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Q. What does royalty-free mean?
A. With most music, if you use it in a production you will normally be liable to pay royalties every time you use it and for every copy you make. Our genuine royalty free licensing allows you to use the music in as many productions as you wish without having to pay any royalties.
Please be aware that our definition of royalty-free music is not universal. Other publishers who say their music is royalty-free actually require you to pay additional needledrop or laserdrop fees each time you use a track in a production. These fees can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars so beware if you're thinking of licensing royalty free music from somewhere else! It doesn't end there either... You should also be aware that some so called royalty-free music publishers don't collect royalties themselves but every time the music (or any production containing the music) is played in public, sold or broadcast, royalties are still due to the artist or composer (usually via performance rights societies ASCAP, BMI, PRS etc.). These royalties can also amount to incredibly large sums.
When you license royalty-free music from Slicktracks.com there are no royalties to pay to anyone because neither Slicktracks nor any of our composers is affiliated to a performing rights organization anywhere in the world. All our music is pre-cleared, there's no-need to apply for clearance. When you license music from us the only cost to you is the once-only licensing price shown alongside the track details on this web site.
Put simply: Here at Slicktracks.com, royalty-free means royalty-free. You only pay once, there are no hidden costs.
Q. What uses might I have for royalty-free music from Slicktracks.com?
A. The music can be used for video, tv, film, multimedia, radio or theatrical productions, computer games and simulations, websites, podcasts, DVDs, commercials, music on-hold, background music, corporate events, radio advertising, jingles, promotions, presentations, fashion shows etc...
Q. What can I NOT do with royalty-free music from Slicktracks.com?
A. We get asked this question a lot. Our standard licensing (both commercial and non-commercial) does not permit you to distribute, resell or sub-license the music as music per se. Here are a few examples to help clarify what this means:
You CANNOT distribute the music on a music CD but you CAN create and distribute a video DVD which combines the music with pictures.
You CANNOT make the music available for download as a music track but you CAN embed it as an integral part of an online presentation.
You CAN include the music in your own multimedia production but you CANNOT authorise anyone else to use it in their production (they must buy their own licence from us).
You CAN alter, distort, sample, chop-up, mix and/or loop the music to suit your needs but you CANNOT claim that the resulting music is all your own work or treat it as such.
Whilst the distinctions between the can-dos and the cannots are fairly obvious, if you feel you might be looking at a grey area, please contact us for clarification. Also remember that these rules apply to our standard music licences, we are able to offer different written licensing terms on a case by case basis, just ask.
Q. Must I include a credit line to Slicktracks.com when I use the music?
A. If you use a track as music-on-hold or in-house background music we do not expect you to announce an accreditation to Slicktracks.com, however if you are distributing physical media or just about anything on which you can display text we ask that you include a credit to either Slicktracks.com, the artist or composer of the track. We also ask that distributables carry a copyright notice. The simple line "Music © Slicktracks.com" covers both of these requirements together. Suitable places are: on the label, end credits or an 'About box'. If for technical reasons this is terribly inconvenient to comply with this we will understand.
Q. What do I need in order to listen to the preview tracks?
A. If your web browser is capable of playing Flash movies you can listen to the preview tracks using the built-in players on our track listings pages. Alternatively we provide links to preview files that you can either listen to with another streaming music player, or you can download them and save to disk to play back offline. To download preview files you can normally right click on the appropriate button and save the audio file to disk. To listen to the downloaded tracks later you could use your computer's built in player or copy the files to another OGG-Vorbis or MP3 player. Many CD and DVD players will actually play MP3 tracks that have been copied to a CD as data, and some CD writing software can also convert MP3 or OGG-Vorbis to CD audio.
Q. Why is sound quality of the preview tracks not very good? Are the full tracks better quality?
A. The full tracks are much better quality, all digitally mastered to a very high standard. They sound much clearer than any of the preview files. The preview files are made using heavy digital data compression designed to download very quickly and provide you with a general overview of the track. In contrast to this, the full tracks provided to our customers are essentially CD quality stereo.
Q. What is the difference between the "Lo-Fi" previews and the "Short" previews?
A. The "lo-fi" previews use an extreme amount of data compression resulting in small files but very poor sound quality. This is the trade-off for being able to download a full-length preview of a track quickly. The "Short" previews use slightly less compression to give a better idea of the true audio quality of the tracks, but these are still very much lower quality than the full tracks.
The average file size of each short preview is about 400KB whilst the lo-fi previews average more than double that at 1MB depending on the length of the track.
The lo-fi previews can stream (i.e. play at the same time as downloading) at about 40Kb/s, the short previews need 128Kb/s bandwidth to stream in real time.
