Albums credits and copyrights

[Caesar Metallius]

If anyone could offer some advice on the proper way to credit musicians on an album, specifically in my situation, I would appreciate it.

I am in a band and there are three of us:
Me: guitar/vocals
Bass player
Drummer

I write all the guitar riffs and arrange them into songs, (I have all the transitions and moods already worked out). I then take this outline of the songs and the riffs to the other guys, where the bassist adds his parts (which are often melodic and do not follow the guitar), but sometimes he does just play what I play or what I suggest he play. The drummer adds his parts. Sometimes I have something specific I want him to play, but a large portion of the time he comes up with all the drums.

I don't know how to properly credit everyone. I feel like I contribute the far majority of the work since the framework and riffs and structure is all done by me and not changed by the others. However, I don't feel like it should say "all music by me" because I do not write all the bass lines or drum parts. The other guys contribute creativity as well, but it is spawned from what I already wrote.
What is the proper way to describe this in the credits?

The lyrics are no problem to credit, it's just the music.

 

[Nasty-Fire]

Composed by [you]. Sincerly, you're making the song, without you they couldn't be what they are. Simple as that. You wrote them, the sound and the lyrics. The others are only interpreters. If they ever suggest riffs or lyrics, then they "compose".

Therefore...
"Composed by [you]
Guitar and vocals by [you]
Bass by [dude1]
Drums by [dude2]"

Still, ask them.. that's the best thing to do so far.

 

[Kenneth R.]

OMG Bass Player is in your band! :O

 

[Caesar Metallius]

Composed by [you]. Sincerly, you're making the song, without you they couldn't be what they are. Simple as that. You wrote them, the sound and the lyrics. The others are only interpreters. If they ever suggest riffs or lyrics, then they "compose".

Therefore...
"Composed by [you]
Guitar and vocals by [you]
Bass by [dude1]
Drums by [dude2]"

Still, ask them.. that's the best thing to do so far.

Thanks for the suggestion. Ya I'll see what they think. I'm just trying to get an idea of what the music community thinks too.

Ya, bass player is in the band. We call him "Bassie".

 

[{-sapob-}]

also an easy way to copyright a demo is to,
mail the demo to yourself, and makesure it is dated and shit.

my old music teach, taught me that.
Apparently it will hold up in court.

 

[GSRbass_89]

You're credited as the composer.
But you could also credit the other two as arrangers (that's how Lars Ulrich got credit) since they're working out their parts to fit around your music.

 

[batmura]

Caesar Metallius, YOU are the Mike Akerfeldt of the band. Know what I mean?