As a member of Koda, you may choose to manage the mechanical rights to your library works (also known as production music or stock music) yourself, i.e. the rights relating to copying and synchronisation of such music. This means that Koda’s members can negotiate their own agreements with the many production companies that use finished production music in films, television, radio and advertising.
With such agreements, the production companies can combine audio and visuals and (if relevant) later make copies of the production if a physical product, such as DVDs, is involved. However, copying rights for online use are still managed by Koda, and this right is licensed as part of Koda’s online agreements. This set-up enables Danish composers to compete on equal terms with foreign composers who are not members of Koda.
Definition of library music
Library music (production music/stock music) is music works intended to be used as background music/production music in films, TV programmes, advertising, computer games and similar productions. The library music scheme is not used for music that has been specially commissioned for a specific production, nor for music that is not specifically intended as background/production music.
Submitting notification of library music via My Koda
You can submit notifications of your library works online via My Koda, by setting a mark next to ‘Library music’. If you wish to register an existing work as library work, please send an email to [email protected] with a list of the relevant work(s).
Publisher notification of library music
Publishers can submit notifications of library music on behalf of composers either via an existing publishing agreement or by contacting Koda to set up a new agreement. The works are registered as library music by setting a mark next to ‘Library music’, when notifying each work.
When a publisher submits notifications on behalf of a composer, the following applies:
- If a composer points out that the work is not a library work, Koda may demand to see documentation from the publisher, proving that they have entered into an agreement with the composer to have the work in question registered as a Library work.
- If Koda requests documentation and no such documentation is submitted within 14 days of the request, Koda will remove the Library note on the work, in accordance with the composer's wishes.
Please note that:
- The right to self-management includes only the rights associated with synchronisation (for online and physical copies) and copying (for physical copies only). The right to self-management does not include public performance, nor copies for online use, such as server copies.
- NCB still manages the mechanical rights associated with LIB works when these are used in isolation, unaccompanied by visuals (for example if they are released as a soundtrack or a downloads on iTunes).
- Library music must be clearly marked ‘Library music’ when submitting the notification. Otherwise, the rights will be managed by NCB in the usual way.
- All rightsholders associated with the work must agree to conduct self-management of the mechanical rights before the work can be listed as library music with Koda / NCB.
- The person or persons who have registered the work as library music are responsible for ensuring that the rights to record/ perform said work have been cleared.
- The member remains bound by his/her/their membership statement. This means that the member cannot manage the rights to recording and reproduction of any and all works that are not covered by the library scheme.
- The member is, irrespective of the library scheme, still a member of Koda / NCB as regards all of said members’ rights pertaining to public performance, recording and reproduction.
- If at any time the member wishes NCB to once again manage the synchronization rights and copying rights for works registered as library works, the library registration may be terminated by submitting a written request to this effect with one month’s notice to the end of the month.
If you have any questions regarding Koda’s library music scheme, please contact Jakob Thors: [email protected]
