How do you get a copyright, and how much does it cost to record?

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stazzman

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Hello,

I've written about 14 songs the last year and a half ,and want to record them. I'm trying to learn how to set up a home recording studio. I have a few questions;

How do you get a copyright?

what about a poor-boys copyright?

since I don't have a home studio yet, what would it cost to record about 10 songs on a CD?
 
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/

it will cost you $30 for as many songs as you can cram on a cassette (it doesnt have to be a CD).....

the recording can be as simple as you and one instrument (guitar?/piano?) in front of a boom box......
 
Your work has a copyright as soon as you write it. Proving that is another matter. The only thing that works in the US is to register with the US copyright office, all else is bunk. Just follow Gidge's instructions and happy songwriting.
 
pressademo

This is the best thing to do for recording. http://www.pressademo.com there cd manufactoring package is 175 for 50 cds. As many tracks as ya want, professional inserts, professional cd design.
 
You can register as many songs as you want at once as a
"collection" using form PA. The only stipulation is that ALL
the songs must be by a common writer. In other words,
the last time, I got 30 songs on a C90 cassette. 28 of those
I could have written alone and two of those I could have
co-written with my buddy Joe. But Joe could not throw in
two songs he had written by himself in this collection.

You could just sing them without music if that's all you
have, to show the melody and lyrics. I like to put them all
on a cassette or CD or DAT. I also like to put all the lyrics in
a binder, in the same order they are on tape (actually
I use lead sheets which show both the melody and lyrics and
chords) which would show the writers name on each sheet
of paper.

It costs $30 to copyright. Another alternative, say if you had
a CD you had just released, is to use form SR and copyright
it as a sound recording, which covers both that recording and
the material involved.

The poor man's, mail it to yourself stuff, is crap in my opinion,
at least in the U.S. Your song must be REGISTERED in order
for you to be able to sue for PUNITIVE damages and recover
legal fees, the two big sticks in getting a lawyer interested in
take the case.

Hope this helps.

PaulB
 
I'm lucky in Australia, as soon as I write a song and have it in a physical form, all I have to do is put the (c) D. Porter 2002 on the bottom on the page and it's instantly Copyrighted. There isn't a fee in Australia :-)

The other side of it is, if that song is played in public by others, or on radio I need to be registered with APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) and have the song registered with them so that I can get money for it's performances etc.

Porter
 
Be sure that you read the information on the results of registering a copyright on collections. There could be some problems if you ever need to break apart the collection.

It is a good money saving idea, but it could cause some grief in the future depending on your use of the material.
 
When you send a CD/cassette, do you ever get them back? What if they got lost in the mail or stolen, how would you know? How long does it take to get back cause I have a grip of songs that I want to have copyrighted so I can start postin' on the net.
 
Can someone briefly touch on what problems can arise from sending collections of work under one copyright? Im thinking my dozen songs would fit nicely under one copyright.....what could happen later? Im thinking Ill do a copy right on all my origional stuff thus far so I can post it and send out the demos (when I figure how to use my gear.....). I just wonder what problems can occure.
 
Michael,

To answer your question, please look through this file.

http://www.loc.gov/copyright/fls/fl105.pdf

It is a response from the copyright office and it states that only the name of the collection is registered, not the individual songs.
A separate registration for each musical work results in a separate record of the individual title of work in the catalogs and indexes of the Copyright Office. A separate registration also may
simplify identification of the work for purposes of licensing, transfer, permission, and distribution of royalties.
 
Misfit...
Thanks for the info...good to know...guess Ill start saving my money....Damm, wanted that new mic too!
 
the individual songs are copyrighted, just not individually.....having them as a collection does not give you less rights......

now the part about royalties and such are true, but in the event a song of yours froma collection is going to be recorded, then you would re-submit the individual song to make all that easier....if that was the case you wouldnt mind spending the $30........
 
Have done licensing and copyrights for quite a while now and you need to use FORM SR
 
SR , as far as I know, copyrights the actual recording, not necessarily the song...more for like the finished product, like a CD for commercail release.....
 
if you register copyright in one country does it apply to everywhere? For example, I live in Canada, so if i copyright material in canada, does it work in U.S and China per se?
 
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