Enrichment · Arts & Creativity

The right song,
cleared the right way.

Putting music to picture takes permission for two things: the song itself, from its publishers, and the particular recording, from whoever owns it. Pick the kind of recording, list who you asked and what they quoted, and the checklist shows which licenses are still missing before the video goes out.

Clear a songWhat you get

Your songs

The worked example is made up, songs and companies included: a commercial recording in a festival short with the sync quoted and the master not yet, and a cover for an online band video. Saved on this device only.

Loading the song form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Enrichment · Arts & CreativityFree

What you finish with
A record per song: writers, project, where it will be shown, seconds used, the kind of recording, each rights holder with the right, status and fee, and seven checks. Works out the licenses that recording needs, counts them signed and totals fees; flags missing licenses, covers, public domain songs in protected recordings, library limits, refusals, the myth of safe seconds and festival-only terms.
Who it is for
Student filmmakers, video creators, school media teachers and small production teams.
Format
Browser checklist with a saved record per song. Prints one song, every song in a table or a blank sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Arts & Creativity space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Name the song, the project and where it will be shown.
  2. Pick the kind of recording.
  3. Find the publishers and the master owner and ask each.
  4. Log each quote and signature.
  5. Publish only when every needed license is signed.

Clear a song

Two rights in every track

Which licenses a recording needs for videoThe recordingSync (the song)Master (the recording)Commercial recordingYes, from publishersYes, from the labelYour own coverYes, from publishersNo, you own itPublic domain song, new recordingNoYes, unless you made itProduction library trackOne library licensecovers bothYour own originalNoNoWhich licenses a recording needs for videoCommercial recordingSync (the song): Yes, from publishersMaster (the recording): Yes, from the labelYour own coverSync (the song): Yes, from publishersMaster (the recording): No, you own itPublic domain song, new recordingSync (the song): NoMaster (the recording): Yes, unless you made itProduction library trackSync (the song): One library licenseMaster (the recording): covers bothYour own originalSync (the song): NoMaster (the recording): No
Sync covers the composition, the words and music. Master covers one particular recording of it. Video needs both, from whoever owns each.

Finding the owners

Performing rights organizations’ public repertory searches (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR) list each song’s writers and publishers. The master owner is usually the label shown on the release; for older recordings it may have changed hands.

School and class use

Showing a video in a classroom is treated differently from putting it online. Once a student film goes to a festival or a public video site, it needs the same licenses as anyone else’s.

Sources

  1. U.S. Copyright Office. Circular 56A: Copyright Registration of Musical Compositions and Sound Recordings (copyright.gov/circs).
  2. U.S. Copyright Office. More Information on Fair Use and the Fair Use Index (copyright.gov/fair-use).
  3. ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Public repertory search tools (ascap.com, bmi.com, sesac.com).
  4. Passman, D. S. (2023). All You Need to Know About the Music Business (11th ed.). Simon & Schuster.

The worked examples are made up; the songs, writers and companies are invented. This checklist describes U.S. practice in general terms and is not legal advice. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.