Songwriting Credit?

[Stranglehold]

If I write a song (chords, riffs, lyrics), and I show the drummer how I want the rhythm to be, and he uses the rhythm, but does his own thing with the actual drumming, does he get songwriting credit?

[Johnny-Boy]

 

If I write a song (chords, riffs, lyrics), and I show the drummer how I want the rhythm to be, and he uses the rhythm, but does his own thing with the actual drumming, does he get songwriting credit?

 

 

No, he's not considered one the writers.

 

John:cool:

[wickedmonkey]

you'd have to give him credit on the song/album for what he did (drums) but that's as far as it goes... it's no 50/50 here... its your song. You can look at his position as being almost that of a studio musician. They play in the pocket, add a little here and a little there but it doesn't make it anymore THEIR song.

 

why do you ask?

 

is there a story behind this question???

[blue2blue]

Generally speaking, the copyrightable parts of a song are the lyrics and the primary melody. Bass lines, drum parts, lead guitar solos, etc are not copyrightable as part of the song. (The whole recording is copyrightable as a recording... but that's a horse of a different color.)

 

Now... it's very rare but there can be exceptions: when a bass line, guitar riff, or even a drum figure is considered an integral part of the song itself (not the song's performance or recording, if you catch the distinction) -- and I'm sure some of our pop music scholars can give us some real world examples, but they're escaping my memory -- then that part can be considered as part of the copyright. But it is very rare that an instrumental part can be considered such.

[Stackabones]

b2b's post is the money post.

 

But ...

 

As a songwriter, you can give songwriting credit to anyone. They don't even need to have written the song.

[blue2blue]

Right -- sometimes it's the only way to keep peace in the band. And, of course, in some bands, everyone contributes, so it's only fair.

[myredshoes]

Generally speaking, the copyrightable parts of a song are the lyrics and the primary melody. Bass lines, drum parts, lead guitar solos, etc are not copyrightable as part of the song. (The whole recording is copyrightable as a recording ... but that's a horse of a different color.) Now... it's very rare but there can be exceptions: when a bass line, guitar riff, or even a drum figure is considered an integral part of the song itself (not the song's performance or recording , if you catch the distinction) -- and I'm sure some of our pop music scholars can give us some real world examples, but they're escaping my memory -- then that part can be considered as part of the copyright. But it is very rare that an instrumental part can be considered such.

 

Wipeout comes to mind.

[wickedmonkey]

Generally speaking, the copyrightable parts of a song are the lyrics and the primary melody. Bass lines, drum parts, lead guitar solos, etc are not copyrightable as part of the song. (The whole recording is copyrightable as a recording ... but that's a horse of a different color.) Now... it's very rare but there can be exceptions: when a bass line, guitar riff, or even a drum figure is considered an integral part of the song itself (not the song's performance or recording, if you catch the distinction) -- and I'm sure some of our pop music scholars can give us some real world examples, but they're escaping my memory -- then that part can be considered as part of the copyright. But it is very rare that an instrumental part can be considered such.

 

 

+1

[yenerich]

 

If I write a song (chords, riffs, lyrics), and I show the drummer how I want the rhythm to be, and he uses the rhythm, but does his own thing with the actual drumming, does he get songwriting credit?

 

 

No, one thing is the song (melody and lyrics) and other the arrangement.