This past year I was asked by a client to arrange "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin as part of a marching show. When we attempted to obtain the copyright licensing, we were informed that there would be no licensing fees required to license pretty much all Led Zeppelin music.

Wait, what?

That's right. Robert Plant, the lead singer of Led Zeppelin, instructed his representatives to tell his publisher that he does not want schools to be charged fees for arrangement licenses of Led Zeppelin songs.

Pretty cool, huh?

The Led Zeppelin situation is quite unusual, but copyright licensing for marching band is almost always predictable and quite simple. We regularly field questions from directors about the copyright licensing process, and by and large, it's a lot easier than you might think. If you're unclear about the licensing process, below is a quick Q&A with the latest marching band copyright information. Hopefully, it will help you choose the best music possible for your group. If you have other questions that aren't covered here feel free to reach out and ask.

If I'm arranging something or having something arranged for my band, how do I know if I need to pay for copyright licensing?

Generally speaking, if the music was written in 1926 or later, you will need to obtain permission to have the music arranged. If it was written prior to 1926, it's likely that it's now in the public domain, which means it's free to use. There are very rare scenarios where this might not be the case, but for the most part, if it was written prior to 1926 it is in the public domain.

What if I'm arranging it for free or for a friend, does permission still have to be obtained?

Yes!

How do I obtain permission to arrange, or have something arranged, for my band?

If you are a client of ours we handle all of the leg work for you. If you're doing it yourself, there could be some options. You might be able to go straight to the publisher and ask their permission. (If you need help finding out who the publisher of a song is feel free to ask us and we'll help) or, there's a company called Tresona Multimedia that works as a liaison between schools and publishers that can grant you permission on the publisher's behalf.

Do I have to use Tresona?

That depends. Some publishers don't have anyone in their office that handles permission to arrange licenses, so they work exclusively through Tresona to handle that. Some publishers, however, can handle those licenses in-house so you can go directly to them. We usually use Tresona for pop and movie music licensing and will go directly to the publisher if they're geared towards mostly educational music. (FJH, Grand Mesa, C.L. Barnhouse)

Is the licensing process scary or complicated?

No, not really. If you work directly with a smaller publisher it's typically a couple of emails, a check, and you're done. Some small publishers might require a principal's signature and/or a notary public. If you go through Tresona they have an online interface where you input your school information, song request and the rest is easy. In many cases, the song is instantly approved.

Are licensing fees expensive?

When you pay for licensing the fee is per song/piece. Some songs/pieces can be in the $600-$800 range but that's unusual. Most of the time they're around $400 or less. Some of the most inexpensive songs you'll find are $180. Most songs by Queen, The Beatles, Elton John, Cyndi Lauper, and lots of movie soundtrack main titles can be found for $180!

How long does the process take?

That depends on the publisher. Some pieces are instantly approved, some might take a few days to be approved. In rare cases, it might take several months, so if you're not sure, you should probably get an early start.

How do I find out how much a song is to license?

On Tresona's website, you can create an account and check prices and approval times with no obligation to buy.

I hope that was helpful for you to learn more about this process. What other questions do you have that I didn't answer?

Thanks!

Luke McMillan