Licences etc HELP?!

[jaylaw]

Ok being a musician I decided I want to try my hand at running a mobile disco. So I got myself an amp and speakers and some disco lights etc.

However, I have encountered a possible stumbling block.

I am NOT running my disco as a business. This is just a hobby. Here is an example of what I am doing:

I have all the gear to provide a disco. A friend comes to me and says I am having a party at the local community center will you do a disco for me? I say sure I'll do it. There is NO charge cos i'm just doing it for fun.

I thought this would be great I get to practice being a DJ and my buddies get to have a good dance!

BUT

After reading a lot of things online I have come accross a lot of talk about DJ licences which to be honest has got me bricking it because I haven't got anywhere near the budget I would need to buy these! Please can someone clarify this for me?! I'm just hoping I haven't completely wasted my time and money.

[Shaun]

After reading a lot of things online I have come accross a lot of talk about DJ licences which to be honest has got me bricking it because I haven't got anywhere near the budget I would need to buy these! Please can someone clarify this for me?! I'm just hoping I haven't completely wasted my time and money.

In most cases the PRS/PPL licence will be held by the venue you are playing in.

If you are playing from a laptop, and have converted the music from CDs to play on the laptop, then a Produb licence is required. 'Produb' is a 'format shifting licence'. If you are using original CDs then no licence is required.




You may also hear talk of PLI & PAT. PLI (public Liability insurance), should the unthinkable happen and a member of the public come to harm due to something you've done. PAT (Portable Appliance Test) which is an annual safety check of all your electrical appliances you use for the job. Some venues will insist on you having these to perform in them. It isn't a legal requirement to have them though, but both are good business practice.

Welcome to the forum.

[funkymook]

Apart from Produb which you may or may not need the other two that most venues will require to see are PLI (Insurance) and PAT (for electrical equipment) certificates. Community Halls normally do require these.

PLI can cost as little as £30 and PAT depends on how many items need testing (mine's around £60/£70 and I bet I have more gear than you!)

There's no actual DJ licence - I've got all three above and they've covered me for pretty much every booking I've ever had.

What are you playing your music on?

[SC Events]

Just a query... if he is format shifting, would he require a ProDub Licence seeing as he wouldn't be charging for his services?

I thought this licence was only needed if the music was used for commercial use... otherwise, surely everyone who format shifts music would need one, regardless of whether they are a DJ or not?

Just asking, not trying to cause a stir

[spin mobile disco]

At the moment format shifting is illegal for all but those authorised by the mcps or related body .Although this is in the process of being changed by government to allow a fair use policy for private use. At the moment format shifting is illegal for us and the general public unless the use of the aforementioned produb licence.

edit sorry PRS I meant not mcps or is it both.

[Excalibur]

Scott, that's how I understood it. Matt, you're right, but as far as I know ( and even on a good day that's not much ) wasn't it understood that the powers that be were going to use the Nelsonian attitude* when dealing with the general public in this matter? Don't take that as gospel, of course.


*Turn a blind eye.

[jaylaw]

So even though I'm not doing this as a business I will still need Produb, PLI and PAT. My setup is PC based. I was hoping that because I was just doing private invitation only gigs for mates etc. that it wouldn't be so strict. Guess I was wrong then. Looks like I'm going to have to invest some extra coinage!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The BPI said they wouldn't be pursuing people who ripped their own CDs to a computer for non commercial purposes, but it still isn't officially a legal practise.

[Excalibur]

So even though I'm not doing this as a business I will still need Produb, PLI and PAT.

See above. PLI and PAT aren't legal requirements, but in all honesty, they're vital to have. Absolutely vital, just in case someone has a problem with your kit.


Produb? If you download your music directly to your playout machine, you don't need Produb even for a business. If you've ripped CDs to it though, that requires Produb.

As I said though, until you start doing this for money* it's quite likely that you won't need Produb.





* For hire or reward. Payment in kind. I know this is stretching things a bit, but it has been known that you don't have to be given money for it to be considered that you're being paid.


I'm waiting for some of the cavalry on these matters to arrive, cos I'm not the Oracle on them.

[jaylaw]

Ah this is getting a little clearer. I suppose my main worry is if a friend books somewhere for a party and asks me to Dj for them and I turn up and find the venue wont let me play cos I dont have the right licences.