drummerdoug86
New member
The topic explains itself.
How do you get your songs copyrighted?
- Thread starter drummerdoug86
- Start date
badgas
New member
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/
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:
drummerdoug86
New member
Hey, thanks for the information.
Brad
New member
destorctr said:
Don't mean to be nitpicky, but just wanted to clarify that ASCAP and BMI do not do that. They have nothing to do with peddling and/or copyrighting.
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
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.
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.
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??
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??
Brad
New member
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
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
Gidge
Lapdance Test Dummy
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.......
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.......
Melody Lane
New member
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
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
Kramer
Well-known member
Re: Copyrights
Sending the lyrics/music to yourself in the mail is known as the "poor mans Copyright".Gidge mentioned it a few posts up in this thread.
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.
Melody Lane said:
Sending the lyrics/music to yourself in the mail is known as the "poor mans Copyright".Gidge mentioned it a few posts up in this thread.
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.
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
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
foreverain4
New member
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
lynn
foreverain4
New member
it's another conspiracy!!! quick grab your gun!!!! lol