Composer:
Composer creates an original work of music comprised of new combinations of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic elements. These components are usually structured in an organized fashion, but may contain aleatoric or improvised elements. A composition may or may not have text (lyrics).
Orchestrator:
Using musical material provided in a notated format, an orchestrator creates a musical score by making instrumentation choices including all accepted elements of music performance instructions: articulations, dynamics and expressions. If the material is provided in a sequenced or audio format, additional steps and jobs as defined below will be required. Typically the performance is realized by acoustic instruments with or without electronic instruments.
Digital Orchestrator (‘Synthestrator’):
Performs parallel functions to that of an orchestrator creating an electronic sequence typically realized by computer or digital audio workstation.
Transcription (‘Take-down’):
The job skill of creating notated music or a digital sequence from a given audio source.
MIDI Transcription:
The job skill of creating notated music from a given MIDI sequence.
MIDI Cleanup:
The job of adjusting and converting a MIDI file to a conventional music notation format. This may include rhythmic quantization, appropriate stave and octave placement, enharmonic spellings and adjusting bar lines to correctly reflect musical intent. This job may be performed by a copyist but should be listed separately.
MIDI Extraction (Reduction):
In the event that a MIDI sequence (either cleaned up or not) requires simplification or clarification by removal of duplicate or redundant tracks, this additional job will be performed by the orchestrator and listed as a separate line item.
Arranger:
An arranger adds additional musical material to a composition which will include at least one of the following: additional instrumentation, additional/new melodic elements (for example, introductions, endings, interludes, riffs and counterlines), additional/new rhythmic elements (for example, grooves/feels) or additional/new harmonic elements (for example, reharmonization). Additionally an arranger may make adjustments to the form or structure of the piece.
Digital Arranger:
This is a person who performs the same functions as an arranger with the final result being performed by electronic and/or digital instruments – typically the performance is realized by a computer or digital audio workstation.
Copyist:
Extracts and produces parts for individual musicians from a score provided by an arranger or orchestrator.
Three issues:
Definitions:
All of the above definitions should be added as language to every union contract so that it clearly recognizes the different job positions.
Credit:
All arrangers and orchestrators shall receive credit on any song/project. For CDs – on the liner notes, for film and television – in end credits, in digital formats – in the meta tags or other attachments to the audio files.
AFM:
The category of ARRANGER should be listed as a line item on the Union contract, separate from the line item of ORCHESTRATOR, where applicable. Arrangers and orchestrators shall be free to negotiate compensation above the minimum scale contract amount, but shall always be listed on the musician union contract so as to be included in any future payment distributions including: new use, re-use and secondary market fund payments. Arranging should be paid at a rate of 150% of the prevailing orchestration rate – this will be new language added to all future AFM agreements.
If a single individual performs the jobs of both arranger and orchestrator, they shall be paid at the higher arranger scale (new).
In situations where there is no score produced (digital orchestrating or digital arranging as defined above), a new payment basis that is not dependent on pages of music must be created. Some suggested payment scales can be based on units of time ($100.00(?) per 15 seconds of track).
Recognizing that arranging is it’s own discrete job skill, different from orchestration, arranging should be listed on the contract as a separate line item as there are cases where the arranger does not do the orchestrating.
Transcription, MIDI Transcription, MIDI Cleanup and MIDI Extraction are all separate functions (as defined above) and where they are required they should be paid at an hourly rate of not less than $50 and are paid in addition to ORCHESTRATION or ARRANGING fees.
All of the above mentioned music prep jobs should be listed on all contracts so the individuals involved will be entitled to participate and receive appropriate portions of any payments made to US musicians through Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund, contractual re-use and new-use payments. These positions should also participate in the payments made to musicians that are paid through the “Digital Performance Rights in Sound Recordings Act of 1995” for satellite radio and Internet performances (Neighboring Rights). For terrestrial broadcast, in the future, these could be paid through the “Fair Play, Fair Pay Act” (not yet passed).