What Is A Sync License

What Is A Sync License?

A Sync license is short for Synchronization License. It is purchased by tv, film and gaming production companies who want to use the copyright music of an artist in their projects. The license comes with a fee that is paid to the artist’s publishing company. Publishing company then distributes that royalty to the record label, and the label after taking their cut distributes it to the artist. An entity that would like to obtain music for their project would have to obtain two separate synchronization licenses.

Synchronization License: This is the right to synchronize a song or a piece of music with your visual image. It must be obtained from the copyright owner of the music, which is usually the publisher. You can find out who the publisher is by using ASCAP’s Clearance Express (ACE) at www.ascap.com/ace. Songs that are not represented by ASCAP might be found at the National Music Publishers’ Association “Songfile” website (www.nmpa.org). You will be provided with a contact at the publisher’s Business Affairs or Licensing Department. For Canadians you can check at http://socan.ca.

Master Use License: This is the right to reproduce a specific recording of a song in your film. You clear this right with the record label who owns the specific recording you would like to use; see the liner notes of the recording to find out which company this is. Alternatively, you can get contact information for record labels by calling ASCAP’s Film/TV Department. You will be provided with a contact at the record label’s Business Affairs Department.