Gig Music - Royalty Fees??

Edited: December 9, 2022, 8:54 AM · Hello,

I was asked to perform some specific pieces for a wedding coming up, such as Paradise by Coldplay and Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton.

Do I need to worry about royalty fees for my own arrangement of these songs (to perform them as a small duet for a wedding), and if so, how do I go about paying for those?

Any advice or insight would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Replies (3)

Richard Pairaudeau

December 9, 2022, 5:52 AM · Not really an answer, Karina, so much as a few pointers from somebody with little expertise in the matter. It probably depends on which country you live in. In Spain, where I live, it seems that wedding venues need a license from SGAE - the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores. I’m not even sure how this relates variously to live music, arrangements or recorded music, nor to music in a religious wedding service, but I’d guess that if you are not charging a paying public to listen to your personal arrangements or publishing them, there is probably little need to worry.

Adrian Heath

December 9, 2022, 6:00 AM · The wedding organiser surely has a licence for music, and will declare albums and titles. And a wedding is a private, if noisy, event..

Lydia Leong

December 9, 2022, 8:38 AM · Weddings are considered private performances and the music rights organizations don't normally require a fee. If they do, it is the couple's responsibility to do the paperwork and pay it.

However, if they make a wedding video and share it (especially on social media), they need to license the music. It is the couple's responsibility to do this, not yours.

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