Using music at Deakin
Deakin University has a licence to use music for educational, business, event and online purposes. This licence covers music from the OneMusic (APRA/PPCA) repertoire, which includes most commercial music.
From 1 January 2021, the range of licensed activities will be greatly expanded. These activities are listed below.
The rights in music can be complicated. Please contact the copyright team with queries about the coverage of the Tertiary Music Licence and the OneMusic (APRA/PPCA) repertoire.
Music for education
The Tertiary Music Licence allows music to be used in teaching units by staff and students. This licence has broad coverage and includes:
- playing or performing music in a class
- supplying students with music through CloudDeakin
- adding music to pre-recorded lectures
- use of background and feature music in student performances for coursework. Use of music in dramatic context is not permitted.
Educational use of music must be restricted to the classroom or CloudDeakin. Any videos that contain sound recordings for this purpose are required to be stored on a password-protected University platform and cannot be made available to the public.
Music for business purposes
The Tertiary Music Licence permits background music to be played in spaces owned and operated by the University. University owned retail, hospitality, art galleries and museums are exempt, and can play background music and be open to the public. Other business activities open to the public, independent businesses and DUSA affiliated groups need separate licensing to use background music.
Background music is ambient music intended to be heard passively, rather than music that is meant to be actively listened to.
The Tertiary Music Licence grants additional rights to University owned fitness centres, childcare centres and for use on telephone hold systems. Please contact the copyright team with queries.
Music for events and online
The agreement allows music to be performed at many Deakin University events and graduations. This covers a live performance of a musical work or playing a sound recording over speakers. It is also possible to live stream a Deakin University event where music is being used.
Each event is different, so if you are holding an event and wish to use music, please contact the copyright team.
Restrictions
The Tertiary Music Licence does not allow (without an additional licence):
- use of music with substituted lyrics or in a burlesque
- performance of music in a Dramatic Context (use music in a storyline and or with a narrators or characters)
- performance of Grand Right Works in their entirety (e.g. Wicked or Les Misérables) or choral works of more than 20 minutes’ duration.
If you are want to modify any music or organise a musical performance, please contact the copyright team.
Alternatives
The Tertiary Music Licence is not the only way to make use of music. Also consider:
- if your use of music fits within the available copyright exceptions for fair dealings
- if production music is suited to your project. Take a look at our page on finding openly licenced music.
- if you need additional licences from OneMusic (APRA/PPCA).
Please contact the copyright team for assistance with alternative music licensing.