Use music

Music notification

• By when do I have to report my music use?

  There is no fixed period for this in general*, but we do recommend: The earlier, the better! This way, you can clarify any unresolved issues and are on the safe side. What’s important is that you notify us of your event before it takes place.
  
  Here is some legal background for those who are interested: There is even a statutory obligation to notify music uses beforehand. After all, the general rule in business life is: If you want to use rights, you must acquire them beforehand.
  
  *If you are a member of an association or an umbrella organisation with which a general agreement or blanket agreement has been entered into, it is possible that there are specific provisions regarding the number of days before the event before you must submit the music use notification. Your association or umbrella organisation would have to inform you of any such mandatory notification deadlines. 

• Do I have to report anything afterwards?

  Please always submit event notifications with specific dates such as place, date, attendance (where applicable), etc. In the case of specific event types, e.g. concerts, we also need you to submit the net ticket sales figures once you have them. To do this, you can use the function in the Online Portal.

  In the case of live events, i.e. events with bands/musicians, you must submit a setlist.  You can do this on the Online Portal under My setlists.

• Was ist die EAN bzw. die GTIN? Gibt es einen Unterschied?

  Die European Article Number, kurz EAN, ist eine international anerkannte Zahlenfolge, zur Kennzeichnung von Produkten. Die EAN ist die 13-stellige Nummer unterhalb des Barcodes. Mit der EAN kann jeder Artikel, jedes Produkt oder jede Produktvariante weltweit überschneidungsfrei identifiziert werden. Bereits im Jahr 2009 wurde die EAN durch die international gültige Bezeichnung GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) ersetzt. Hierzulande wird allerdings weiterhin oft die Bezeichnung EAN verwendet. Unterschiede zwischen EAN und GTIN gibt es keine.

• Was sind HAP und EVP und wann nutze ich welchen Preis?

  HAP – Höchster Händlerabgabepreis: Der HAP wird häufig von größeren Herstellerinnen oder Labels genutzt, die ihre Musikprodukte über Zwischenhändler in den Einzelhandel bringen. Bei der Nutzung des HAP ist die Angabe einer EAN/GTIN erforderlich.

  EVP – Endverbraucherpreis, Endverkaufspreis oder auch Detailverkaufspreis: Der EVP wird häufig von kleineren Herstellern verwendet, wenn sie Musikprodukte direkt vertreiben, wie Musikerinnen, die ihre Alben auf Tournee an die Konzertbesucher verkaufen.

• Which tariff is the right one?

  This depends on where and how you use the music. It is rather simple to determine the right tariff:

  Use the price calculator in the GEMA Online Portal. Here, you can search for events, permanent music use, music on the internet and music products such as audio recordings and audiovisual recordings. Most tariffs can be registered in the Online Portal, with the exception of just a few where this is not possible.

  This is why we provide a tariff overview:

  1. In the left column you can see the type of music use

  2. On the right, you can select the exact category or genre.

  3. Once you selected the category, you are directed to the respective tariff page with the tariff description and further information.

  Please do get in touch if you still need help.

• Which form do I use for my music notification?

  You cannot submit notifications relating to most GEMA tariffs for events and background music; instead, you can do this via the price calculator in our Online Portal. It’s really simple and you also find out about the price there and then. 

  For tariffs that have not yet been integrated into the Online Portal, notification forms are available. They are located on the following overview page.

  Please submit your notifications for music on sound recordings at Producers’ notification.

• How can I report music uses?

  a) Event

  • Concert
  • Theatre performance
  • Festival
  • Party/celebration/dance/balls
  • Disco
  • Carnival
  • Processions/street parades
  • Mass
  • Self-made copies 
  • Film presentation/slide show etc.
  • Sports event
  • Spoken word cabaret, comedy, reading etc.
  • Outdoor markets
     

  b) Permanent music use

  • Retail, service sector, doctors etc.
  • Catering, restaurants and hotels etc.
  • Hotel and guest rooms 
  • Music in amusement halls
  • Swimming pools, saunas, indoor climbing walls etc.
  • Copying of sheet music
  • Self-made copies
     

  c) Music on the internet

  d) Audio recordings and audiovisual recordings

  • music products such as CDs and vinyl
  • products with mixed content such as cinema films on DVD and radio plays 

  in the GEMA Online Portal. That is quick and easy. Here, the first step is to determine the price via our  price calculator.

  e) Certain tariffs are not included in the price calculator yet. You can register these by using a form and/or sending us an e-mail, for example. These tariffs are shown in our tariff overview.

  Additional information on your music notification is included in our video.