MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Course Title:                  Music Publishing

Course #:                      MBU 3450.03

& Meeting Times:          8:00am- 9:15am T, TH

                                    Final Exam: May 1 @ 8:00am              

Credit Hrs:                     3         

Semester:                     Spring 2008

Class Location:              MC 200A                                                                      

Professor:                     Dan Keen, M.Ed.         

Contacts:                      Phone:  742-5052          Email: dkeen@ascap.com

 

Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business: 1) To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship.  2) To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments. 3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

 

Course Description:

 

A study of music publishing.  The course deals with contracts, foreign publishing, catalog development, setting up a publishing company, demo sessions and licensing.

 

Learning Outcomes:     The student will demonstrate:

 

 

·         An ability to define the role music publishing in the entertainment & music business

 

·         An ability to perform the administration tasks of a music publisher

 

·         An ability to illustrate the creative tasks of a music publisher

 

·         An ability to define how musical works are exploited

 

·         An ability to compute mechanical royalties

 

·         An ability to communicate effectively

 

·         An awareness of the changing nature of music publishing

 

 

 

Performance Criteria: Students will:

 

 

·         Demonstrate the application of copyright owner’s exclusive rights.

 

·         Demonstrate the major income streams of music publishers.

 

·         Solve research problems through the application of music publishing industry methods.

 

·         Demonstrate the key tenets of songwriter contracts.

 

·         Demonstrate the methods utilized by the Performing Rights Organizations to collect performance royalties.

 

·         Identify the major global music publishing companies

 

HONOR CODE:  It is the responsibility of each student to abide by the Belmont University Honor Code:

 

“In affirmation of the Belmont University Statement of Values, I pledge that I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge.”

 

 

Accommodation of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities. If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible.”

 

Course Requirements:

 

1.     Attendance:  It is my recommendation that you attend all of the class meetings for the best learning experience.  Absence is permitted only in case of illness or family emergencies.  For a complete explanation of the attendance policy see the Belmont University Bulletin online.

 

2.     Materials:  1. Music, Money and Success by Jeffrey & Todd Brabec, 5th Edition, Schirmer Books.

                          2. Websites listed on class schedules

 

3.     Prepared assignments:        

Research Reports: Each student will submit 3 Music Publishing Research Reports on the dates stated in the syllabus under Class Schedule.  Each report must include one article relating to some aspect of music publishing stapled to a one-page typed analysis of the article written by the student.   Suggested print sources include Billboard, Radio & Records, Music Row, CCM Update, the Tennessean, Hollywood Reporter and Variety.  Articles relating to music publishing from the Internet are also permitted as long as it is a reputable source. Your paper should give a brief description of the article’s main points and how it relates to Music Publishing (If not obvious).  If it is not related to music publishing in any way, it will be given a zero. 

 

1) MUST be typed and at least one page (single or double spaced).

1) MUST include your name.

2) MUST be stapled. (No bending of corners or paper clips).

3) MUST include a copy of the article.  I need a copy of the article, NOT a web link.

4) MUST be turned in at class – No e-mailed papers will be accepted.

5) MUST NOT BE LATE. 

These reports may be discussed in class

 

Research Speech: Each student is required to prepare and present a three to five minute speech on some aspect of music publishing. The speech should be an informative speech delivered extemporaneously from a prepared outline. The student may choose any subject matter that relates to music publishing with the exception of an overview of ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SOCAN, NMPA or HFA. A paper on a specific area of a PRO may be permissible, i.e. comparing the Internet licensing of the PROs. Other options for research include copyright legislation, international music publishing issues, industry trade groups, specific publishing companies, new media publishing issues, etc.Speech topics must be submitted to the professor on or before March 19. If the topic submitted has already been taken by another student, you will receive an email from the professor informing you that another topic must be chosen. An outline of the speech must be submitted to the professor on Monday, April 7th. A minimum of three sources are required and must be cited on the outline. The course text book may not be used as one of the three sources.

