With so many concerns about the spread of COVID-19, many choirs have been forced to either suspend their rehearsals indefinitely or find creative new ways to hold their rehearsals virtually. While the ONE LICENSE team understands that none of these creative options can truly replace an in-person rehearsal, we do have a licensing option to help you stay connected with your musicians and remain copyright compliant all at the same time! 

Our Practice-Track License allows music ministers to create practice MP3s (or CDs) for their musicians, specifically for rehearsal purposes. This license allows you to:

  • Copy commercial CDs or MP3s purchased from a Member Publisher or other copyright holder on our service;
  • Record your own versions of covered songs  (referred to as self-made / non-commercial) for your ensemble, like a specific vocal part, for example, or an accompaniment track;
  • Email MP3s or burn CDs;
  • Provide a link to a Dropbox or Google Drive file that can only be accessed by the intended musicians.

While there are always one-off reasons why a particular song would or would not be covered, you can find a general and complete list of participating Member Publishers here.

Once tracks are recorded, our convenient technology allows you to easily report your usage. As a user, you would purchase a Practice-Track License based on the average weekly attendance category that best fits your organization. This is your average full worship attendance, not just choir attendance. The reason we base all of our licenses on full worship attendance is because we believe in a justice-based approach to pricing and use an equitable pricing model. Please visit our Options & Prices page for more information.

There are many ways to make use of the Practice-Track License, including:

  • Sending vocal parts to each section of the choir (for example, do the tenors have a particularly tough part beginning at measure 20? No problem, provide them with a recording so they can listen and practice that section on their own);
  • Sending multiple vocal parts to multiple sections (for example, let the altos and sopranos practice their harmonies by listening to the recording that you’ve created);
  • Sending the choir the accompaniment of the piece so they can sing along and practice their entrances and cutoffs;
  • Sending the accompaniment track so musicians can record themselves singing along with it and send it back to you for feedback;
  • Sending recordings to youth choir members so they can sing at home and share what they are learning with their families.

It is important to note that our Practice-Track License is for practice and rehearsal purposes only and does not cover commercial master recordings for use within a live worship service or in a pre-recorded video that you would post online.

As a stand-alone service, the Practice-Track License offers a creative way to stay connected to your musicians safely. When combined with the Annual Reprint and Podcast / Streaming License Bundle, the sky truly is the limit! Together, the Practice-Track License and Annual Reprint + Podcast / Streaming Licenses allow you to:

  • Send your musicians a self-made recording accompaniment and have them record their vocal or instrumental line on top. This combined recording can be used during your in-person or online worship service(s).
  • Record yourself playing multiple layers of a piece (piano, organ, vocals, C instrument, etc.) and edit these into a single recording that can be used for worship, either in person or online. 
  • Create a Virtual Choir. Have multiple choir members record themselves singing their voice part of a hymn and edit these recordings together for use during worship, either in person or online. 

Did you miss our post on virtual choirs? Take a look at these helpful tips for creating your own virtual choir!

Editing your recordings projects will require additional software. Many license holders use programs such as Adobe Premiere or GarageBand. If you are looking for a free program, you can look into options such as Audacity or Audiocutter.

Ready to add the Practice-Track License to your ONE LICENSE coverage? The Account Owner can add the license by visiting My Account > My Profile > Buy License and then following the prompts, or reach out to us at info@onelicense.net for assistance.

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