QuidMusic
These days, many of your fans will simply enter your name into Kazaa or WinMX and get your latest releases that way. And they won't pay a penny. Not because they begrudge you the money, but because it's so convenient.
QuidMusic enables you to offer your fans something in exchange for the money you want from them.
You tell your fans that you're happy for them to share your music among their friends, but if they want more from you, if they want you to carry on composing music, you need to get paid somehow.
You then tell your fans that you are prepared to do a deal with them.
If enough of them individually promise to buy your next release through QuidMusic by putting £1 on the table, you will release it to them direct. This means they not only get a convenient MP3 file, but they also get a copy of the digital master (if they so wish).
Of course, you won't do this for just the price of a beer. You'll only release through QuidMusic if it's really worth your while.
It can't hurt to try, can it? Tell your fans on your web site or at your next live gig to pledge £1. You're still free to release your work via other means at any time.
For every £1 pledged at the time of release, you get 85p and we get 15p
This 15p includes credit card fees and other handling costs.
QuidMusic has to cover the costs of the development and maintenance of the website, the costs of the financial transactions, and staffing costs. Our aim is to be fair and competitive.
We make no charges to fans even though their transactions cost us. For example, if a fan deposits £10, pays £3 for 3 releases and then closes their account, they get £7 back. This is because we feel it is important to make it as easy and attractive as possible for fans to open an account with QuidMusic.
To receive your royalties, you must provide your fans with Internet access to a copy of the digital master of the work you are releasing, for at least 6 weeks after release. This can be a file in any industry standard format, may be losslessly compressed (FLAC or ZIP say), and must be downloadable via HTTP, FTP, or BitTorrent. You must also provide a conversion in the MP3 format at 320kbps.
Whether different mixes, multiple songs, cover art, or alternative formats are also provided is entirely up to you. A 'release' via QuidMusic is defined as 'one or more files constituting at least one audio work'.
Download details are only provided to your pledging fans at your instruction.
When you notify us that you wish to make the release, we will forward your message that informs them how and where they can obtain access to a copy.
To help you decide when to release, QuidMusic will always be able to provide you with information concerning the minimum and maximum amount of money you stand to receive. You will receive the minimum amount in your account immediately upon release. The remainder (fans using credit) depends upon fans making good their pledges. You may withdraw funds from your account at any time.
What you release, in terms of quality, quantity or content, is entirely up to you. The final judgement rests with your fans. The quality of your work affects your revenue. So, there is inherent quality control.
Being primarily an escrow agent, QuidMusic is is not involved in specifying the nature of the work you release, only that you agree to make a release, and that this will meet the minimum requirements for what we agree constitutes a release, i.e. an audio file, which you will deliver to your fans on demand.
You can release the same work elsewhere before or after you release it via QuidMusic. You know better than us how to please your fans.
Whether you choose to reserve all rights including copyright, or choose to release your work under a copyleft license (see Creative Commons), matters only to you and your fans.
We do recommend that you ensure you have full rights to commercially distribute copies of your music. Because we are not involved in delivery, this is entirely your responsibility.