Local News

Recording Musicians Association forms South Florida Chapter

The Recording Musicians Association (RMA), a players’ conference of the AFM representing recording musicians, has established a chapter in south Florida. The RMA currently has chapters in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, San Francisco, San Antonio, and Spokane.

The RMA exists to unify recording musicians and coordinate their efforts. They have had AFM Conference Status since 1987. Some of the goals the RMA has worked toward since its founding are:

Oversight of the AFM-EPF, forcing it to be a better performer.
Publication of a national directory and scales in 1971.
1994 creation of Low Budget Contract to keep scoring from moving overseas.
Creation of EMSD in 1990.
Testifying before Congress over Digital Performance Rights in Sound Recording Act in 1995.

For more information on RMA South Florida, please contact Directors Lee Levin or Dan Warner.

Contract Creator Software

Local 655 is pleased to announce the availability of newly updated software to assist in the completion of recording contract B-report forms. The software is available in PC and Mac formats, and now supports Demo, Low Budget, Limited Pressing, and Commercial contracts. You can download a demo at http://www.longtermsolutions.com/contractcreator.htm. As an added benefit of membership, you can obtain a free license by contacting Vice President Steve Roitstein (steve@afm655.org)!

Wage Scale Increase

Please note that the proposed 3% increase in the wage scales was adopted by the membership at the December 20 Membership Meeting. While an amendment was proposed to round the increase up to the next higher dollar amount, this amendment was later ruled out of order. Therefore, the increase will be exactly 3%, with no rounding. The increase will take effect September 1, 2005, and new scale books should be available shortly.

Busta Rhymes Sessions

20 musicians, one synthesizer programmer, one copyist, and arranger/conductor Jose Antonio Molina, all Local members, recently brought an extra dimension of emotional depth to a Busta Rhymes recording at the Hit Factory/Criteria.

(Below: Busta Rhymes sessions. Right: l-r: Vice President Roitstein, Busta Rhymes, and contractor Alfredo Oliva. Photos courtesy of Christopher Glansdorp).