Commissioning a CC work?

I'm not sure if this will apply to many people here since the vast majority of this site's users have not and may never commission a work in the first place but I'm still curious about general thoughts on using Creative Commons licenses. For works that are written without a commission to begin with, there seems to be hardly any issue in using this type of license at all (assuming the composer is more interested in wide distribution that squeezing every cent out of a work) but commissioned work is a whole different story. If someone is willing to pay a composer to write a piece for them then they obviously want to make that money back somehow. Is this realistically possible if the composer insists on using a Creative Commons license? Is it only possible with some of the CC licenses? None of them? Does this depend on the work? For instance, there's a big difference between an opera commission and a commission from a string trio.

So I guess my question boils down to: does using a CC license essentially destroy your ability to obtain commissions?

So I guess my question boils down to: does using a CC license essentially destroy your ability to obtain commissions?

That depends on the rights of the commissioning party. If they end up holding all rights (like in film music) then it doesn't concern the composer. If the commissioner wants performance rights for a specific period of time, then CC is impossible because there are restrictions. However, if its a commission for one performance, then I'd assume that the composer can do what he wants with it afterwards. But I think you ought to take this on a case-by-case basis as not every commissioner is the same and their expectations of the composer will sometimes be radically different. An informal String Trio may just pay you a few bucks to write a short piece with no restrictions while a Symphony Orchestra may require you to sign a contract that says you will complete the piece in a certain amount of time with certain conditions (like instrumentation or time length).

So I guess my question boils down to: does using a CC license essentially destroy your ability to obtain commissions?

No.

Since CC has different levels, and you can use the options you want to make sure that people can only spread it around (which is GREAT for any composer!!!) but not make money off it (which is great for everyone else.)

But ultimately, it depends on the person paying. Sometimes they want full control so you can't use CC anyway. It really depends if you can agree on the distribution of the thing. In reality for written scores CC could mean that copying the scores around is OK but not performing for profit. In that regard only the people who commissioned it will have the right to do it and others will have to ask(pay) for it.

For recordings it's already something else, since the recording would be a product of those playing not of you composing, but you're not talking about that here.

I may be not understanding the concept of commissioning. Is that actually selling your work or letting it be used in commercial purposes? Sorry for this one being off the topic.

A commission is usually a performing ensemble paying a composer to write a piece specifically for them thus giving them some form of exclusive performing rights. The composer, however, will still maintain all rights to the composition otherwise.