FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

1) How do the songs "delivered" on the membership system compare to the songs recorded on Smalltall Music studio albums?

Smalltall Music studio albums like God's Love is for Everybody, Can't Keep Quiet! and My Money Talks are full-production professional studio albums, with the collaboration of multiple musicians, vocalists, and the full "studio production" package. The songs released via the CSM system are more "raw" in that they are recorded here "at home", and are simple arrangements (usually just voice and guitar). The songs released via download to Bryan's CSM members are intended more as resources - songs to be learned, used, "tried out" in different settings - not as an "entertainment package" or just another distribution channel for full-production studio recordings. It's not iTunes, in other words.

Some songs delivered via the membership system will later find their way onto studio albums, and others won't. Some songs may be useful as resources for worship or family activities, but not particularly well suited for release in a studio album format. Some you will really like and others you may not. That's part of the value of the CSM system - it provides an opportunity to share some things that may not make their way onto a studio album, and a chance to share and "test" some things with a community of people who can help discern - and even modify and shape - which ones are the most useful and effective.

Not all of the produce you receive as a member of a CSA farm is cosmetically "perfect" as it would need to be in a grocery store... if we want cosmetically "perfect" vegetables... or music... we know where we can find it...

2) My congregation already pays for a CCLI license to use songs. Are your songs included in our CCLI license? How do we get permission to use your songs?

Bryan Moyer Suderman songs are published by Smalltall Music and are not part of the CCLI system. See the Permissions page on this Web site for information and a simple form to obtain permission to use the songs. You do not have to become a member of Smalltall Music to use the songs or obtain those permissions.

If your congregation/institution chooses to become a member of Smalltall Music, you automatically receive, as part of your membership, permission for "ongoing use" of all Bryan Moyer Suderman songs in each delivery that you receive, for the lifetime of your congregation/institution, as described in the "ongoing use" section of the SmallTall Music permissions policy. If your congregation/institution stops its membership in Smalltall Music you still have the permission for "ongoing use" of the Bryan Moyer Suderman songs that you received during your membership - you simply won't have access to more new songs through the regular deliveries.

3) What kind of "permissions" are included with the Family/Household Membership?

You are encouraged not only to use and enjoy the songs as a household, but also to share them with others, including friends, neighbours, church community... that's what they're for! That said - if you introduce a song or two to your church/organization and there is the desire to keep on using them in that setting, or to keep on receiving new songs of similar usefulness, please encourage the church/organization to abide by the smalltall Music permissions policy (e.g.: for "ongoing use" of a particular song - see Permissions), and even to acquire its own congregational/institutional membership. You may wish to give a year's congregational/institutional smalltall Music membership as part of your regular offerings/donations.

Permission is NOT given to share the password for smalltall Music deliveries with the community/organization so that everyone can receive the delivery while only one household pays its membership fee. Obviously that would be an abuse of the system, and would not sustain this ministry in the long term (or even the short term). Thanks for your understanding and support!

4) What kind of "permissions" are included with the Congregational/Institutional Membership?

As a congregational/institutional member of smalltall Music, your congregation/institution receives permission for ongoing use of all Bryan Moyer Suderman songs in each delivery that you receive, for the lifetime of your congregation/institution, as described in the "ongoing use" section of the smallTall Music Permissions Policy.

Permission is NOT given to share the password for smalltall Music deliveries with the individual households of the congregation/institution, or make paper/CD copies of the deliveries for the individual households, so that everyone can receive the delivery while only the congregation/institution pays its membership fee. Obviously that would be an abuse of the system, and would not sustain this ministry in the long term (or even the short term). Thanks again for your understanding and support!

5) I'm not good at "computer stuff", like downloading things from a Web site. Can I get paper/CD copies of your "deliveries" of new songs?

Yes. The additional cost for this is $10 Cdn/US per delivery (add $40 Cdn/US to the cost of your membership if you'd like each delivery sent to you this way). The bonus "special delivery" of songs contributed by Smalltall Music Members does not include written documents (music notation, written reflections, activity ideas, etc.) - that delivery is made up of audio files only, so in that case your paper/CD copy of the delivery would be a CD only.

6) How does the "smalltall Music Members' Jamboree" work? How do I submit songs? What about copyright stuff?

Basically, you can send them to me in any form you can manage - a digital file (mp3) is great... or if you've got it on CD... or cassette tape... If you don't know how or where to record it, don't worry - send me a note and I'll help you figure out a way (chances are you know somebody or somebody's child who could record your tune on their computer before you could finish writing out your grocery list).

Anyone that submits a song for the STM Members Jamboree retains full copyright ownership of that song, and agrees to make it available to the members of SmallTall Music according to the same Copyright Permissions Policy that applies to other songs delivered on this system (see FAQ #3 and 4 and the STM Copyright Permissions Policy).