4.     Testing:  3 tests will be given in the class on the dates stated under class schedule.    NO MAKE UP TESTS WILL BE GIVEN.

 

5.     Basis of grade evaluation:  The three research reports = 15% (5% each), 3 tests = 60% (20% each), speech = 25%

 

Grading scale:  93-100 = A, 90-92 =A-, 87-89 = B+, 83-86 = B,

80-82  = B-, 77-79 = C+, 73-76 = C, 70-72 = C-, 67-69 = D+, 63-66 + D, 60-62 = D-,

59 and below = F

 

6.         Class Schedule:

 

Thu.    Jan. 10           Introduction/class syllabus

Tue.    Jan. 15           Music Publishing History

Thu.    Jan. 17           Music Publishers and What They Do       Read pages 1-9

                                    Inner Workings of a Music Publisher

                                    Songwriter-Music Publisher Relationship

                                    Income sources for Publishers                   Read pages 30-56  

Tue.    Jan. 22           Deal proposals/Songwriter contracts        Read Chapter 2       

Thu.    Jan. 24           Songwriter contract anaylsis

Tue.    Jan. 29           Co-Publishing and Administration                        Research #1 Due

                                    Co-Ventures and Joint Ventures               Read Chapter 3

Thu.    Jan. 31           Copyright Law                                              Read Chapter 4

Tue.    Feb. 05           Recording Artist Publishing Agreements Read Chapter 5

                                    Print Licensing                                              www.ccli.com

                                    Mechanical Licensing                                 pages 479-80

www.nmpa.org/hfa

Thu.    Feb. 07           Sampling                                                       Read Chapter 6

Tue.    Feb. 12           Test 1

Thu.    Feb. 14           Music, Money, and Television                   Read Chapter 7

                                    Television series license                            pages 472-474

                                    Music, Money, and Motion Pictures          Read Chapter 8

                                    Motion picture license                                 pages 468-471

                                    Music, Money, and commercials               Read Chapter 9

                                    Advertising commercial license                 pages 475-478

Tue.    Feb. 19           Performing Rights Organizations              Read Chapter 10

                                    ASCAP                                                          www.ascap.com    

Thu.    Feb. 21           BMI                                                                 www.bmi.com

Tue.    Feb. 26           SESAC                                                          www.sesac.com

Thu.    Feb. 28           Current issues for Music Publishers

Tue.    Mar. 04           Test 2

Thu.    Mar. 06           Music, Money, and Broadway                    Read Chapter11

                                    Music, Money, Internet, Video Games,     Read Chapter 12

                                    Cell Phones, and New Media                    pages 481-484

Tue.    Mar. 11           Music, Money, and Foreign Countries      Read Chapter 13

                                    Subpublishing agreements                                    www.wipo.org

                                                                                                            Research # 2 Due  

Thu.    Mar. 13           Putting It All Together                                  Read Chapter 14

                                    Royalty Accounting 

Tue.    Mar. 18           Music, Money, and the Buying                   Read Chapter 15

                                    And Selling of Songs

                                    Catalog Acquisition

Thu.    Mar. 20           Easter Break

Tue.    Mar. 25           Spring Break

Thu.    Mar. 27           Spring Break

Tue.    Apr. 01           Songplugging                                               Speech topic due

Thu.    Apr. 03           Great Songs Day/Listening                                    Bring a great song

Thu.    Apr. 10           Catalog exploitation

                                    Demos

                                    Demo Budgets & planning - AFM 

Tue.    Apr. 08           Starting a Publishing Company                 Research # 3 Due

                                    Marketing strategies for Music Publishers

Tue.    Apr. 15           Speeches                                                 Speech outlines due

Thu.    Apr. 17           Speeches

Tue.    Apr. 22           The Future of Music Publishing

Thu.    Apr. 24           Assessing Learning outcomes/performance criteria of class   

Tue.    Apr. 29           Last Day of Class/Review for Final

           

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