Music Expert Witnesses

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Music expert witnesses practice in a variety of fields, including copyright infringement, licensing, contracts, and entertainment litigation. Some of the most common specialties include musicology, authorship analysis, royalty accounting, and industry custom and practice. They can opine on the effects of alleged copying, contract breaches, royalty underpayment, and misappropriation of musical works.

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Average Music Expert Witnesses Court Fees

Review Fee

Deposition Fee

Court Fee

  • Review Fee $375/hr
    Deposition Fee $625/hr

    This performing artist and scholar of twentieth century American culture served among the first curators of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his BA in Sociology and Fine Arts from Montclair State University and completed a doctoral degree focused on American Folklore and Ethnomusicology at Indiana University. He has served as a faculty member in the American Studies departments of Penn College, Indiana University, and Radford University, while also acting as a Senior Fellow of the Laurasian Institution, which fosters cultural exchange between Asia and North America. Having published on Blues and the American 1960's counterculture, he reviews a number of scholarly journals, such as the American Quarterly, the Journal of Social Media Studies, and the African American Review.

    Lecturer of American Culture, a prominent Michigan university

    Independent Coursework, the Juilliard School

    Ann Arbor,

    Michigan

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  • Review Fee $687/hr

    This expert is a world renowned figure in digital audio and computer music, with over 40 technical publications and four patents to his credit. The former chief technical officer at Lucasfilm Droid Works, he won both an Emmy Award for Technical Achievement and the Audio Engineering Society's lifetime achievement award. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University, as well as undergraduate degrees in Applied Mathematics and Electrical Engineering from MIT.

    Senior Computer Scientist, A Digital Video Group

    Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Stanford University

    Panacea,

    Florida

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  • Review Fee $300/hr
    Deposition Fee $500/hr
    Court Fee $500/hr

    This expert has 40 years of experience in the music industry. He earned his BM from Illinois State University, his MM from Ithaca College and his PhD in higher education administration from Arizona State University. He is a member of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the International Ticketing Association. He previously served as a summer festival manager for the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, as the director of the fine art series at James Madison University, and as the associate dean in the department of humanities at California State University, San Bernardino. He is currently a professor in the department of recording industry at a university in Tennessee.

    Professor Emeritus, A University in TN

    Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Arizona State University

    Nashville,

    Tennessee

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  • Review Fee $350/hr
    Deposition Fee $350/hr
    Court Fee $350/hr

    This highly qualified forensic musicologist has over 25 years of experience in his field. He earned his BA in music at Northumbria and his PhD in music at University of Surrey. He is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is highly published in his field, having over 30 books and 300 articles to his name. His primary area of research expertise is the psychology of songwriting and similarity thresholds in popular songs. Currently this expert is the vice president of academic affairs at a music college in Massachusetts where he also serves as a professor.

    Vice President, A music college in MA

    Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Surrey

    Boston,

    Massachusetts

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What Can a Music Expert Witness Opine On?

Music Composition

Creating original music pieces.

Music Arrangement

Reorganizing music for performance.

Sound Recording

Capturing audio performances.

Mixing

Balancing audio levels and effects.

Mastering

Finalizing audio for distribution.

Live Performance

Performing music in front of an audience.

FAQs for Music Expert Witnesses

What is a music expert witness?

A music expert witness is a qualified professional who analyzes musical works and industry practices for legal cases. They assist by reviewing records, giving testimony, and clarifying complex music copyright issues.

In what case types can a music expert witness provide assistance?

A music expert witness assists in copyright infringement, plagiarism, licensing disputes, royalty audits, contract breaches, forensic musicology, and entertainment litigation cases.

How can a music expert witness analyze alleged song similarity for litigation?

A music expert witness analyzes alleged song similarity by comparing melodies, harmonies, rhythms, lyrics, and structure using musicology methods and audio/notation evidence.

What qualifications should attorneys require from a music expert witness?

Attorneys should require a music expert witness to have advanced music education, industry experience, prior testimony, and a proven record of clear, unbiased analysis.

How does a music expert witness evaluate authorship in disputed compositions?

A music expert witness evaluates authorship in disputed compositions by analyzing melody, harmony, rhythm, style, and notation patterns and comparing them to the alleged composer’s known works.

What is Expert Institute’s process for selecting music expert witnesses?

Expert Institute delivers a tailored approach to connect you with top-tier experts. We identify actively practicing professionals who meet your exact criteria for specialty, experience, litigation background, fee structure, credentials, location, and more.

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