# Is Ablaze Records legit?



## Denerah Bathory (6 mo ago)

I must say that the Composer Portrait series offered by Ablaze Records is a very appealing proposal, especially when they do not specify instrumental limitations and claim to cover all costs related to hiring an orchestra, recording, and producing a full-length CD release of your original compositions. At least, this seems to be the case.

Can anyone here, fellow composers especially, tell me if this offer is legit? or at least let me know that it is what it seems to be, and not with concealed "fine print" where the composer actually has to pitch in 10,000$ to cover orchestra booking fees, or some other undisclosed clause.

I couldn't find negative reviews, then again, I assume composers are too busy writing the next great masterpieces to be posting all day on social media  

Here is the link for you to examine:








APPLY — Ablaze Records







www.ablazerecords.net


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

ABALZE is a good company. I know from personal experience. But with that said it's "you" the composer who will foot most of the bill. Expect a 10 minute orchestra piece to cost you around $8,000 - $12,000.


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## Denerah Bathory (6 mo ago)

Vasks said:


> ABALZE is a good company. I know from personal experience. But with that said it's "you" the composer who will foot most of the bill. Expect a 10 minute orchestra piece to cost you around $8,000 - $12,000.


I see, good to know, because I will search for other options. I find this objectionable, and perhaps this is an appropriate opportunity to obtain further insights into the classical music recording industry:

So, I am an author published by a international publishing company of special interest non fiction. I get a percentage of net sales while they take most of the royalties, obviously because they have overhead to pay in terms of editors, graphic designers, secretaries, and printing costs, etc. This is acceptable since it costs me nothing, and they take care of all the stressful bits.

However, with Ablaze records, I don't see the point. They expect me to pay when it's their job as a record company to foot the bill and take 90% of net revenue which I'd gladly agree to for a free enterprise on my part. Otherwise, one might as well self publish and just call up the Toronto Symphony and arrange a session. 

Is this normal in the classical music industry, because I believe it goes against all logical agreements between employer/entrepreneur and "laborer" class, it doesn't make sense to make someone pay for the parking space at their workplace, who pays to work, you work to get paid. Seriously asking composers to fork out 10k is utterly absurd.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

It's more common than you might expect. Certainly the big recording companies don't, but smaller ones do. And not just for composers. There are many recordings where the performer/ensemble pays the bulk of the cost. There was a great editorial in Fanfare magazine about a year or so ago from the publisher, Joel Flegler, where he addresses the way Classical music recording business has moved to this model. He even makes the musicians for their interviews (in the front portion of the magazine) pay.


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## prlj (10 mo ago)

For comparison purposes - if you wanted to book my full orchestra, you would be looking at around $140 per player per service. 82 piece orchestra would be $11,480. A service is 2.5 hours. Plus another $100 (roughly) per player for your distribution rights. You would probably want two services, plus the rights, so right off the bat you'd be looking at around $32,000. Just for 5 hours of musician time, plus rights.

This does not include renting the hall, stagehands, recording overhead (engineers, mixing, mics, etc.).

It's an absurdly expensive endeavor, and I truly wish this was not the case. I wish we were able to do it far more often that we do.


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## N Fowleri (5 mo ago)

prlj said:


> For comparison purposes - if you wanted to book my full orchestra, you would be looking at around $140 per player per service. 82 piece orchestra would be $11,480. A service is 2.5 hours. Plus another $100 (roughly) per player for your distribution rights. You would probably want two services, plus the rights, so right off the bat you'd be looking at around $32,000. Just for 5 hours of musician time, plus rights.
> 
> This does not include renting the hall, stagehands, recording overhead (engineers, mixing, mics, etc.).
> 
> It's an absurdly expensive endeavor, and I truly wish this was not the case. I wish we were able to do it far more often that we do.


Wouldn't your orchestra do it for free because recording one of my pieces would make them all big stars?


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## prlj (10 mo ago)

N Fowleri said:


> Wouldn't your orchestra do it for free because recording one of my pieces would make them all big stars?


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## N Fowleri (5 mo ago)

prlj said:


>


And they'll have to do it at the zoo. My works require genuine elephant trumpeting. Some also require hyenas laughing. They [my works, not the hyenas] are all rather profound, if I don't say so myself.


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## prlj (10 mo ago)

Those elephants and hyenas damn well better be in the Union!


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## N Fowleri (5 mo ago)

prlj said:


> Those elephants and hyenas damn well better be in the Union!


Oh, all the animal performers in officially-sanctioned zoos belong to Animals' Equity. That's how they can get away with doing nothing all day when people are trying to enjoy their visits to the zoo.


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