Copyrighting your own music

  • Thread starter Thread starter _brian_
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Absolutely true. Do some research and actually read the copyright laws. Yup, it's a drag, but it's a necessary part of the buisness. Register your works with your country's copyright agency, and an agency such as ASCAP or BMI. Make it legal. A few bucks well spent. Beware of those who say they will copyright all of your stuff for one flat fee.
 
You might want to look into getting an ISRC code--they're free, and easy to implement and understand.
 
copyrighting sounds complicated dont you need a lawyer to sort that out?
 
on ISRC codes, how exactly do you get those free, the service I use gives my tracks them for free but everywhere else I have looked you have to pay for them. So does having an ISRC code work as proof that it is your track if you ever had to take it to court.
 
michaelst57 said:
on ISRC codes, how exactly do you get those free, the service I use gives my tracks them for free but everywhere else I have looked you have to pay for them. So does having an ISRC code work as proof that it is your track if you ever had to take it to court.
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For isrc codes, it costs something like $75 to get your own batch of codes, but you can assign as much as you want for that. If you can get them for free, that's what you should. A place CDBaby gives them out for free as part of their service.

You can't use ISRC codes in place of copyright registration. In fact, if you record a different version of the same song (like a live version), ideally you would give it a new isrc code. The onlyway to guarantee succes in copyright infringement litigation is to register your song with your country's copyright office.
 
So what is the cheapest way to copyright a song/album in the US doing it the right way to guarantee protection of your song.
 
michaelst57 said:
So what is the cheapest way to copyright a song/album in the US doing it the right way to guarantee protection of your song.
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You can register your songs as a collection and pay the $35 fee one time. I do it about once a year with whatever songs i wrote duringthat year.

Hth,
 
So I can register as many songs as I want for that price. So if I wanted to register the songs for my friends that I record for I could do theirs with mine.
 
michaelst57 said:
So I can register as many songs as I want for that price. So if I wanted to register the songs for my friends that I record for I could do theirs with mine.
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Ha!! No, it doesn't work like that. You should read all the circulars and notes on the U.S. Copyright Office website that pertain to music. Basically, to file all your songs under one collection; all the songs have to have the same authors/composers/etc, at the same levels (50/50 or whatever you agreed to with your co-writers).

If you wrote one song yourself and co-wrote with someone else on another, those two songs can not be registered in the same collection. This is one of the reasons why I don't collaborate with anyone when writing songs. BTW, co-writing is not the same thing as having someone else perform on your song. If you wrote a song and someone else played guitar or bass or whatever, it's still your song and you don't have to share copyright ownership with them.
 
I'm waiting for someone to suggest sending them registered mail to yourself... :eatpopcorn: :eek: :facepalm: :D
 
Armistice said:
I'm waiting for someone to suggest sending them registered mail to yourself... :eatpopcorn: :eek: :facepalm: :D
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Actually, at least in the UK (and a number of other European countries), that DOES help.

Basically the law there is that, if you create some form of intellectual property, all you have to do to copyright it is say "this is my copyright".

The problem comes with proving it when push comes to shove. The UK Copyright Office web site says this:

... a copy could be deposited with a bank or solicitor. Alternatively, a creator could send himself or herself a copy by special delivery post (which gives a clear date stamp on the envelope), leaving the envelope unopened on its return. A number of private companies operate unofficial registers, but it would be sensible to check carefully what you will be paying for before choosing this route. It is important to note, that this does not prove that a work is original or created by you..."
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FYI, I believe the UK patent office gives similar guidance.

The point of the registered post to yourself is to give some sort of absolute proof of the date you created something. A manuscript or a recording in a sealed envelope with a Post Office stamp over the seals on the envelope has been accepted as evidence in court many times--and the Post Office clerks are quite used to the process of stamping/sealing envelopes in such a way that, when inspected by experts it would be hard for others to claim the post had been tampered with. Normally, in the case of dispute, the registered envelope would be opened by experts in the presence of both parties.

So, it's not as definite as a paid-for copyright registration--but don't assume that everywhere has the same rules.
 
I mention it only because it's been the source of many hard fought, long and entertaining thread arguments here at HR over the years... kinda like when someone asks about how to soundproof their closet so that they can sing in it, or whether egg cartons work, or what the best rap mike for under $100 is... etc. etc.

Continue... ;)
 
Maybe I should start a thread about putting a $100 mic and an egg carton in an envelope, posting it to myself, then sticking it to the wall of my closet for recording?
 
Bobbsy said:
Maybe I should start a thread about putting a $100 mic and an egg carton in an envelope, posting it to myself, then sticking it to the wall of my closet for recording?
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It should be done - if you can find a way to introduce talcum powder as well, that might make it go viral....
 
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