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Songs from major Catholic hymnal publishers have been removed

February 1, 2019 - 4:48pm — Richard Schletty

As of January 31, 2019, I am no longer able to post at TopCatholicSongs.com practice tracks and lyrics of songs that are managed by ONE LICENSE – www.onelicense.net. This includes music from GIA, OCP, WLP and other major Catholic music publishers. I cannot afford the licensing fees.

I recommend that you go to YouTube.com to find psalms and hymns to listen to. You will find there many songs managed by ONE LICENSE (including songs from hymnals by GIA and OCP). 

I have deleted from this TCS website practice tracks I made for liturgical songs managed by ONE LICENSE (OL). ​I have also deleted 193 OL-managed songs from my YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/rschletty. These were all my own self-produced "covers" of songs from GIA and OCP hymnals – songs that I have sung for years at weekend masses, funerals, weddings, faith formation services and pro-life prayer vigils. 

All these "cover songs" were simply done to help site visitors learn and appreciate popular songs published by major Catholic hymnal publishers. Most of the songs came from these GIA Music hymnals: RitualSong and Gather. Some were songs licensed by OCP and WLP. I am sorry for the sudden disappearance of my simple, unpolished practice tracks that so many site visitors appreciated since early 2014 (when I assumed ownership of this website). I tried to be legal but the licensing fees are too much for me. I am the sole admin and editor of Top Catholic Songs. 

I will continue to post songs by artists who have given me direct permission to distribute their audio files and lyrics at no cost (free of licensing and royalties). I am also able to post songs that are published at iTunes, YouTube, CD Baby or SoundCloud. Send me the link to your published song or album and I will embed the site's music player in a story. These embedded players stream all or part of a song. As a registered user, you may create your own stories. 

Please visit my liturgical music project which features the compositions of Anthony Moran, written in English and Spanish: Catholic Liturgy In Song – insong.org. Nearly all the music there is free. This includes audio demos and simple guitar lead sheets. Some songs have full piano arrangements with guitar chords.

Richard Schletty
owner and editor of TopCatholicSongs.com

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Comments

February 3, 2019 - 1:01pm — Steve Byrne

How sad!

Your may not have received any funds through creating this support network, Richard, but your ministry here through this website is highly valued!  God bless,  Steve
—
https://www.youtube.com/EmmausMusic
February 3, 2019 - 1:25pm — Richard Schletty

Thanks for the vote of confidence

Steve, I appreciate your comment. I tried to do a balanced presentation here of original "unsigned" music by independent Catholic music composers alongside established music published in major Catholic hymnals. Let's just say that licensing is COMPLICATED! Composers do deserve to get royalties. I do want to make my just contribution to those composers whose music I have sung at church for so many years. It's just that I have not figured out how to monetize this site. I really don't want to do that. I think music of the faith should be freely shared. I don't know the answer to this dilemma. So many of the so-called "practice tracks" are locked behind subscriber paywalls at GIA, OCP and other Catholic music publishers. Sure, a lot of hymns can be found at YouTube, but my aim was to model simple performances of songs with guitar and baritone voice. So many of the YouTube videos present the liturgical songs done with organ and choir.
—

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

March 28, 2019 - 6:58am — asiansa09

This is the door of opportunity open to us

https://www.onelicense.net/
Thanks Richard for sharing this websites.  It is open up the door of opportunity for me and others for our next generation to dream and pursue the hope to get publishing our work.  Be courage!
April 1, 2019 - 2:08pm — Richard Schletty

door of opportunity

I hope that you find ONELICENSE.net helpful in understanding how church music is licensed. I hope you can get your songs accepted and licensed by a major Catholic music publisher. Having all three of our songs rejected by OCP was a disappointment. I wish that OCP had suggested how we might improve our songs.

My big frustration here at TCS is not being allowed to show lyrics or scripture texts for copyrighted songs and psalms that are managed by ONE LICENSE. If I were to pay for licensing that allows me to display lyrics, it would cost me over $1100 per year, each and every year that I would be displaying the songs here at topcatholicsongs.com. I cannot afford this. People want easy and affordable access to practice tracks, lyrics and guitar chords. The Catholic Church needs to find a way to be less restrictive in sharing liturgical music, or find a way to subsidize and support a music ministry like topcatholicsongs.

Yes, there is a lot of music in the public domain that can be shared freely. But I really want to show people how to learn and lead songs with voice and guitar – songs that are both old and new. 

—

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

April 1, 2019 - 11:34pm — asiansa09

Take it as a path for next generations

Don't worry that we don't get it for acceptance our songs at OCP.  But it is the path for next generation to find the way to enter into credible publishers.  Maybe our family members and relatives can do better than us, and that they will find their way through in music industry.  I think they need to go to colleges/university to get their work for publications.  
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