[HANASHIR:14812] A question about music and money.

[Ros Schwartz <ros_schwartz...>]

Here's the scoop ...

A cantor that I met, at a Shabbaton, loved my music and wants to bring 
it to her congregation.  She asked for as much as I could get to her, in 
whatever form I could provide ... tape, CD, computer file, 
transcription, whatever.

Then she said ... "Shall I pay you for this?"

My first thought was, "No, no need, I am honoured that you wish to use 
my music, I just want to get it out there.  This is a labour of love, 
I'm not in it for the money".

But then there were the second, third, and fourth thoughts, including 
... "My Hava Nashira friends keep saying that musicians and composers 
should be paid fairly for the work they do" ... "my local musicians' 
union says that to take under-scale pay devalues the community as a 
whole" ... and ... "my accountant wants me to show some income from this 
venture, to justify my writing off my plane fares / registration fees / 
and music and equipment purchases".

If I had a CD, or a songbook, I would sell those to her, and at least 
that price would be clearcut.  If I had choir arrangements, I could 
charge her by the copy.  But all I have at the moment are lead sheets / 
  transcriptions, and home-recordings, some of which are posted on the 
web, and all of which I have - up to this point - given away for free. 
If it were only a song or two, I would just send them to her, simple as 
that.  But if I'm going to send her a collection ... well, this seems as 
good a time as any, to sort out this puzzle in my mind.

I did say - "You could invite me to your community, and I could play the 
songs for your congregation myself!" - and she was interested in this 
... hence my recent enquiry about crossing the border to play in the States.

But in the meantime, I have been postponing writing to her, because I 
don't know what else to say.

It seems to me this is, at least in part, an issue of "usage rights". 
But how does that translate into $$$???

Any thoughts & suggestions that you might have to offer ... would be 
much appreciated!  If you wish to reply privately, please use my address 
at roslynschwartz (at) sympatico(dot)ca .

Looking forward to seeing some of you at CAJE ...

- Ros

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