BELMONT UNIVERSITY

MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:                 Music Publishing

Course #:                     MBU 3450.03             Credit Hrs:       3          Semester: Fall 2004

Class Location: MC 103                      Meeting Times: M-W-F 1:00-1:50

Final Exam:                   December 10 @ 2:00 p.m.                                        

 

Professor:                     James I. Elliott           Office: Massey 241

Contacts:                      Phone:  460-5513       Email: elliottj@mail.belmont.edu

Office Hours:                M-W-F            7:30 – 8:00, 10:00 – 12:00

                                    M:                    2:00 – 2:30

                                    Other times available by appointment

 

 

 

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.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

 

As a result of this course, the student:

 

1.                  Should be able to explain those activities conducted by the music publisher

including catalog administration, contract negotiation, royalty accounting, song

promotion, mechanical, synchronization, and print licensing and foreign sub-publishing.

 

2.                  Should have a good understanding of the Performing Rights Organizations and

their role in the music publishing industry.

 

3.                  Should be able to express the major tenets of key publishing contracts including

exclusive and single song contracts, co-publishing and administration.

 

 

GOALS OF THE MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

 

The following objectives will be applied toward course completion:

 

To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical educational that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise, and entrepreneurship.

 

To equip students with the ability to think critically, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments.

 

To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of Christian principles.

 

HONOR CODE:

 

As members of the Belmont community, students, faculty, staff and administrators are all responsible for ensuring that their experiences will be free of behaviors which compromise value. In order to uphold academic integrity, the University has adopted an Honor System. Students and faculty will work together to establish the optimal conditions for honorable academic work. Following is the Student Honor Pledge that guides academic behavior:

 

            “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.”

 

 

 

 

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 current Belmont University Undergraduate Bulletin.

 

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

                          2. Websites listed on class schedules

 

 

3.      Participation and Prepared assignments:

 

Research Reports: Each student will submit 3 Music Publishing Research Reports on the dates stated below and in the Class Schedule.  Each report must include one article relating to some aspect of music publishing stapled to a one to two page typed analysis of the article written by the student.  The paper may be single or double-spaced and should include the date, student name and class section number.  These reports may be discussed in class.  Suggested print and Web sources include Billboard, Radio & Records, Music Row, The Tennessean, The Los Angeles Times The Wall Street Journal Music Business International, Hollywood Reporter and Variety.  NO REPORTS ACCEPTED LATE.

 

Reports due:     October 1, October 22, December 1

 

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, etc. Speech topics must be emailed to the professor on or before October 15th. 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 October 29th.. 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:  

 

Tests will be given on the following dates. No make up tests will be given.

 

Test 1:                  September 20

Mid- Term:           October 11

Final Exam:          December 10

 

 

5.      Basis of grade evaluation:  (Each assignment shall carry an equal weight of 20%)

The three research reports = 20%, 3 tests = 20% each, speech = 20 % each

 

Grading scale:  97-100 = A+, 93-96 = A, 90-92 =A-, 87-89 = B+, 83-86 = B,

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

59 and below = F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.       Class Schedule:

 

Wed.    Aug. 25            Introduction/class syllabus

Fri.       Aug. 27            Music Publishing History

Mon.    Aug. 30            What a Publisher does

                                    Music Publishing Income Sources                     Read Chapter 1

Wed.    Sept. 1             Music Publishing Income Sources                    

Fri.       Sept. 3             Copyright Overview                                         Read Chapter 11         

Mon.    Sept. 6             Labor Day – No class                                     

Wed.    Sept. 8             Songwriter Contracts

Fri.       Sept. 10           Songwriter Contracts

Mon.    Sept. 13           Copublishing and Administration                       Read Chapter 2

Wed.    Sept. 15           Mechanical Licensing                                        Chapter 3

Fri.       Sept. 17           Mechanical Licensing                                        www.nmpa.org/hfa

Mon.    Sept. 20           Test 1 

Wed.    Sept. 22           Synchronization Licensing                                 Read Chapter 4

Fri.       Sept. 24           Licensing for motion pictures                             Read Chapter 5

Mon.    Sept. 27           No class- Independent Research                      

Wed.    Sept. 29           Licensing for television commercials                  Read Chapter 6

Fri.       Oct. 1              Discuss Research Reports                                 Research #1 Due

Mon.    Oct. 4              Performing Rights Organizations/ASCAP          Read Chapter 7           

                                                                                                            www.ascap.com

Wed.    Oct. 6              BMI                                                                 www.bmi.com

Fri.       Oct. 8              SESAC                                                            www.sesac.com

Mon.    Oct. 11                        Mid Term                                                      

Wed.    Oct. 13                        Grand Rights                                                    Read Chapter 8

Fri.       Oct. 15                        FALL BREAK                                    

Mon.    Oct. 18                        Subpublishing                                                   Read Chapter 9

Wed.    Oct. 20                       Subpublishing                                                   www.ifpi.com

                                    Global Publishing Revenue                                nmpa.org.                                                         see nmpa.org.income survey

 

Fri.       Oct. 22                        Discuss Research Reports                                 Research # 2 Due

Mon.    Oct. 25                        Royalty Accounting                  

Wed.    Oct. 27                        Current Issues & The Role of the Publisher

Fri.       Oct. 29                        Speeches                                                        Speech Outlines Due

Mon.    Nov. 1             Speeches                                                       

Wed.    Nov. 3             Speeches

Fri.       Nov. 5             Speeches

Mon.    Nov. 8             Catalog Acquisition                                           Read Chapter 10

Wed.    Nov. 10           Catalog Acquisition

Fri.       Nov. 12           Song Plugging                                                   Read Chapter 14

Mon.    Nov. 15           Song Plugging  

Wed.    Nov. 17           Demos

Fri.       Nov. 19           Demos

Mon.    Nov. 22           Sampling, Ringtones, Ringtunes             Read Chapter 15

Wed.    Nov. 24           Joint Ventures                                                   Read Chapter 16

Fri.       Nov. 26           Thanksgiving Break

Mon.    Nov. 29           Starting a Publishing Company

Wed.    Dec. 1              Discuss Research Reports                                 Research # 3 Due

Fri.       Dec. 3              Putting it all together                                          Read Chapter 13

Mon.    Dec. 6              Last Day of Class/Review for Final

 

 

ACCOMMODATON OF DISABLITITES:

 

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 Tammye Tanksley, Director of Counseling and Development Support in the Office of the Dean of Students (460-6407) as soon as possible.