Music performance: how to declare that I perform more than one instrument on a recording?

May 29 2020

A performing artist can appear in only one role category and only once per role category:

  • A. Main artist, person who has a contract with the producer responsible for the release of the recording. Person who receives royalties. (15 points)
  • B. Conductor of an orchestra, choir or big band (15 points). Conductor means the person responsible for coordinating the performance of a group of other artists of at least 12 members at the time of (recording) the performance.
  • C. Session contract. (5 points per group of instruments)

As a musician, you may be playing various instruments on a recording. When you declare your music performances, you must therefore ensure that you declare all instruments that you play in every single song.

In fact, the number of instruments you play in a recording is taken into account in the future calculation of your rights. It also allows PlayRight to have as much information as possible to claim your rights with similar companies abroad. In other words, the more complete your repertoire, the better your rights are distributed!

You receive 5 points per performance, each belonging to a different group out of the following 7 groups: keyboards, string instruments, wind instruments, percussion, tuned percussion, mechanical instruments and vocal, with a maximum of 3 instruments (or a total of up to 15 points). Vocals is also considered an instrument. 30% of the rights that a recording generates in Belgium is reserved for the main artist.

The entire list of instruments per group is available via your online portal in all declaration forms regarding music performances. (music & music in audiovisual).

This classification and the instrument groups are based on the SCAPR Data Exchange Guidelines. These SDEG directives come from SCAPR, the international organisation that unites the collecting societies for the neighbouring rights of performers.

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