Music at my Booth

My question maybe a weired one, but I want to ask it anyway. I do a
lot of retail shows, indoor and outdoor, and sometimes I would like
to have a little background music in my booth. Here my concern: are
there any fees I have to pay if I play somebody’s music? In Germany
you have to pay GEMA fees for each song you play at a public place,
a show or an event. GEMA is (“Gesellschaft fur musikalische Auff
Chrungs- und mechanische Vervielfltigungsrechte”) responsible for
musical performance and mechanic reproduction rights. You have to get
a permission first and pay for everything (and it is not cheap!). If
you play music without getting the permission you get in big trouble
and such. Is there such thing here in the US?

Happy New Year everybody,

Edith
Edith Schneider Jewelry
P.O.Box 52001
Palo Alto, CA 94303
@Edith_Schneider
www.edithschneider.com
(650) 813 9755

 My  question maybe a weired one, but I want to ask it anyway. I
do a lot of retail shows, indoor and outdoor, and sometimes I would
 like to have a little background music in my booth. Here my 
concern: are there any fees I have to pay if I play  somebody's
music? In Germany you have to pay GEMA fees for  each song you play
at a public place, a show or an event.  GEMA is ("Gesellschaft fur
musikalische Auff Chrungs- und  mechanische
Vervielfltigungsrechte") responsible for musical  performance and
mechanic reproduction rights. You have to get a permission first
and pay for everything (and it is not cheap!). If you play music
without getting the permission you get in big  trouble and such. Is
there such thing here in the US?  

Are you charging for admission to your booth? If so, then I would
assume that you would need to pay. If the music is only in the back
ground, anyone carrying a radio can hear the same thing . . .so I
assume it would be at no charge.

     I would like to have a little background music in my booth. 

edith - my personal plea to you: PLEASE DO NOT HAVE MUSIC IN YOUR
BOOTH. i have been at shows when one or more other artists had music
going during day-before setup, and or early setup and it did not
play well for most of us forced to hear it. there is no way you are
going to select music on which all those within hearing range - even
if only those next to and behind your booth can hear it. customers
who don’t like your selections will not enter and that will cost you
sales; other artists who are turned into captive listeners will, by
first day’s end, back their vans over your booth with you inside.

at one ‘images’ art show i was across from a performing artist who
played new age compositions (innocuous and soothing right?) on cds
and live using a generator for his keyboard - halfway through the
second day i was considering grabbing his generator’s gasoline can
and immolating him for immortality - and my sanity.

besides, most promoters don’t allow music other than contract
entertainers - and weird guys playing new age compositions with a
generator.

so please don’t make a good artist go bad and commit murder over
music -

ive

who still shudders at the memory of one bicycle safari - 450 miles in
5 1/2 days - when one old biker brought a boom box and played polka
tapes that one could hear 2 miles in any direction. some of us
pitched in and later erected a roadside marker in the vicinity of
his disappearance.

No you don’t need permission to play it from a royalty standpoint
but your neighbors may want to destroy your boom box before the day
is out. Music is very subjective and you will likely annoy some of
your booth neighbors greatly. I would vote for no music. However you
really need to check with the show management as they will be the
ones to say yea or nay on music in your booth.

Jim Binnion

James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160

@James_Binnion
Member of the Better Business Bureau

Public performance of music in the US is subject to US copyright
laws. Your situation would clearly qualify. Check out
www.ascap.com and www.bmi.com for details on how to stay legit. An
interesting possibility is that stores that are selling music can
play samples without incuring the performance royalty. This means
that if you are playing a tape that you have available for sale, you
may not need to pay.

The show managment probably also have regulations about what you can
play, how loud it can be, etc.

