??

[InternetSlaveMaster]

Nope, doesn't matter what you did to it (Unless you edit it so much that nobody can tell what it is, but in this case, I'm sure people will notice). I'm really not sure, I'm not a lawyer or anything, but I wouldn't mess with it, especially since Lady GaGa's record company could most likely sue you for everything you've got. You could risk it and assume they would never find it, but I don't know. You're best marketing the song as a Lady GaGa dubstep remix on youtube and you'll probably get tons of view from that alone. No need for a record label

If anything, tell the label you want them to consider your next work or something. If they really like your style they won't mind, especially under the circumstance.

[Demon]

Yea you need to defo do a background check on the label, and what other artists theyve dealt with .. ask around..

as for mastering thats perfectly normal for a lable to ask that as i do mixdown/master all the tracks that come on my imprint be it mine or any other artist, however ive never known anyone to master off an actual project, its usually the whole track or exported stems, if you give them the project they can actually completely change the sound and structure of your track which i dont think you would want...

[Specimen-Yarp]

Take a shot, but first, email yourself the project file, and dont open the email. if they steal your track you can sue them, your evidence in court is the unopened email containing the project file its called the poor mans copy right.

[legend4ry]

Firstly, ^ that doesn't work even if you physically mail it to yourself it is very poor evidence in court and anyways - you'd spend 20 times the money fighting legal battles for your stuff back than you'd ever earn from the track.

Secondly - I can see why someone would want a Reason project file - even rewiring it to Logic and then recording all the tracks into it give the stems a more clean sound and like Demon said - there are some labels who really care about the quality of their mixdowns/masters and I know a few labels who are own by professional engineers who want to do that stuff themself as they're the only person they trust, plus their contract might say that they own the project file - not just the mastered recording (like most labels ive worked with).

Don't send nothing haste, read the contract - if you don't' understand it feel free to give me a message and I'm sure I can clean anything you're unsure of up. Releasing music as fun as it sounds shouldn't be rushed, even if you get the opportunity I know endless amount of producers who regret their early releases even if its down to the music wasn't as good as it could of been or bad label experiences (an unknown artist will always get messed around a bit - fact!) if for an instant it doesn't feel right, don't do it! Thats my motto.

Never second guess .






p.s - production forum is for questions like this .

[oprs]

if for an instant it doesn't feel right, don't do it! Thats my motto.

Never second guess .

ALL day long OP.

[ems_1t]

Yeah you're the first person to like me on facebook haha thanks man.

Shit serious? It's actually an acapella from one of lady gagas song that i just decided to use. i uped the pitch though if that breaks threw the barriers of the law..??

Most contracts from labels will usually have something along the following included:-

"That any 3rd party samples contained in the track have been cleared by you and fully indemnify us, our agents and licenses in the the event of any breach of the same"

This puts the onus on you and not the label........

If you do really want to release something via this outlet then you either need to take the sample out or get them interested in another beat.

Hope this helps

[JFK]

Yeah you're the first person to like me on facebook haha thanks man.

Shit serious? It's actually an acapella from one of lady gagas song that i just decided to use. i uped the pitch though if that breaks threw the barriers of the law..??

Most contracts from labels will usually have something along the following included:-

"That any 3rd party samples contained in the track have been cleared by you and fully indemnify us, our agents and licenses in the the event of any breach of the same"

This puts the onus on you and not the label........

If you do really want to release something via this outlet then you either need to take the sample out or get them interested in another beat.

Hope this helps

No label is going to give a shit about a sample in your tune unless they are a major and expecting it to sell 1000's of copies. Just look at all the film and music samples in huge dubstep tunes around at the moment. You seriuously think that the vast majority of those have been cleared? Nope.

[InternetSlaveMaster]

No label is going to give a shit about a sample in your tune unless they are a major and expecting it to sell 1000's of copies. Just look at all the film and music samples in huge dubstep tunes around at the moment. You seriuously think that the vast majority of those have been cleared? Nope.

Yeah but using a vocal sample from Lady GaGa is a bit more risky than a sample from B-Film #315156. I'm betting Universal Music is a bit more unforgiving.

But again, he could always take the shot in the dark and risk it.

[JFK]

No label is going to give a shit about a sample in your tune unless they are a major and expecting it to sell 1000's of copies. Just look at all the film and music samples in huge dubstep tunes around at the moment. You seriuously think that the vast majority of those have been cleared? Nope.

Yeah but using a vocal sample from Lady GaGa is a bit more risky than a sample from B-Film #315156. I'm betting Universal Music is a bit more unforgiving.

But again, he could always take the shot in the dark and risk it.

Jesus, you lot are hard work. Universal wont even be aware that this release has happened. They didnt sue Burial over the multiple copyright infringements on his two albums and his were slightly higher profile than the op's. And before anyone says "yeah that was because Burial twisted the samples up till they sounded different" well someone sat down and published a list of each and every sample and where they came from online, so it wasnt that difficult to recognise them.