question for mix engineers-who owns the tracks?

IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT.

You can not take someone's creative process if it is not stipulated in any agreement whether written or verbal. You have to set what is being paid for. Even eq settings is a creative process, tracking settings are a creative process, how you made the recording with certain tools is a creative process. Again, it is not that simple because you could argue that the engineer followed under your direction and they were just the puppet. This would all have to be argued in court when the time comes, but what for???? Before you hire anyone for anything, be straight upfront what is included and what the terms and conditions are and have it in WRITING and signed.

You will have a hard time legally getting the negatives to a film, the coding to a software, the mix session of a song if you do not have an agreement to release those materials in the first place.

This is just my take on it.

;D ;D ;D

dude, no engineer can do anything but what you ask for.... you give them the directions, they serve you...
engineers are no producers... you are paying engineering fee, not producer fee...
you are mixing who is producer, who is engineer...

kambo said:

;D ;D ;D

dude, no engineer can do anything but what you ask for.... you give them the directions, they serve you...
engineers are no producers... you are paying engineering fee, not producer fee...
you are mixing who is producer, who is engineer...

Click to expand...

That depends though. I know engineers that have materials sent to them to mix and they get paid cheaper rates and the client does not get the session materials, just the final mix. The client can go back to them and say, I didn't like it and he sends over another mix until they do. If the client wants the session materials, they bill them for releaseing the session materials. I believe a mixing engineer can use his/her creative skills to produce an excellent mix. I think people are getting the misconception that producers are musical creatives. Some are, but they are producers / arrangers / musicians, etc. and in regards to Hip hop, producers can be creatives.

Here are a couple of definitions:
http://www.ldoceonline.com/Performing-topic/producer
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=213523123&blogID=464055920

ie: online mix services
thats because, their service is to get you full mix.
final decision is made by the client.
and clearly you dont ask for the session files... if you did, you pay for it...
nature of business...

Kambo,
You are wrong about the photography aspect.  I was surprised the first time a photographer took pics of our band at a concert and I wanted to use them and I had to pay him for the rights to use the prints.  It's true-at least here in the US.

i dont think i made any strong comment on photography. i only asked questions.
and sahib kindly enlightened us.
but i have some doubts on some situations... but i generally agreed with him...

so where exactly i am wrong about photography ?

Forget I said you're wrong.  What I meant to say is...sahib is right on the photography aspect.

we all know he is right...  why are you telling me this for  ???
i only have some doubts on some specific situations... hope its ok  ;D

EDIT : i like world music btw... especially if its live.... i had some time period with world music too, middle eastern/north african based tho. belly dancers in US loves me a lot  ;D

kambo said:

we all know he is right...  why are you telling me this for  ???

Click to expand...

To save you lawyers fees.  ;D

my manager is an entertainment lawyer... i am already skinned  ;D ;D ;D

kambo said:

so, you can take a picture of a red ferrari, and blow it to full poster size
and sell it publicly, as ferrari poster ?

( ferrari is the main object here btw, not part of the city view )

Click to expand...

and the answer from the entertainment lawyer is:
........
"As far as the auto (Ferrari) poster--- you cannot
sell a "Ferrari Poster" as a stand along product without licensing (paying
for) the trademark.

As a practical matter you can take the photo and create a poster for your
own personal use. If you sold a few no one would worry about it---the more
you sold the more likely someone would seek a license or royalty payment."
....

hope this helps...