7) What do you mean when you say that the smalltall Music Membership system is built on the "CSA model"?

There are different kinds of CSAs, but some things that CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms have in common are:

* A system where people buy "shares" (or "memberships" or "subscriptions") to the farm, pay an up-front annual fee, and receive regular deliveries of freshly picked, local, usually organic produce throughout the growing season.
* A "shared risk" system which guarantees the farmer a certain level of financial support and enables many small-to-moderate scale organic family farms to stay in business, while delivering fresh, high-quality, local produce to members of the community in an economically and ecologically sustainable manner.
* An emphasis on relationships - knowing the person who grows (and consumes) your food, knowing where your food comes from and how it is raised, a restored sense of awareness and relationship with the land itself.
* A system that encourages and enables "consumers" to participate directly in the farm operation and food production process - CSA members have the opportunity to visit the farm, help with the planting, hoeing, harvesting, etc.
* CSAs will often have parties or festivals at harvest time, to celebrate the conclusion of the growing season and to get together as a community.
* In all these ways, farmers and members become partners in the production, distribution and consumption of locally grown food.

The smalltall Music Membership system takes this model and adapts it to the process of creating, testing, and sharing new music for the church and for families of the church. The smalltall Music Membership system is:

* A system where individuals, households, congregations and institutions become "members" of smalltall Music, pay an up-front annual fee, and receive regular deliveries of fresh, local, "organic" music and accompanying resources - new "songs of faith for small and tall" - throughout the year, directly from the "producer".
* Providing the artist with a modest and more reliable level of income from his music, enabling a viable, healthy, long-term ministry of "building up the body of Christ" by providing new songs and resources to be used in homes, schools, churches, and other settings.
* Enabling members to have a direct relationship with the artist who is producing music for/with them, to communicate feedback, experiences, ideas, and needs.
* Encouraging members to write and share their own "songs of faith for small and tall", try them out in their local communities, and share them with other smalltall Music members in the annual "smalltall Music Members' Jamboree" (a "bonus delivery" made up entirely of songs submitted by smalltall Music members).
* In all these ways, encouraging and enabling members to move beyond being "consumers" of music to being active partners in the process of creating, testing, and sharing new music for the church and for families of the church.

