Another copywrite question

[Dogbreath]

Sorry if this is the wrong section but I hang out here alot so here it is...

Would a copywrite still be valid if we sent off some acoustic/vocal versions of songs we're doing even though most of them will have other guitars, bass, drums etc added to them later?

By adding other instruments to them, are we essentially making another song that needs another copywrite?
Or will the fact that it's still the same songs hold up?

You guys have some thoughts or links to share?

Many thanks.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Not to be picky, but just FYI, it's "copyright", as in "right to copy".

You don;t need to worry at all about the extra instruments thing when it come sto copyrighting a song. "Copyright" is a no-brainer proposition in the music business. All you need to do is write the lyrics down, or perform the song once in an ASCAP-paying venue, or record the song once, and have a verifiable date/time stamp on the lyric sheet or performance or recording and the song itself is considered copyrighted. The arrangement or instruments used is irrelevant when it comes to song copyright.

That said, specific arrangements or recordings can be copyrighted under a seperate copyright from the song itself. For example, you may perform or record a song that is in public domain, but someone else may have a still-current copyright on a particular arrangement of the song.

But for your own original compositions, don't worry about it; they'll all copyright themself, more or less. The song will be protected automatically based upon the above-mentioned conditions. Any new arrangements of the song will also self-copyright at the later recording date; but that new date and copyright will apply only to the new arrangement, the copyright date of the original song and orriginal arrangement will remain at their original date.

The key is valid documentation of of date and time (and in case of performance, location) of the original. Sticking a lyric sheet in a letter and mailing it to yourself to get the cancellation date from the post office is not considerd valid.

For more information:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=music+copyright&btnG=Google+Search

G.