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#1
07-28-2002
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How do you get your songs copyrighted?
The topic explains itself.
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#2
07-29-2002
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The laws have changed a few times in the past ten years or so. As it is now, as soon as you write a song on paper, your computer, whatever, it is your song and you have the rights to copy it.
All that means is you have the right to copy and publish, or let someone else publish and copy it. There is more but that's the basics. When you post a song or lyrics it's recommended to use the name and copyright symbol with the date to let other know it's yours and you own it. This will not prevent some butt face from trying to rip you off though. Thats where the act of registering your material comes into play. You fill out a form, send $30 USD and a cassette/CD etc. to the patent and copyright office in Washington DC. This is used mainly if your going to put your song up in the public for sale or to be heard. If something come up down the road and you end up in court, this will be proof you registered it. Here is the link to the C&P office. Snoop around there and it will tell you a whole lot more than I can. http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/ Last edited by badgas; 07-29-2002 at 08:12..
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#3
07-29-2002
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Hey, thanks for the information.
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#6
08-03-2002
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Quote:
They basically only collect and distribute performance royalties to songwriters and publishers. The peddling and copyrighting is up to you or your publisher (or some other type of agent/manager working on your behalf). Brad
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#7
08-09-2002
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Copywriting Songs - An Inexpensive Alternative
Hey All:
I don't know if this would hold up in the U.S., but in Canada it is fully recognized by the courts. In order to negate any question of creative ownership you must register your material, Here is the cheapest way to do this: 1) Type out all your lyrics on a sheet with information denoting something to the effect of Music & Lyrics by: (your name), and include the current date. 2) Make a copy (wheter it be CD or Cassete) of the music you wish to register. 3) Go to your local post office and mail the entire package to yourself via registered mail. It is important that you send it registered mail, because you will get a receipt for it, and the transaction will be recorded in the Postmaster's Log (Property of the Federal Government - and recognized in all courts) Make sure that the envelope remains UNOPENED. If there is a question of ownership of your material which has to be resolved later in the courtroom. The sealed envelope can be opened in front of the judge, along with your receipt from the postmaster, and confirmation from the Postmaster's Log. This registration is %100 iron-clad, and won't cost you more than $5.
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#9
08-09-2002
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Along these lines..
I have a question, also. I read what the US Copyright Office had to say, and I'm a little bit confused by something. If you copyright several songs under one name, does that mean that they're only copyrighted as a collection and you'd have to use them in the same form on an album??
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#10
08-09-2002
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IceFairy,
Lemme see if I understand you... you mean if you copyright 10 songs as a collection (PA form), then when you want to put one of those songs on your album at a later date, do you have to include the other 9 on the album for the one copyright to be valid? Is that what you mean? If so, the answer is no. Brad
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#11
08-09-2002
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Vox from Canada,
that's called "the poor man's copyright" here in the US and has almost no weight in a court of law....i find it hard to believe that it is 100% iron clad, even in Canada.....after all, how can you prove it is unopened?.....i can hear Johnny Cochran in court now - "If the letter is sealed, the song was stealed"....... as badgas explained, you have copyright of the work from the time you create it.....these days you arent required to post the copyright symbol though....however, you do need the copyright certificate as proof....just as you need a title or deed to a car or house...... IceFairy, as Brad stated the songs will be covered....however, if you put out an album to be sold, you will want to copyright that project with a form SR.....the PA form will cover the songs themselves (music,lyrics,melody,etc) but you will need to cover the recording itself with the SR.......
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#14
08-22-2002
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Copyrights
at Grandcentralmusic.com I read that you can also mail the songs and or lyrics to yourself via registered mail and don't open it and you have properly secured all your works without having to go through the library of congress. Has anyone does this? Also, when you send in your lyrics sheet along with the cassette or cd does the lyrics have to be handwritten or can they be typed, or does it even matter? Melodylane Music
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#15
08-22-2002
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Re: Copyrights
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The lyrics dont have to be handwritten when you send them in to the Library of Congress or to yourself in the mail.I guess you were thinking maybe the orginal handwritten lyrics should be sent?Nah,just type them out all nice and neat and send them in.
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#16
08-23-2002
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Re: Copyrights
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hmmm. *slaps forehead* do a little dance, make a little love... *slaps Gidge*
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#18
08-27-2002
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Here's a link to the US Copyright Office. Registration fee per submission $30. A submission can contain multiple songs. For example:
Second Son, Guitar Works - Volume 1 If I want to add more songs later... Volume 2 I've used form SR. There's a PDF document you can fill out online and print. Include a CD and lyric sheet where applicable. Also important, you need to send priority such as UPS/Fedex; regular mail is held back and scanned routinely due to threat of biological agents. Registering your copyright is cheap insurance against theft of your work. Mailing yourself material does not provide any such protection and will likely not be recognized as such. All you have to do is mail yourself an unsealed envelope. Rick
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#19
08-27-2002
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why wouldnt the "poor mans copyright" hold up? not only is the envelope unopened, but it also receives a federal stamp with the date on it. an original work, as soon as it is created, is automatically protected under copyright law. you just need to be able to proove that you had it first, and an unopened envelope with a federal stamp works just fine. all you are doing by registering with the lib of cong is paying them to hold the evidence for you.
lynn
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#20
08-27-2002
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it's another conspiracy!!! quick grab your gun!!!! lol
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#21
08-27-2002
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Quote:
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#22
08-27-2002
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do you honestly think that people send themselves empty unsealed envelopes in their spare time?
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#23
08-27-2002
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i will admit, it is possible though!
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#24
08-27-2002
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form SR covers the recording itself......probably better to use form PA which covers the actual song (lyrics,melody,etc)......
"You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. " http://www.loc.gov/copyright/faq.html#q14 do it now, or do it later.....btw, let me know how hard the judge laughs when you pull out your sealed envelope for evidence.....
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#25
08-27-2002
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It seems like "the poor man's copyright" comes up in every songwriting seminar, publication, or discussion group I've ever been involved in. I'm not an attorney, but I have been involved in copyright infringement litigation on several occasions as both a party and a witness. The only way to secure a relatively safe copyright in the United States is to file the $30 fee and a completed copyright form with enclosures to the Registrar of Copyrights. Whether you do it by Form SR, PA or even TX, for lyrics, you are in far better shape than trying to short circuit the system.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a great believer at bucking the system at times, but not to cut my own throat. Attorneys and copyright law professors will give you a lot of legalese why you should register your copyrights, but the bottom line is: 1) A registered copyright can save you thousands of dollars in legal fees for discovery and pretrial proceedings. Where I come from a 4 hour deposition costs about $1500 minimum. For me, that's enough of a reason to spend $30 on a copyright. 2) A registered copyright entitles the federal court to assess certain statutory penalties against the person or party(ies) that infringe upon the copyright of a registered song(s). The penalty can amount to $10,000 per violation. That's a fairly decent deterrent to most people and companies not to intentionally mess with a registered song. 3) If you prevail in a copyright infringement suit and have a registered copyright the statutes provide for award of costs and attorneys fees, meaning usually that the other side pays your costs of suit. A review of copyright decisions also shows that the courts tend to award higher damages to holders of registered copyrights than to the holders of common law copyrights. Judges aren't stupid, registered copyrights make their jobs easier. To me the decision of whether or not to register a copyright comes down to whether one wants to be a recreational or professional songwriter.
__________________
Peter D
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