ontent



			Home How It Works Sign Up Log In FAQ Permissions Get Involved Links CSArts SmallTall Music Bryan's blog Performance Schedule		Frequently Asked Questions 1) How do the songs "delivered" on the membership system compare to the songs recorded on Smalltall Music studio albums? Smalltall Music studio albums like God's Love is for Everybody, Can't Keep Quiet! and My Money Talks are full-production professional studio albums, with the collaboration of multiple musicians, vocalists, and the full "studio production" package. The songs released via the CSM system are more "raw" in that they are recorded here "at home", and are simple arrangements (usually just voice and guitar). The songs released via download to Bryan's CSM members are intended more as resources - songs to be learned, used, "tried out" in different settings - not as an "entertainment package" or just another distribution channel for full-production studio recordings. It's not iTunes, in other words. Some songs delivered via the membership system will later find their way onto studio albums, and others won't. Some songs may be useful as resources for worship or family activities, but not particularly well suited for release in a studio album format. Some you will really like and others you may not. That's part of the value of the CSM system - it provides an opportunity to share some things that may not make their way onto a studio album, and a chance to share and "test" some things with a community of people who can help discern - and even modify and shape - which ones are the most useful and effective. Not all of the produce you receive as a member of a CSA farm is cosmetically "perfect" as it would need to be in a grocery store... if we want cosmetically "perfect" vegetables... or music... we know where we can find it... 2) My congregation already pays for a CCLI license to use songs. Are your songs included in our CCLI license? How do we get permission to use your songs? Bryan Moyer Suderman songs are published by Smalltall Music and are not part of the CCLI system. See the Permissions page on this Web site for information and a simple form to obtain permission to use the songs. You do not have to become a member of Smalltall Music to use the songs or obtain those permissions. If your congregation/institution chooses to become a member of Smalltall Music, you automatically receive, as part of your membership, permission for "ongoing use" of all Bryan Moyer Suderman songs in each delivery that you receive, for the lifetime of your congregation/institution, as described in the "ongoing use" section of the SmallTall Music permissions policy. If your congregation/institution stops its membership in Smalltall Music you still have the permission for "ongoing use" of the Bryan Moyer Suderman songs that you received during your membership - you simply won't have access to more new songs through the regular deliveries. 3) What kind of "permissions" are included with the Family/Household Membership? You are encouraged not only to use and enjoy the songs as a household, but also to share them with others, including friends, neighbours, church community... that's what they're for! That said - if you introduce a song or two to your church/organization and there is the desire to keep on using them in that setting, or to keep on receiving new songs of similar usefulness, please encourage the church/organization to abide by the smalltall Music permissions policy (e.g.: for "ongoing use" of a particular song - see Permissions), and even to acquire its own congregational/institutional membership. You may wish to give a year's congregational/institutional smalltall Music membership as part of your regular offerings/donations. Permission is NOT given to share the password for smalltall Music deliveries with the community/organization so that everyone can receive the delivery while only one household pays its membership fee. Obviously that would be an abuse of the system, and would not sustain this ministry in the long term (or even the short term). Thanks for your understanding and support! 4) What kind of "permissions" are included with the Congregational/Institutional Membership? As a congregational/institutional member of smalltall Music, your congregation/institution receives permission for ongoing use of all Bryan Moyer Suderman songs in each delivery that you receive, for the lifetime of your congregation/institution, as described in the "ongoing use" section of the smallTall Music Permissions Policy. Permission is NOT given to share the password for smalltall Music deliveries with the individual households of the congregation/institution, or make paper/CD copies of the deliveries for the individual households, so that everyone can receive the delivery while only the congregation/institution pays its membership fee. Obviously that would be an abuse of the system, and would not sustain this ministry in the long term (or even the short term). Thanks again for your understanding and support! 5) I'm not good at "computer stuff", like downloading things from a Web site. Can I get paper/CD copies of your "deliveries" of new songs? Yes. The additional cost for this is $10 Cdn/US per delivery (add $40 Cdn/US to the cost of your membership if you'd like each delivery sent to you this way). The bonus "special delivery" of songs contributed by Smalltall Music Members does not include written documents (music notation, written reflections, activity ideas, etc.) - that delivery is made up of audio files only, so in that case your paper/CD copy of the delivery would be a CD only. 6) How does the "smalltall Music Members' Jamboree" work? How do I submit songs? What about copyright stuff? Basically, you can send them to me in any form you can manage - a digital file (mp3) is great... or if you've got it on CD... or cassette tape... If you don't know how or where to record it, don't worry - send me a note and I'll help you figure out a way (chances are you know somebody or somebody's child who could record your tune on their computer before you could finish writing out your grocery list). Anyone that submits a song for the STM Members Jamboree retains full copyright ownership of that song, and agrees to make it available to the members of SmallTall Music according to the same Copyright Permissions Policy that applies to other songs delivered on this system (see FAQ #3 and 4 and the STM Copyright Permissions Policy). 7) What do you mean when you say that the smalltall Music Membership system is built on the "CSA model"? There are different kinds of CSAs, but some things that CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms have in common are: * A system where people buy "shares" (or "memberships" or "subscriptions") to the farm, pay an up-front annual fee, and receive regular deliveries of freshly picked, local, usually organic produce throughout the growing season. * A "shared risk" system which guarantees the farmer a certain level of financial support and enables many small-to-moderate scale organic family farms to stay in business, while delivering fresh, high-quality, local produce to members of the community in an economically and ecologically sustainable manner. * An emphasis on relationships - knowing the person who grows (and consumes) your food, knowing where your food comes from and how it is raised, a restored sense of awareness and relationship with the land itself. * A system that encourages and enables "consumers" to participate directly in the farm operation and food production process - CSA members have the opportunity to visit the farm, help with the planting, hoeing, harvesting, etc. * CSAs will often have parties or festivals at harvest time, to celebrate the conclusion of the growing season and to get together as a community. * In all these ways, farmers and members become partners in the production, distribution and consumption of locally grown food. The smalltall Music Membership system takes this model and adapts it to the process of creating, testing, and sharing new music for the church and for families of the church. The smalltall Music Membership system is: * A system where individuals, households, congregations and institutions become "members" of smalltall Music, pay an up-front annual fee, and receive regular deliveries of fresh, local, "organic" music and accompanying resources - new "songs of faith for small and tall" - throughout the year, directly from the "producer". * Providing the artist with a modest and more reliable level of income from his music, enabling a viable, healthy, long-term ministry of "building up the body of Christ" by providing new songs and resources to be used in homes, schools, churches, and other settings. * Enabling members to have a direct relationship with the artist who is producing music for/with them, to communicate feedback, experiences, ideas, and needs. * Encouraging members to write and share their own "songs of faith for small and tall", try them out in their local communities, and share them with other smalltall Music members in the annual "smalltall Music Members' Jamboree" (a "bonus delivery" made up entirely of songs submitted by smalltall Music members). * In all these ways, encouraging and enabling members to move beyond being "consumers" of music to being active partners in the process of creating, testing, and sharing new music for the church and for families of the church. ontent