FAQ
What is “digital orchestration”?
Nothing can, nor will ever, replace musicians who are able to bring their wealth of experience, skill, and emotion into a performance. However tools and technology, used by creative and musically knowledgeable individuals, allows for the production of some very nice and convincing sounding recordings via digital orchestration. Essentially, a digital orchestra is an actual recording of each instrument playing every note in its range, even with different articulations. Then some very clever people put it together in such a way that a composer can come along, write music in their computer, and then tell the computer to play it with that particular instrument. So it sounds like a viola playing pizzicato because it *is* a viola playing pizzicato! However, there is a great deal of effort necessary to take the dry computer performance and make it sound more live and human. Unlike Haydn, most composers don’t have an orchestra at their disposal 24/7. This is the next best thing.
What exactly falls under commercial use?
Commercial use applies when any fee is being collected for the individual project in any way, or if the project is produced by an individual or organization that also receives income from this type of work (even if not for the individual project, such as a promo spot). An example of a non-commercial project is a family video made and shown at a family gathering where no money is exchanging hands.
May I use music from your Royalty Free Collection for commercial purposes?
Yes, but re-license for commercial use is given on a case-by-case basis. The first step is to send the appropriate fee along with a brief description of the project itself, or of you and/or the organization using the music. The sending of the fee and my acknowledgement of receipt with an accompanying e-mail will then re-license the use of a piece for a specific project or for unlimited use by an individual or organization. I’m not likely to turn down any request. I just think it’s appropriate to know about use of works in projects that generate income and to receive a fee when that is the case. I will also write about and link your project on my web page to help support and promote your use in thanks for your support and use of my work.
How is this royalty free if it isn’t free?
A “royalty” is paid for each individual use, airing, or performance of a piece. The “royalty free” model allows use of the music in the production and then unlimited playing and distribution of the production without the need to pay additional fees, even when your production becomes a big hit.
How much of a fee is necessary for use of music in The Royalty Free Music Collection?
For music use in an individual production, I propose 50 cents per half-minute of music used, rounded up to the next half-dollar (so 50 cents for anything less than 30 seconds, $1 for 31 seconds to a minute, $1.50 for 1:01 – 1:30, etc.). If several pieces are used, then the overall time can be added up for a single fee. If you are an individual that would prefer to have unlimited use of all pieces in The Royalty Free Music Collection, then a one-time fee of $20 may be the best option (see below).
What exactly do I get for the one-time $20 fee?
You will get unlimited use of all pieces released in “The Royalty Free Music Collection” including future releases. My current goal is to produce at least 2 CD’s of music (approximately 140 minutes). Those who pay the $20 fee will also have the opportunity to purchase the CD versions when they are released at just above production costs. I will be happy to promote and link to you (or your production) here on my web page. You also get my thanks for supporting my work.
How do I send the fee?
You may use this button to send a ‘donation’ online (via PayPal to my Splunge Music company account):
You may also send a check or money order. Please e-mail for the correct address.
…and Thank You!
What is the correct way to credit the work for attribution?
One should list the title and composer (when appropriate) along with something like, “Music from The Royalty Free Music Collection produced by Scott D. Farquhar. Please visit scottfarquhar.com for more information.”
How do you pronounce your last name?
I prefer “farkwer” which is somewhere between the very Scottish “farker” and the more Americanized “farkwahr”. But any of those are perfectly fine.