What are master rights?

The rights on audio recordings are called master rights. This stems from the term “master tape”, which was originally the tape with the final “mastered” recording used for duplication. Please keep in mind that you are only allowed to upload songs with MES for which you hold the master rights.

You are the owner of the master rights, if you record a song in your own or an external studio and you act as the producer. When recording in an external studio and another person acts as the producer, you need written permission for usage. Thus, if you commission a producer with the recording, you should write down an agreement which gives you the master rights for digital distribution. In most cases the producer receives a share of the sales through a “producer’s license”. The percentage is a matter of negotiation, in general no producer settles for less than 3%.

It is advisable to settle master rights upfront. Once the recording started or the master tape is finished, different points of view can quickly become a serious problem and escalate to a “deal breaker”.