Many small businesses and creators try to contact large online libraries or music publishers to licence ragtime music. But their experience is often underwhelming.
Some of the issues they may experience:
- The tracks available for licencing aren’t actually ragtime. Some online libraries will market “ragtime pieces” that are actually jazz, boogie woogie or an entirely different style.
- They can only find AI-generated tracks that mix multiple instruments, rather than a high-quality, clean piano recording that can stand alone, or be combined in editing with other instrumentation or sound effects.
- They think they are getting a distinctive, original composition, when in reality they just spent hundreds of dollars licencing a recording of a public domain piece like Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer.
- The retailer never gets back to them about questions or possible modifications to the licencing agreement. All they are offered is a “blanket subscription” that does not cover the countries or time-frame they need.
- They are “too small” for online libraries to get personalised recommendations – and instead they are forced them to look through hundreds of tracks before they can tell if any of them would fit.
Ragtime music licencing
It can be hard to find a music publisher, online library or business who specialises in licencing ragtime music. Ragtime, is after all, a relatively small subgenre, that – many online libraries and large music publishers do not invest in – because they believe that it would be too “niche” to drive significant revenue.
Ragtime music is therefore best licenced from composers, pianists and publishers who specialise in the unique genre. Ragtime musicians can offer a much more personalised experience – and are usually very willing to help with any custom requests, modifications or even bespoke compositions. It is also worth choosing ragtime musicians with have experience in setting up and managing the business side of music, so you can rest assured that contracts are up to a professional standard and cover the scope that is right for you.
Generic libraries vs. ragtime specialists
Specialist ragtime licensors are familiar with the intricacies of the ragtime era, the ragtime style and its overlap and fringes with other styles of music. They can advise you specifically on what soundtracks work with your intended project, unlike standard libraries which will often sell you the track with the highest commission.
A specialised ragtime licensor also ensures that the music you receive is actually ragtime – and not just music of another style promoted to you as such.
You can recognise real ragtime based on the following characteristics:
- Syncopated melodies against a march-like base – this means accents sometimes land between beats, but sometimes land on the beat.
- Repetition of 3-4 core themes throughout a piece with interesting variations between phrases
- A clean instrumentation e.g. solo piano – rather than multiple instruments fading into each other
That said, there also some ragtime pieces that deliberately break with these structures, in order to work more flexibly with specific formats such as film, or online video. A good ragtime licensor can advise you on when to work with a “classic ragtime” piece that adheres strictly to the conventions of ragtime and when to go for a more “modern ragtime” feel.
Public domain vs. copyrighted ragtime pieces
Ragtime pieces published up until approximately 1925 are in the public domain in many countries. This means that the underlying composition (consisting in melody, harmony and arrangement) is free to use or reproduce without paying for a licence or royalties.
However, many recordings of these pieces were published way after 1925 – especially those that are of good audio quality – and therefore, do not fall under the public domain. This means that you as a business will often still need to pay for a synchronisation licence (and royalties to the recording artist) even though the original arrangement of the music is in the public domain.
Whether a ragtime piece is in the public domain, also differs between countries. For example, in the United States, compositions are usually in the public domain 95 years after publication, while the sound recordings are usually protected for 100 to 110 years after publication. In Europe, meanwhile, compositions enter the public domain 70 years after the composer’s death, while sound recordings become available 70 years after publication.
As a result, some pieces may be in the public domain in some countries, but not in others. Using these pieces in online content is highly risky, as businesses may be accused of copyright infringement in international territories. And as many of the original composers have already passed away, securing a proper licence for their works, has become almost impossible – especially considering that the ownership of rights may be disputed.
Newer ragtime pieces (especially those published after 1970) are usually copyrighted and their copyright and ownership status is usually well documented. Licencing a modern ragtime piece through a reputable provider or directly from ragtime composers protects businesses from real and/or fraudulent copyright claims. The copyrighted status also means that businesses can negotiate directly with the composer or licensor to sign an exclusive agreement that will prevent competing businesses from laying claim to or using the chosen soundtrack in a similar context.
Copyrighted ragtime pieces are therefore ideal for businesses who want a distinctive brand sound, or need original music that sets them apart from competitors in their marketing and communications.
As a specialised ragtime licensor, we hold all the rights to our collection of original ragtime pieces, so you don’t need to worry about royalty payments or copyright claims. On request we can also offer buyouts, co-ownership or custom compositions with rights transfers so the original music can become part of your business’ intellectual property.