Microsoft to Handle Rock Band 'Indie' Payments
Rock Band Network gives tools to artists and labels
A toolset is being made available that will enable member of Microsoft's XNA Creator Club to author and publish tracks for MTV and Harmonix's Rock Band. Royalty payments for the US-only system are to be handled by Microsoft.
Going by the name of 'Rock Band Network', the service will enable XNA Creator Club members to turn their master recordings into Rock Band-playable tracks before putting them out through the Rock Band Network Music Store. They'll remain exclusive to the Xbox 360 for 30 days, before 'stand out' tracks make their way to the Wii and PS3. Details of what a 'stand out' track might be are not currently available.
The official FAQ (found here) explains that the aspiring artist will "enroll in the Creator's Club and set up payment information directly with (Microsoft's) XNA. You get paid quarterly, just like their XNA Creator's Club members."
The process by which songs are cleared for Rock Band Network appears a little vague at the moment - as does the retention of publishing rights. On the one hand, Billboard magazine states, "Rather than deal with Harmonix directly, artists and labels will submit songs to a community of Harmonix-trained freelance game developers and other interested programmers who will prepare the tracks for Rock Band. Additionally, labels can either hire trained developers or school their existing employees to do the work in-house."
Billboard also adds, "Songs submitted through this process must then be reviewed by other developers to check for playability, inappropriate lyrics, copyright infringement and so on." Ah, 'indie music' must not have inappropriate lyrics.
The official site states, "Step Two: Upload: Anyone in the Creators community will be able to download and audition the track on their own Xbox consoles, and they’ll give you valuable constructive feedback that will help you revise your work and make your track as fun and challenging as possible.
"Step Three: Review: When you upload your song to the Creators site, it will be immediately available for any other Creator with a Premium Account ($99 pa) to download and audition. Your peers will post valuable, detailed feedback on your song. Once you and your peers agree that your song is ready for primetime, you’ll submit it for peer review. Once it passes peer review, your song is released into the world."
So, you get peer review before... you get peer review? Okay, it's early days yet and possibly the FAQ writers are confused.
Rock Band Network will go into beta in the US as of August. The Rock Band Network Music Store will be kept separate from the regular store.
Artists and record labels will pick their own pricing tier, with options ranging from $0.50 to $3. They'll get to keep 30% of royalties. 30 second demos of tracks will be available to potential punters.
Going by the name of 'Rock Band Network', the service will enable XNA Creator Club members to turn their master recordings into Rock Band-playable tracks before putting them out through the Rock Band Network Music Store. They'll remain exclusive to the Xbox 360 for 30 days, before 'stand out' tracks make their way to the Wii and PS3. Details of what a 'stand out' track might be are not currently available.
The official FAQ (found here) explains that the aspiring artist will "enroll in the Creator's Club and set up payment information directly with (Microsoft's) XNA. You get paid quarterly, just like their XNA Creator's Club members."
The process by which songs are cleared for Rock Band Network appears a little vague at the moment - as does the retention of publishing rights. On the one hand, Billboard magazine states, "Rather than deal with Harmonix directly, artists and labels will submit songs to a community of Harmonix-trained freelance game developers and other interested programmers who will prepare the tracks for Rock Band. Additionally, labels can either hire trained developers or school their existing employees to do the work in-house."
Billboard also adds, "Songs submitted through this process must then be reviewed by other developers to check for playability, inappropriate lyrics, copyright infringement and so on." Ah, 'indie music' must not have inappropriate lyrics.
The official site states, "Step Two: Upload: Anyone in the Creators community will be able to download and audition the track on their own Xbox consoles, and they’ll give you valuable constructive feedback that will help you revise your work and make your track as fun and challenging as possible.
"Step Three: Review: When you upload your song to the Creators site, it will be immediately available for any other Creator with a Premium Account ($99 pa) to download and audition. Your peers will post valuable, detailed feedback on your song. Once you and your peers agree that your song is ready for primetime, you’ll submit it for peer review. Once it passes peer review, your song is released into the world."
So, you get peer review before... you get peer review? Okay, it's early days yet and possibly the FAQ writers are confused.
Rock Band Network will go into beta in the US as of August. The Rock Band Network Music Store will be kept separate from the regular store.
Artists and record labels will pick their own pricing tier, with options ranging from $0.50 to $3. They'll get to keep 30% of royalties. 30 second demos of tracks will be available to potential punters.
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