Recorded Music - The Risks

We are surrounded by sources of recorded music, from CD's to personal MP3 players such as the iPod. Many of us assume that once purchased this music can be replayed as we wish, but the recordings are protected under international laws that prevent replaying in public events without a license from the Performing Rights Society. Many venues are now refusing to allow the use of pre-recorded music from any device without an accompanying PRS license held by the organisers. As of February 2007 these licenses vary from £250 to £1,400 per 30 seconds of music, depending on the size of the audience.

Penalties are onerous so allowing your sound engineer to use a CD from his car or patch his iPod into the PA system could be very costly!

Live Music - The Smart Solution

Most public venues already have the necessary live music licenses from the local authorty and the Performing Rights Society (PRS) that allows for live music based on venue size and maximum audience. Under this regime live acts can perform without the organisers having to concern themselves with licenses and permits.

Live music offers flexibility as most professionals have an enormously broad repertoire of pieces at their disposal and may be able to perform specific pieces for an event given sufficent warning. More importantly they can adapt to fit the time required and so are not limited in the same way as pre-recorded music. Musicians are adept at filling in during unexpected breaks in procedings or technical delays, and acoustic instruments or amplified ensembles may not be reliant on the event sound system either.

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