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Q: What is production music?
Production music, or stock music is typically thought of as background music for use in a wide range of productions. Production music could include music used in television and radio commercials, movie trailers, websites, instructional or corporate videos, and much more. Essentially, stock or production music is a more affordable and convenient licensing method than using other recorded music because the licensing fees are typically much more affordable and the music is written to be used with various voice-overs or to suit very specific purposes such as retail or corporate background.
Q: Why can't I just put whatever music I want into my production?
The people who write and perform music are usually represented by performance rights organizations such as ASCAP or BMI -- watchdog groups that help ensure royalties are paid when someone uses their music for business purposes. Production music is royalty free, meaning no additional fees are required to synchronize the music with your video or voice over. Licensing fees for popular music (non-production music) tend to be exhorbitantly expensive and can require lengthy negotations with both the publisher and composer. In the case of production music, all licensing fees have already been paid by the library so the music is fully licensed for synchronization.
Q: Does my AirCraft license grant me performance rights?
Typically, no. The standard license from AirCraft, and most other production music libraries for that matter, is for synchronization rights only. Synchronization rights grant you permission to synchronize the production music with other (typically visual or voice-over) elements. Performance rights for AirCraft production music can be obtained separately either through AirCraft, or through the performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc.). Most broadcasters already have these licenses in place, however, a very small number do not and, therefore, require separate performance rights from the library.
Q: Do I have to pay to license music in an internal production?
Yes. While licensing fees are considerably less than for broadcast productions, copyright law still requires that a licensing fee be paid for your corporate training/recruitment video, investor relations presentation and the like. The music is being synchronized with with other media elements (picture, voice-over, etc.) and therefore requires you to pay for the synchronization rights. Per use synchronization fees are reasonable and the music is available directly through our online search tool.
Q: What is the difference between annual blanket and production blanket licenses?
In the case of broadcasters who have a finite amount of airtime available and know roughly the number of productions they expect to do on a yearly basis, an annual blanket license often offers the most cost-effective and flexible licensing option. An annual blanket license provides broadcaster with synchronization rights to the entire AirCraft production music library for use in as many productions for the length of the contract. Annual blanket licenses typically extend from 1 to 5 years depending on the clients' needs. The benefit to an annual blanket license from AirCraft is that no additional usage reporting is required.

A production blanket license is similar to an annual blanket license in that the entire library is available for use, but for use in a single production. Production blanket licenses are ideal for training videos, broadcast programs, or other long-form productions. Licensing fees for production blankets are based on both the length and the market/usage of the production. Checkout the AirCraft rate card for more specifics on production blankets.
Q: What is buyout music?
Buyout music is production music that can be licensed for a one-time, flat fee. This royalty-free production music can be synchronized with any type of production, including broadcast, corporate/internal, or film. The AirCraft music library contains thousands of buyout music tracks in a variety of musical styles, including Latin buyout music, commercial production music, American music series, cinemusic, and rock sweepers and ID's. Individual production music cuts from AirCraft are also available for buyout licensing. Contact your aircraft representative for royalty-free pricing on specific tracks.
Q: Does that mean I own the music?
Well, not exactly. What you are "buying-out" is not the music itself, but a lifetime (99-year) license granting you the rights to synchronize the music in your productions without having to pay any additional licensing fees in the future. As with software or other types of content, the underlying copyright is still retained by the owner/publisher. The music itself may never be copied or transferred for the purpose of resale or distribution unless a mechanical reproduction license is obtained.
Q: What is the difference between Local, Regional, and National markets?
These distinctions in music licensing, however subtle, are essential for determining the scope and, therefore, cost of a needledrop license. While you may find some variation within the production music industry, AirCraft is consistent with the majority of the industry, as follows:
  • Local: single state, no major market*
  • Regional: up to 5 states, can include 1 major market*
  • National: 2 major markets* or more than 5 states
* major markets are considered New York, Los Angeles and Nationally in Canada. Check out a detailed AirCraft rate card
Q: What is a tag?
A tag is a minor copy change in a spot (production), usually pertaining to phone numbers, dates, locations or other details that in no way alter the overall flow of a particular spot. For example: a retailer with more than one location may use the same advertising campaign and simply change the phone number for the individual franchises, or perhaps commercial is recorded to announce a grand opening for a new store, and, as the date approaches the ad may say first coming soon, then coming January 19, then, "Now Open". These minor copy changes would be considered tags, provided that no other elements of the production have changed at all.
Q: Can I license a track exclusively?
The answer is a qualified yes. The time and cost required to acquire an exclusive license can be prohibitive. The process of obtaining exclusive synchronization rights for a particular piece of music from our library requires a lot of administrative leg work just to determine if the track is available for an exclusive license -- it cannot be in use in any other production by any of our other clients. Once a track is determined to be available for exclusive licensing, we are required to essentially remove the track in question from our entire library and alert all of our other clients that the track is no longer available for licensing. If you're considering an exclusive license and are comfortable with the time and cost involved, please contact an AIrCraft representative today.
Q: What is a split track/mix?
While definitions of a split track may vary slightly, we think of split tracks as the building-blocks for assembling and customizing your AirCraft tracks. Split tracks contain 2 different instruments or groups of instruments, each panned all the way in one direction or the other so they create, essentially 2 different instrument tracks by panning all the way left or right. For example: The track "Sudden Death" of AirCraft's Ridin', Drivin' & Slidin' album has two split tracks - drums/bass and keyboards/guitar essentially allowing the DIY producer to mix any or all of the four separate elements however they please. AirCraft has over 200 tracks with split mixes and even more with alternative or minus-melody mixes.

Do you have a question that was not answered here? Just contact us; we'll do our best to answer it as quickly and thoroughly as possible.