Using an iPod as a DJ ?

Junior

Guys,

A mate of mine has asked me to do up a couple of hours of music on an iPod for a surprise birthday party for his missus, they are renting out a function room off a pub, whats the story with regards playing the music ? Should royalties be due ?

Reason I ask is someone else has asked me to do the same thing for a family birthday in a couple of weeks, and I don't want to end up in hot water.

cnocbui

Just don't invite anyone from the IRMA to the party! :rolleyes:

I doubt there would be a problem if the music on the iPod was from legitimate sources and admission wasn't being charged to the events.

I am sure IRMA would not hesitate to say you could not play music you had bought to a group of friends, but I am not sure even they would be stupid enough to try that one in court.

Junior

cnocbui wrote: »

Just don't invite anyone from the IRMA to the party! :rolleyes:

I doubt there would be a problem if the music on the iPod was from legitimate sources and admission wasn't being charged to the events.

I am sure IRMA would not hesitate to say you could not play music you had bought to a group of friends, but I am not sure even they would be stupid enough to try that one in court.

Yah I'm just worried that it's me lending someone my music, I'm not going to either event but I'm sure someone will either drop me a few bob or buy me a pint or two, I just wondered where I stand.

franklyshocked

Junior wrote: »

Yah I'm just worried that it's me lending someone my music, I'm not going to either event but I'm sure someone will either drop me a few bob or buy me a pint or two, I just wondered where I stand.

If its coming off an ipod then who's to say that you don't own a copy of the tracks at home on CD/Vinyl.
To be honest man you're hyper-worrying about this. There are "not" secret IRMA agents swarming the country breaking up birthday parties because DJ's are playing tracks without paying royalties.
Although it would be funny to see someone from IRMA holding up the ipod and demanding to know the name of the person that put the playlist together.
(They don't work past 6pm anyway)

If you've got a gang of mates that are continually asking you to do mixes and you're not even getting a pint out of it I'd seriously start thinking of telling them where to go to.

gsparx

IRMA won' t have a problem with it. If it's in a legitimate venue then the owners will have paid a fee for public broadcast of music.
Every public establishment that has piped music owes, and presumably pays, these fees.
iPods are not illegal either.

Run_to_da_hills

gsparx wrote: »

IRMA won' t have a problem with it. If it's in a legitimate venue then the owners will have paid a fee for public broadcast of music. Every public establishment that has piped music owes, and presumably pays, these fees..

Thats provided all the music is from a legit source It dosent matter if the fees are paid or not. IMRA and PPI carry out regular inspections on jute boxes etc for illegal copies.

gsparx wrote: »

iPods are not illegal either.

They would be considered illegal if the music was not the original and the owner did not own the legitimate original copy. When you purchase music it is for your own personal use only and technically should not be played in public. (Rarely if ever enforced) The chances of IMRO or PPI raiding a private function is extremely slim, Heaps of DJs are using laptops illegal in night clubs across the country. Ireland Is backward compared to Holland where you can license a laptop for DJ use. The fine there is 10,000 for illegal use.

L1011

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Thats provided all the music is from a legit source It dosent matter if the fees are paid or not. IMRA and PPI carry out regular inspections on jute boxes etc for illegal copies

Horrifically bad advise alert! Horrifically bad advise alert!

Whether you're using downloads, records, bought CDs or paid downloads you STILL have to have IMRO (not IRMA), PPI and MCPSI licences. These cover music rights, performance rights and mechanical copyright (not applicable for downloads IIRC) respectively.

However, the venue will almost certainly have these licences already. I wouldn't even bother asking - if they're letting you provide the music they basically have to have these.

As goes the rest of RTDH's post, the entire purpose of the MCPSI licence is to over-rule the "personal use only" clause on bought music. The day someone can explain to me why music needs to be paid for four times (purchase, mechanical rights, performance rights, music rights) I'll be amazed...

Neurojazz

MYOB wrote: »

The day someone can explain to me why music needs to be paid for four times (purchase, mechanical rights, performance rights, music rights) I'll be amazed...

It's because as the population expands more and more people need money/jobs, so the whole idea is to over complicate everything and add layers to every stage of absolutely anything that can be charged for.

seannash

jesus christ lads.
okay lets answer his question.
dont ****ing worry about it.you wont get caught by anyone even if your playing illegal downloads.
grow some stones and just do the gig.noone will be asking you to varify your music.
end of
no need to play out all sort of scenarios thatll NEVER happen!!!!!!!!!
night night now

Run_to_da_hills

MYOB wrote: »

However, the venue will almost certainly have these licenses already.

Venue license varies greatly according to the declaration made by the publican. Some may just cover a radio (Without a tape or CD deck) or a tv set using its own internal speakers, others may cover DJ's and live performers. You can tell a pub that dose not have an appropriate license license when they tell you remove your gear promptly after preforming.

Click the on line licensing option at the bottom of the following link to give you an idea of how detailed the questionnaire is, your fee is based on what you submit and the follow up inspection.
http://www.imro.ie/music_users/licence_estimator.shtml#

Back on topic, have fun using an Ipod, you may need two of them and a mixer if you want to mix :P. (unless you intend just crashing one tune after another. :eek:)

L1011

That has nothing to do with what they declare; it has to do with what licences they've paid for. Somewhere with no mechanical copyright licence can only play radio or TV; simple as.

gsparx

seannash wrote: »

jesus christ lads.
okay lets answer his question.
dont ****ing worry about it.you wont get caught by anyone even if your playing illegal downloads.
grow some stones and just do the gig.noone will be asking you to varify your music.
end of
no need to play out all sort of scenarios thatll NEVER happen!!!!!!!!!
night night now

nah, it's good to know what the rules are, regardless. the OP never mentioned illegal downloads.
point is, the venue has the responsibility for paying the royalties.

Run_to_da_hills

MYOB wrote: »

That has nothing to do with what they declare; it has to do with what licences they've paid for. Somewhere with no mechanical copyright licence can only play radio or TV; simple as.

I knew of a pub in West Clare that was fighting a 3k IMEO charge over a false declaration a number of years ago, they tried to appeal it but ended up having to pay up.

L1011

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I knew of a pub in West Clare that was fighting a 3k IMEO charge over a false declaration a number of years ago, they tried to appeal it but ended up having to pay up.

The only way you can make a false declaration is by claiming your turnover or volume of use of music (as in nights, if you've a DJ on twice a week vs. 5 nights, etc) is lower than it is. The difference between using piped music systems (DMX, Music Choice); having a TV on in the background, or having a DJ is primarily down to having the correct other licences.