Copyright Issues

[Nick98338]

Is this the right thread to talk about copyright stuff? I'm just starting to read up on all of this. It's a bit complicated. Thanks.

I guess.

What questions do you have about copyrights?

[Nick98338]

Thanks for the reply. I want to record (my version) of a published song that someone else wrote. I'll record it, burn it onto maybe 10 CDs, at most. And, I want to put it on Soundclick, so that you, and others, may critique the heck out of my recording skills, or lack thereof. I've read a lot of info on copyright stuff from a bunch of different web sites. I looked up the song at BMI. I found the publisher. I've emailed the publisher. Their reply mentions reproduction rights, master use permission, and some other, separate, unnamed rights to put the song on Soundclick. They don't tell me about the licensing fees, but it seems obvious that there will be some. Damn! Do I need to graduate from law school to record one stupid song?

[BentRabbit]

Check into the Harry Fox Agency for mechanical license...

[Nick98338]

Yea, I went to the Harry Fox web site. I read all the info. They are happy to collect the mechanical reproduction fees *plus* processing fees of $8 to $10 dollars US for *each song*?? VISA & MasterCard accepted... And, it's still quite unclear if that fee would grant me rights to put my recording on a web site. It seems "physical" licenses (for CD) and DPD licenses (digital downloads) are separate items. All of this garbage so I can record one song??

[BentRabbit]

Master use rights involves you using the copyright owner's recording, so that shouldn't be applicable to you... Since you want to make your own recording of someone elses copyrighted material, and (as you stated) put it on CD's as well as make it available on the Internet, you need to obtain a mechanical license for distributing the CD (regardless if you sell it or give it away) and it sounds like maybe a Digital License for On Demand Streaming.

Once you have the license, you can satisfy music sites' requirements of you having permission to post someone elses material.

Per the HFA:

If you are manufacturing and distributing copies of a song which you did not write, and you have not already reached an agreement with the song's publisher, you need to obtain a mechanical license. This is required under U.S. Copyright Law, regardless of whether or not you are selling the copies that you made.

If you just want to do a cover of a song then I don't think you'll get in any trouble if you upload it on SoundClick.

Just put it in the cover song genre.

That's what I do. I don't think SoundClick even checks up on that stuff.

[BentRabbit]

Yeah...

I really don't think you'll get hounded about it unless you start making big bucks off the recording...

[Nick98338]

Originally Posted by danny.guitar

If you just want to do a cover of a song then I don't think you'll get in any trouble if you upload it on SoundClick.

Just put it in the cover song genre.

That's what I do. I don't think SoundClick even checks up on that stuff.

Soundclick covers their buns by stating that the person who uploads the song is responsible for obtaining the proper licenses (licensing FAQ). Even "cover" songs. By all of the rules I've read, there's no special rules relating to "cover" songs. At least, for us "non-published" types, there isn't. For any song that has a copyright, ya have to get a license. And, pay the fees.

Anyway, I'm gonna continue to work with the publishing company directly. At least, they seem to want to keep things human.