Copyright register, then change, still covered?

[Roger Mac]

Hey guys.

If you copyright/register your song, can you later make changes to it and still be covered? How much, or little, change make it a "different" song from a copyright registered standpoint?

Thanks.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Isn't the general rule (for infringment purposes, at least), that a work has to be changed at least 10% from the original before it isn't copyright infringement? I would think that the same idea could apply to revisions. If your new version is 90% similar to the copyrighted version, then it is essentially the same work.

Of course, if things went to court, it would mostly come down to who had the best lawyers.