The role of the producer
Should your producer have rights to your song? It's crucial to establish roles early in the creative process whenever possible. This includes considering studio fees and the creative contributions of each participant.
The concept of a producer is used for a wide range of functions in music production, and it is our experience that a producer today often plays a more significant role than in the past.
Different roles
Technical assistance
A producer can provide technical assistance and be compensated for it without the songwriter giving up any rights.
Processing of the music
A producer can be involved in processing and arranging the the music to such an extent that the person may be entitled to an arranger's share.
Co-writer
A producer can be a co-writer and participate in the work's division as a composer or lyricist if the creative effort justifies it.
Who decides what role the producer has?
The original composer or songwriter determines whether the producer has made a creatively significant contribution to the music that justifies a share of the royalty payments.
The composer decides if the effort corresponds to the role of an arranger (a maximum of 16.67 percent) or as a composer or lyricist (any percentage). This is important to take into consideration in particular when there is a large fee involved in the process as well.
If there are multiple composers or lyricists for a piece of music, all parties must agree if you choose to adapt the song later on. This is not the case if the role is as an arranger.
Versioning of own material
If you use a producer to version your original material, it's advisable to register and save documentation for this before registering the produced version. This ensures there is no subsequent doubt about who contributed what.
We encourage that the percentage distribution of rights reflects the creative effort, and that agreements on percentage shares are made early in the process, and before the song is registered with us.
- Jens Bruno Hansen, Koda's music consultant
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