Neil

In the U.S., this falls within the oversight of the American Society
of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Their FAQ addresses your
question: (quote) Permission for radio and television transmissions
in your business is not needed if the performance is by means of
public communication of TV or radio transmissions by eating,
drinking, retail or certain other establishments of a certain size
which use a limited number of speakers or TVs, and if the reception
is not further transmitted (for example, from one room to another)
from the place in which it is received, and there is no admission
charge. (end quote) Full details at ascap.com

Dorothy

The answer is if you are playing the music (on a tape/CD or other
formats) in a public place, you will have to pay for the use. This
is like hairdressing salons are charged a fee for playing music. If
you refuse to pay, you can be charged with infringement of copyright.
Radio stations have to pay record companies a “blanket fee” for the
music they play.

Musicians need to protect their intellectual property in the same as
jewelry-makers would like to protect their designs.

The answer is if you are playing the music (on a tape/CD or other
formats) in a public place, you will have to pay for the use.

I’m sorry but this is simply not true and borders on ridiculous ~

Not only do I have close ties to the music industry in Canada, I
have close ties to the clubs here in Toronto who Dj pre-recorded
music every night of the week. Not to mention the pubs, assorted
shops, and hair salons that ALL play staff selections of music. *The
idea you must pay to play music in your booth or a public place is
(I’m sorry) silly.

Exposure is key for the record industry - artists and labels are
happy with ANY exposure and would not risk any bad press by shutting
down a jewellery artist for playing the new ‘whomever’ in their small
booth.

PLAY YOUR MUSIC!
Regards,
Taylor in Toronto

I briefly considered music in my booth, then realized Ive would be
be at the same show, and my fire insurance would not cover the
ensuing conflagration.

JUST KIDDING!

I did decide not to do music just for the reasons put forth.

I did decide to use gentle soothing scents as mood-enhancers. The
first time I used it, it was lovely and a great addition to the booth
that most folks didn’t notice except subliminally. The second time,
my booth was across from a food vendor selling–I am not making this
up–batter-dipped fried onion rings.

OH WELL, so much for soothing lavender and jasmine scents wafting
around my silver creations.

I just went with the flow, enjoyed the increased traffic from the
food sales, made friends with the food vendors (nice guys), and thus
even though my booth stank most of the time, I got lots of free food
:slight_smile:

Roseann

So please don't make a good artist go bad and commit murder over
music -
 ...one old biker brought a boom box and played polka tapes that
one could hear 2 miles in any direction. some of us pitched in and
later erected a roadside marker in the vicinity of his
disappearance. 

I did a fundraiser years ago which had an “eclectic” mix of
vendors, to put it politely. One woman offered for sale her
self-produced tapes (pre-CD) of children’s music, a blend of
original compositions and golden oldies. Going into the 6th
consecutive hour of “Boop Boop, Didum Dadum, Wadda Matchoo”… Well,
No jury in the world would have convicted us…

…And to this day I have never regained my sympathy for those Three
Little Fishies.

The equivalent performing right societies in the US are ASCAP
(American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers) & BMI. The
Harry Fox Agency deals with the mechanical reproduction rights.
Incidently, charging for admission is irrelevant as to whether you
need a licence - after all, one is not charged for entering a shop
or restaurant.

Kind regards, Deborah Miller

That is why you simply take along a good radio and tune in to an
appropriate station me I am very happy with classical stations

Teri
America’s Only cameo Artist
www.cameoartist.com

Oh yes…this one hit home…we got back about 2 weeks ago from a
show in Palma Mallorca, and we were surrounded by food vendors, and
the worst offender for odours was the cheese stand…not too bad the
first couple of days,but by the tenth day!!! We also had a
sausage/ham/ stand opposite…but, as you say,we had a good time
with the vendors, and I exchanged a EUR 50 ring ($65?) for cheeses and
cider too…we’re still eating the cheese…:slight_smile:

Steve Holden
www.platayflores.com

 Going into the 6th consecutive hour of "Boop Boop, Didum Dadum,
Wadda Matchoo"... Well, No jury in the world would have convicted
us... 

hey margery -

want to sit at our table at the dinner? you meet the biggest
requirement: sense of humor. thanks for the laugh -

ive who knows that if you can’t laugh at yourself there’s always
someone else who will.