Q. Why do you use compressed digital audio formats like MP3 for downloads? Can you also supply different formats?
A. With compressed formats like MP3 and OGG-Vorbis, the file sizes are vastly smaller than uncompressed audio. This means that they will download faster. Our preview files are quite heavily compressed so the sound quality is relatively poor. On the other hand, the high quality audio files we supply to you when you buy a licence have minimal digital compression so the difference between these and our studio masters is virtually imperceptible to the human ear. We can also supply tracks in WAV or CD audio formats on disk, and virtually any other format or medium too. In some cases we can supply tracks at ultra-high sample rates and with 24 bit or 32 bit resolution (CD quality is 16 bit). Because most of the tracks are mastered in our own high specification digital studios, there isn't much we can't do, if you need something extra special. This includes remixing, overdubs and surround sound output.
Q. What is the difference between MP3 and OGG Vorbis?
A. In practical terms there is very little difference. Both are able to provide very high audio quality combined with relatively small file sizes. Obviously, you need appropriate software or hardware to play one or the other. There are lots of products available which will play both. MP3 is more widely known format than OGG but this may change as more manufacturers realise that MP3 is affected by patents which restrict its use whilst OGG is not affected by such patents and can be used more freely.
Q. I'm not sure whether I have the right software or hardware to play either MP3 or OGG VORBIS files. Where can I get it?
A. You probably already have suitable software on your computer. If you download a preview file you will probably find that your computer has software that will play it. If not, there are countless software players available on the internet for both formats. Some are free such as Audacity. Alternatively you could copy the files to a personal OGG or MP3 player, or, if you have a CD-R drive, to a CD because many CD and DVD players will be able to play these files (mainly mp3 as it is currently more popular).
Q. After I place an order, how quickly can I get the high quality recordings?
A. As soon as your order is confirmed (normally a matter of seconds) we will send an email to you with instructions to download the full tracks you have ordered. The full tracks contain vastly more data than the preview files. Depending on the length of the track, and your internet connection speed, downloading usually takes between about one minute and a few minutes per track.
If you order the tracks on CD you can still download the tracks right away and we will try to dispatch your CD(s) the same day. Depending on the postal situation a CD will typically arrive 2 to 10 days after you order it.
Q. What are ZIP files?
A. Our loopable music file collections are supplied in ZIP format, these are compressed files that work like a folder to hold other files. The files in the zip need to be extracted using an unzipping utility, this is already installed on many computers and you simply need to double-click the downloaded file to open it like a folder. If you don't have any zip software there are countless examples available on the internet, such as Winzip. Our zip files typically contain audio files in WAV format, and information files in plain text format.
Q. I want to import the tracks into some older software that will import WAV files but not MP3 or OGG files. Is it difficult to convert the MP3 or OGG files to WAV format?
A. With some suitable software such as Audacity you can simply open the file and save it as a WAV file (or another format). Audacity is also a powerful audio editing program which will let you perfom edits like adding fades or voiceovers, joining loop files together or making compressed audio files for internet distribution.
Q. How can I use a track in a Flash movie or web page so that it downloads quickly?
A. You can edit the track to create a smaller file either by using a higher level of compression (reducing the quality) or by shortening the track, or both. You can also create a loop from just part of the track so that it repeats. Some of our tracks are available as loop kits that can be joined together without you having to work out the begiining and end points of a loop.
Q. If I turn a stereo track into mono, will it make the file size smaller?
A. Yes and no. Digital compression methods work by removing irrelevant data from the file. They take into account the fact that the differences between left and right stereo channels are often small and the amount of data is reduced by not repeating identical information. By turning a stereo track into mono you deny the compression system the opportunity of saving data in this way. By making a stereo track into mono you are also degrading the sound quality in a number of ways. You will most likely get less reduction in sound quality by keeping the stereo and using a little more compression to reduce the file size. The majority of our preview tracks are in stereo because there is little to be gained by making them mono.
If for some reason you are using an uncompressed format such as WAV and you still want to save disk space or you specifically want a mono output, then yes, a mono track will use half as much disk space as a stereo track. Most of our recordings are specifically designed to sound good in both mono and stereo.
Q. When I license music from you can I use it in more than one project?
A. Once licensed you can use the music in as many productions as you want without need to pay further fees. We do not charge any needle-drop or laser-drop fees or performance royalties.
Q. If I have licensed a track, is there a limit to how many times I can use it in a production?
A. No you can use it as often as you like. There are no additional charges for repeat uses whether they are in the same production or not.
Q. When I license music from you can I use it as theme music in a production or is the use restricted to incidental or background music?
A. You can use the music as themes, features, background music or incidental music as you wish.
Q. When I license music from you can I use it for different purposes, for example: If I use a track as theme music in a commercial production, can I also use it as on-hold music on my company's telephone system without having to pay again?
A. No problem. You can play it in the elevator and the washroom too! The one commercial licence payment covers all.
Q. Why do you sometimes spell license licence?
A. For clarity. In international English License is a verb and Licence is a noun. In the USA license is used both as a verb and a noun.
Q. Who is actually licensed?
A. The licensee is the person or entity identified as the licensee when ordering. If you buy a licence for youself, you are the licensee. If you buy the licence on behalf of XYZ Productions Inc., with the authority of XYZ Productions Inc., then XYZ Productions Inc. will be the licensee. The licence is not transferable.
