Frequently Asked Questions:
• L i c e n s i n g •

Why do I need a license to use a song?

A song has been written by someone and is, therefore, the property of that person(s). So its stands to reason that if you want to use it – even for a non-commercial purpose – you have to ask the permission to use it to its owner or to the publisher who manages his/her rights just as you ask someone’s permission if you want to use his/her car. Please note that permission is required even if you use a sample of a song.

Just keep in mind that :

1. You need a license from the publisher of the song
2. If you use a pre-recorded version of a song, you will also need a license from the producer of that sound recording. If you re-record the song yourself, you don’t need this second license.

When do I need a license?

You can do whatever you want with a piece of music, but within the four walls of your home. As soon as you want to use in public – either for commercial or non-commercial music – you must acquire a license to use it and pay for it.

Will DEP help me in getting a license?

That’s our job. We will get for you the license from the original publisher (if the song is not administred by us) and from the record company if you use a pre-recorded version.

If you need music for your project but don’t know which song(s) you want to use, we can work one-to-one with you to help you find the right score, whatever your project: commercial, film, TV program, CD-Rom, theatre play, in-store music, branding, etc. And if you know which song you want but don’t know how to get a license, here too we’ll be glad to do the job for you. In both cases, just fill up the License Request Form and submit it and we’ll get back to you.

How much will you charge me?

Licensing rates are not fixed because many factors are taken into account, such as the size of the territory (India, Asia, the world), the fame of the song, the period of the license (1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 5 years, perpetuity), the support (commercial, film, CD-ROM, etc.), the production budget of the support, and so on. We offer this service free-of-charge.

I know the song I want to use but don’t know how to get a license.

To use any music, you need two licenses: one from the publisher (for the song) and one from the record company (for the recorded version). We’ll negotiate both for you.

Just fill-up and submit the Licensing Request Form and we’ll find the original owner and negotiate a license for you.

I want music for my production but don’t know exactly what: will you help me?

Certainly. Just fill-out the Licensing Request Form and submit it. We’ll work together with you to find the right music and clear all the copyrights for you.