Protecting your music?

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jiffy999

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Didn't know where to post this..

So I have made some beats and I'd like to but them on my site so people can get a sample of what I can do. But what is stoping someone from downloading it and using for themselves. Anyway to protect our music from shit like this?
 
/here

burn it to CD, and mail it to yourself...

its as good as a copyright..

but dont open it! mail date is valid
 
A) ALL your work is automatically copyrighted. You may REGISTER it if you like... cementing your copyright claim... for info on that process.. try here
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ1.html

you will need form PA or SR, depending on your needs.. and it costs, like, $30.

MAiling a copy to yourself is unnecessary and redundant.

B) recognise that there is no way to "protect" yourself. If someone wants to use it, they will. Are you willing to hire a lawer and go to court to try and prove they stole a beat?? I dont think so. ANd in a way.. a "beat" isnt copyrightable... the RECORDING of a beat is... and the MIDI composition is, I suppose, but someone could just add a hihat and it would be different, right? So you wont really be protected from someone stealing the IDEA.

xoox
 
EddieRice said:
burn it to CD, and mail it to yourself...

its as good as a copyright..

but dont open it! mail date is valid
Click to expand...

This has long been the "poor mans" ways to secure his copyright...

however, this means of "proof" of copyright has not held up in past court cases...

If you aren't willing to register the copyright, (you still own the copyright if you don't register it, but what proof do you have if someone tries to infringe on it) then you just take your chances.
 
jdechant

to some extend

created files have dates attached to them

If you mail a piece of your music to yourself its as good as gold.

If you press charges, its not up to "You" to prove their guilt, its up
to the defendant to prove his innocence"

Big difference,

by all means, if your gonna try and cw a drum beat or something that vague, your wasting your time..

"But lets all not forget the lawsuit by a poor black blues man that sued Led Zepplin and won "Whole lotta love riff"

So it can happen

You can copyright via Washington D.C, but always send yourself a copy.

The guilty party will avoid court and settle out.
 
Man, there is sure a lot of mis-information on this topic. This is directly from the U.S. Copyright Office's web site. Do a little research - it's free.

--------------------
Do I have to register with your office to be protected?

No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work.

---------------------
Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic?

Registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration. Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees in successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within five years of publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law.
----------------------


If the shit is any good... spend the $30.00 and register it. If you don't think it's't worth $30.00, then it probably sucks anyway and nobody's gonna steal it.
 
EddieRice said:
If you mail a piece of your music to yourself its as good as gold.
Click to expand...
not quite... "The simple act of mailing oneself or one's attorney a demo with its packaging stamped to show a date of receipt merely proves that at one time you mailed a demo to yourself. It could have some value as a piece of evidence in a future copyright infringement case in which a very popular recording act has exactly or substantially duplicated your material, thereby making millions off of your toil and diligence; however, it would be just that--a piece of evidence in a future copyright litigation case in which substantial similarity between two pieces of music is only an element of what has to be proven to be successful."

If you press charges, its not up to "You" to prove their guilt, its up to the defendant to prove his innocence"
Click to expand...
well thats an interesting statement... our justice system works "innocent until proven guilty"... not "guilty until proven innocent."
 
hmm

not true, see O.J Simpson for reference :)

dachay2nr, good find..
 
I'm sort of in the same boat and know a little about the copyright thing. I've got forms in pdf file if you'd like, believe they are the PA forms but you can get those same forms off the library of congress website. I've heard about the mail it to yourself, I probably wouldn't do it however. I'll stick to the real deal. Don't think though you gotta send 1 song in to get copyrighted for $30 though, I want to think there is a 20-30 song limit. So get a bunch of your stuff together, demo it, and send it in to get copyrighted. Probably a stupid question but can you copyright a riff? I've got plenty of riffs but haven't tried to piece it into a song.
 
Again, from the US Copyright Office:

-----------------
What is the registration fee?

The current filing fee is $30 per application. Generally, each work requires a separate application.

-----------------

May I register more than one work on the same application? Where do I list the titles?

You may register unpublished works as a collection on one application with one title for the entire collection if certain conditions are met. It is not necessary to list the individual titles in your collection, although you may do so by completing a Continuation Sheet. Published works may only be registered as a collection if they were actually first published as a collection and if other requirements have been met
----------------

I believe when they speak of collections, they are talking, for ex., like a collection of short stories published as a book. Songs should probably be copyrighted individually.

You guys should really go to the source. http://www.loc.gov/copyright/
 
"dachay2nr, good find.."

Bullshit. It's standard knowledge for them as has looked into it.
 
easy tiger

its not standard knowledge..

thats what this board was intended to do.

being a moderator, you should try and set an example and keep your replies clean and helpful.
 
on the collections thing, for a music CD, you can register a copyright for one of the songs on the CD, and send the CD in... and then after you get your certificate (takes about 3 to 6 months I think), you can file another form to make adjustments (I forget which at the moment), and name the rest of the songs on the CD on the adjustment and have the entire album copyrighted like that...

1st copyright $30 + adjustment $60 = $90 to copyright an album...

it is not neccesary to register each individually... unless you don't have a completed album.

I will look for the name of the adjustment that allows you to do this... sorry, it slips my mind at the moment.
 
godammit! wheres MY props? I posted that us copyright link right away :) :)

Anyway.. Ive done it a few times.. and this is what I had to do...

Its $30 to register a record... as in the SOUND RECORDING of the record.
another $30 to register the COMPOSITIONS on the record. All of them.. just $30. Thats $60 for COMPLETE registration of an album. Ive never done an ajustment.

now, for compilations.. Ive done that, too.. you can put as many UNPUBLISHED songs as you want on a CD, as long as they all have the SAME AUTHOR(S)... and register them ALL for $30. Call it.. "jiffy999 2001 compilation" or something....you register the COMPOSITIONS of those and you're covered. You can also register the SOUND RECORDING if you like.. another $30.

xoxo
 
"being a moderator, you should try and set an example and keep your replies clean and helpful."

Sorry. I'll strive to be an example to us all in future.

Oh, and since you're not a moderator, you should have done a search under 'copyright' in the appropriate forum, not this one. Was that helpful enough? :D

If you do that search, btw, you'd do well to do it twice - once spelling it 'copyright' and once spelling it 'copywrite' - people use it both ways.
 
Well dobro

I didnt post this topic, your pointing finger at the wrong person.

but in defense of the person that did post this question.

and all that post questions, shouldnt all here try and share experiences and knowledge? Isnt that what this board is all about?

If everybody "knew everything" we wouldnt be here...

And yes, i am a moderator on serveral boards...

Ease up a little...

L8
 
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