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FAQS

Here are some questions we are frequently asked, and our answers ...

Why did you decide to stop taking on new clients?

The biggest factor in our decision has been time. Sadly, a lot of time got wasted, such as when we would prep the studio for a client and they wouldn't show up. Other times, the client wasn't prepared, couldn't remember their song, forgot to bring the lyrics, etc. We also had a number of people who simply were not talented but somehow expected us to make them sound radio-ready. Some came with no intention of paying for our services, trying to convince us that they were the 'next big thing' and we'd always be their producer and get very wealthy one day. We did enjoy those few talented folks who supported us and appreciate their business very much. But today's world has changed and young singer/songwriters tend to record with their phones, rather than looking to make a serious recording at a studio. Lastly, we now have time to focus on our own music projects.

Why aren't you well known? You must not be very good.

In todays jungle of original music, it is very difficult to get heard. There are literally millions of artists out there, many of whom are better than some who are well known. Being well known and being good do not always go together. Much depends on good fortune, money spent on promotion, who you know, and many other factors completely unrelated to talent.

Isn't recording one track at a time a cop-out?

No. There was a time when a band had to play all at the same time, with the studio providing only a few microphones to record everything. Those days are long gone. Today, some bands still do record 'off the floor', but more often than not, they record individual tracks in order to maintain clarity and precision. The advantage is that a track may be re-recorded, or changed, without affecting any of the other tracks.

I created a video using the music we recorded where you are playing many of the instruments.

Slow down there! You probably don't have legal permission to do that. According to BMI, a music performing rights organization who has been operating for 75 years, "If you hire a singer and/or musicians, you can only use their recorded performances in TV shows or films if they have granted you permission to do so. If you hire someone to produce your recording, or use a demo service to fulfill that function, you'll need their permission as well."

In other words, ASK FIRST! We generally only ask you to mention Fingerman Studios in the credits on your video, and to give us a mention anywhere you share that video online. Here it is in a nutshell: You and/or the composer have copyright over the lyrics and music. If we created the music, we have copyright over that, so the songwriting credits are sometimes shared. If we performed the instrumentation and recorded for you, we own recording copyright, and will arrange to grant you a license to re-use it in video or however you need. (usually in exchange for mentioning us)