Q. What kinds of licensing are available?
A. Basically we offer two types of licence: 'Commercial' and 'Non-Commercial'. Non-Commercial Use specifically relates to non-profit purposes such as private home use (e.g. home video), use within a school or college, or where the licensee is a registered charitable organization. Commercial Use includes any use where the Works are incorporated within a product which will be sold, rented or licensed, or any instance where the licensee or end user is a commercial organization.
If in doubt as to which you need please contact us.
Other types of licence may be available, for example: If you are interested in reselling our music, buying an exclusive licence, creating new arrangements, new recordings of our music, adding lyrics or extracting samples to create new music etc. then please contact us to discuss it. Remember that these things are not covered by the standard licensing. You will need special written permission from us.
Q. If I am already licensed to use tracks for non-commercial purposes, can I upgrade my licence for commercial use? How?
A. Normally this is not a problem but you must upgrade before you use any tracks in any commercial setting. Simply contact us stating your name and which tracks you wish to upgrade to commercial use and we will provide you with instructions for payment. The cost will usually be the price difference between the non-commercial and commercial licences plus a $5 (USD) handling fee.
Q. I am a podcaster. Are there restrictions on how I can use the tracks in my podcasts? In other words, is the music pod-safe?
A. Tracks you have licensed from us can be used in podcasts subject to the following rules...
If your podcast is a for-profit venture you must have bought commercial licences for the tracks. You must not deliver the tracks as standalone music files, they must be part of a larger production (i.e. mixed with speech, other music and/or images). Where possible you should accredit either Slicktracks.com, the artist or the composer of tracks. You must indicate to users that the content of your production (or at least part of it) is protected by copyright.
Q. If I make a movie containing music tracks for which I have bought commercial licenses, then I sell the movie to a company which then exploits it commercially, does that company need to buy licences for the tracks?
A. As you are the licensee and the movie is your production, there is no need for that company to buy an additional licence from us unless they wish to use the music for another project in which you are not directly involved.
Q. Is royalty free music the same as copyright free music?
A. No. There are very few (if any) recordings in the world which could safely be regarded as being in the public domain, i.e. copyright free. Generally somebody owns the copyright. As the copyright holder, Slicktracks.com is able to license out the right to use the recordings and does not require payment of royalty fees. This does not mean that this music is not protected by copyright. It is. As a licensee you are granted limited rights, for example you cannot sub-license the music to someone else for them to use in their own production, or sell music CDs of our tracks without our express permission.
Q. What is a performing rights organization and what role do they play in relation to royalty free music?
A. Performance Rights Organizations' (PROs) main function is to collect royalties. In theory they have no role in relation to genuine royalty free music.
Q. What is a cue sheet? If a production containing only royalty-free music is to be broadcast on tv or radio, will the broadcasting company still need a cue sheet listing the music used?
A. A cue sheet is a list detailing music that has been played, when and how often. It enables performing rights organizations to work out if, and to whom, royalties are due. The PROs in some countries require broadcasters to submit music cue sheets listing all music in a production even when only royalty free music has been played.
Q. Do any of the performing rights organizations e.g. ASCAP, BMI or PRS collect royalties on behalf of Slicktracks.com?
A. No. None. Neither Slicktracks nor any of our composers is affiliated to any performing rights organization.
Q. Is sheet music available for the tracks?
A. In some cases, yes. Please ask.
Q. Why don't you have thousands of tracks to choose from? Will there be new ones the future?
A. We believe in quality over quantity. New tracks are being composed, recorded and prepared right now.
Q. Can I order tracks on CD?
A. When ordering tracks you have the option to order a Custom CD containing all the tracks in your order. If you order a CD a charge of $15.95 (US Dollars) or equivalent (plus VAT for Europe residents) will be added. The price includes postage to anywhere in the world. If all the tracks in your order will not fit on one CD we will send you an additional CD at no extra charge.
Ordering a CD does not affect your ability to download your tracks immediately after your order is accepted.
When you order a CD we normally send a standard audio CD containing the tracks you have ordered. Possibly with some preview tracks for you to listen to. However, if you contact us when you place your order, instead of an audio CD, you can request a data CD containing your tracks in WAV format (or other format) if you prefer. You can also request, at the same time, for specific preview tracks to be added to your CD. Again, if you do have a special request for your CD please tell us as soon as you place your order as CDs will normally be prepared and dispatched on the same day we receive your order.
Q. Does Slicktracks.com accept commissions to write new music?
A. Yes. We would be delighted to discuss your requirements, Just let us know what you need.
Q. Can Slicktracks edit tracks for me to fit specific running times or to add special effects?
A. Tell us what you need and we'll get right back to you with an answer.
Q. What is your privacy policy? How safe are my personal details with you?
A. We completely respect your right to privacy. We will never spam you and we will not share your email address, or other details, with anyone else unless either you ask us to, or we are required to do so in the course of a legal process.
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