 The second time, my booth was across from a food vendor
selling--I am not making this up--batter-dipped fried onion rings. 

roseann -

thanks for the ‘fellow
help-i’m-being-held-captive-across-from-the-onion-ring-booth’ story

  • at least it brought more customers! even better than across from
    food (with its smoke & smell) for gathering customers is across from
    the restrooms - extra exposure!
     I briefly considered music in my booth, then realized Ive
would be at the same show... 

i got a big laugh & you know i wouldn’t do any damage to your
gorgeous jewelry! your latest site is super.

have you recruited a fourth member for our table at the dinner?
remember the one requirement: sense of humor! sense of humor! sense
of humor!

ive

other artists who are turned into captive listeners will, by first
day's end, back their vans over your booth with you inside. 

Pretty much what I was thinking, though not in such colorful terms!
But what about those unfortunate exhibitors trapped in a convention
center that insists on piping in goofy Muzak all day, every day?
This happened to me at a three-day indoor show at the Cincinnati
Convention Center - they had this syrupy little copyright-free ditty
that ran on a loop, unceasingly, from before setup time to late at
night. It got stuck in my head and I hummed it everywhere I went. I
woke up in the middle of the night humming it. It would not go away.
By the end of the third day (heck, by the end of the third hour), I
was eyeballing the catwalks around the ceiling and wondering how to
get up there to disconnect the infernal speakers.

I’m just grateful that it was such an insipid little tune that I
can’t remember it…doo doot doo doot de doo doot da da da da doo
doot…aaaarrrrgh!

Jessee Smith
www.silverspotstudio.com

All,

Booth music at a gemshow - UGH!!! Goes right along with strong
incense, guitar players, accordian players, flute players, African
Drum players, harp players, and people with singing bowls. Add to
that booths that have laser light displays, flashing lights, pop up
signage. UGH!!! It makes the show look and sound like a flea market.

Gerry Galarneau
gggemswcr@cox.net

    have you recruited a fourth member for our table at the
dinner? remember the one requirement: sense of humor! sense of
humor! sense of humor! 

We could raffle the seat as a fundraiser for Orchid. Surely all this
humor is much needed in the world right now, and worth a tremendous
premium!!

But be forewarned all: last time I went out to dinner without the
calming influence of my dear husband, it was with my Mom in Santa Fe
(she’s from whence the weirdness gene comes), and we set fire to the
table at a very posh restaurant. Really. I think they have a poster
of us at the maitre d’s station now, because last time we went there,
we were given a table near the door. :slight_smile:

oh jesse - thank you very much[!] for putting a stupid ‘ditty’ back
into my brain’s loop!!!

This happened to me at a three-day indoor show ... they had this
syrupy little copyright-free ditty that ran on a loop... 

we were right across the aisle from a national exhibitor who had a
theme & 12 hour loop of “i’m too sexy for my [whatever]” - had i
located the person who made the decision to let it play he* would
have lost any anatomical justification for feeling or being sexy
ever again! (*that wasn’t sexist - it was an all male staff)

ive

who is trying to forget that stroll - dum - down memory lane -
dumdum - to the beat i’m - too - sex-y - dumdum - for my - dum -
dum -

Roseanne - I am allergic to scent, as are many others these days. I
don’t know why it is becoming more common. . But I do know several
others in my circle of acquaintances that are sensitive/allergic to
perfume. It gives me a horrible sinus headache. I cannot stay long
in the vicinity of incence in particular. Just something to consider
when using scent to add atmosphere to your booth. There are many of
us who will avoid your booth like the plague, or cut short our time
examining and appreciating your lovely creations. And it is not a
matter of natural vs. synthetic, expensive vs. cheap, like vs.
dislike. Even the scents I like (or used to, before the allergy
kicked in) have the same effect. You might be driving away potential
customers and not even realise it.

FWIW, Marggi