FunkDaddy, on 02 December 2010 - 07:56 PM, said:
Have you talked to him at all yet? Make sure he knows you expect a 50/50 writing split (if that is indeed what you expect) Draft up a co-writing agreement and send it to him.
On point advice from Mark here...
Tracy, always come to a firm agreement, draw up the agreement, in full blown legalese, and have all parties sign before you release or do anything whatsoever.
There is a point I would like to make, and this is for anyone who cares to read this;
There is an old saying "You won't get what you do not ask for" which comes immeadiately to mind. Songwriters often get robbed because, they really get excited when someone mentions an opportunity, and this leaves them vulnerable to exploitation by someone who has a bit more business saavy, or perhaps is a seasoned con man. In this business as it is today, there may be little difference betwen the two. People tend to lose sight of the fact that this is a business, and it must be treated this way. If someone decides to fly by the seat of their pants regarding copyright issues, they are asking to be ripped off. There are many who would take advantage of a writer who is naive concerning the business side of songwriting. In fact, copyrights are the single most sought after thing there is, and the more you have/own in your catalog, the more your "worth" increases so, this is a wide open target area for sharks.
Just to illustrate how dirty this business can be, guess what just happened? lol My artist Quintescence called, it seems one of the performance contracts, which she was about to sign had a "management Agreement" hidden withing some tiny print. Just yesterday we signed personal manager Jeff Christie onto our professional team. Quintescence is hot property, and the Underground scene knows it. The sharks have tried many times to have us sign incredibly (lol) vicious traps which are cleverly hidden with the legalese mumbo jumbo. You have to be extremely cautious, and if you fail to be, even for a brief moment, you may find yourself in a miserable, desparate situation. Artists, need entertainment attoneys. Not to have a lawyer is almost a suicidal move in this game. People say, I do this because, I love it, not for the money, until there appears to be the possibility of making some, and they lose perspective rapidly. They say, I cannot afford an attorney. They simply do not grasp the magnitude of what could happen if they fail to lawyer up. Your song could hit, it happens, and when it happens to someone who isn't prepared in advance, the unethical shark types can smell the blood, and they will seek your vulnerable side to find a defenseless crack to slip through, and rob you. No, it's more like you can't afford NOT to have an entertainment attorney. There is a way to do things, and a way not to do things. Never open yourself up to the possibility of trouble, learn how things are done in this industry or, simply do not play the game. You cannot just sit behind a chess board for the very first time, and expect to win against a seasoned player can you? Same logic applies here.
Please, Tracy, be as cautious as you've ever been in your life. Anyone who is familiar with the terrain will hear me loud and clear. Those who want to believe that people are basically good by nature, have absolutely no business trying to make music their business because, in this game of chess, the contract is an absolute vital piece of armour. The time to draw agreements is not after someone has already recorded your song, and is preparing to release it to the world, this should be finalized before anything is done, and I mean anything at all. Do not even begin a collaboration with anyone until the legal concerns are all worked out. This is true, especially if they are your friend because, money can ruin a friendship quickly.
"Digital? is that the thing where they take a good old sine wave and chop it into bits?"
---Rupert Neve
ANGELz REIGN Productions
starsinmyeyes 
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Alistair S 
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