-- before performing it in order to prevent someone from hearing it and then playing it as if it were your own? If so, how would you go about doing this and where can you send the song to. Also, how do you write the song out (ie; tab, chord charts, etc.)
2007-07-14 11:23:30 · 7 answers · asked by skull_on_concrete;-P 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
my songs mainly feature myself on guitar singing, but I have some songs of me on piano as well.
2007-07-14 11:24:05 · update #1
I had a friend who wrote and performed songs with a doo-wop group and had one of them stolen by a theme park performer. He was able to prove copyright, and have the guy stop performing it, so yes it's important.
It costs $45 to register a copyright, you can register works seperately or a collection. You can register a sound recording, make sure that you are registering the SONG not the PERFORMANCE. The performance of the songs can be registered seperately from the song itself. There are different sections for each.
You should send a recording with everything you want copyrighted. Basically what you want copyrighted are the melody and lyrics, so just record yourself singing the song.
The government website is here, it explains what you need to do, where to send it etc.
http://www.copyright.gov/register/
2007-07-18 10:15:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The song becomes copyrighted when you memorialize it (record it, write it down, etc.). You don't have to do anything to create that copyright. The issue is what happens if anyone challenges the copyright, i.e. claims they wrote the song, not you.
Filing a copyright with the US Patent Office creates a presumption that you own the copyright and puts you in a stronger position in a dispute. Then the other party has the burden to prove you do not own the patent. Without a filed patent, you will have the burden of proving that you own the copyright.
2007-07-15 00:15:08 · answer #2 · answered by Mocha M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The song becomes copyrighted as soon as it is "fixed in a tangible medium". That means, recorded (any format) or written down (musical notation).
Registering the copyright with the govt only adds extra protections.
I'm not a musician, but I know there's a standard way to write down the music and lyrics and composition of a song. That's one way. The other is just to record it (analog or digital -- tape, CD, MP3, whatever).
2007-07-14 18:36:30 · answer #3 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is absolutely essential. Without the copyright, you can not prove that you originated that piece of music, and anyone can call it his or her own, copyright it under their name, sell it and keep the proceeds.
You don't say what country you live in, so I can't give you any particulars, but if you put 'copyright' into your search engine, you will find all the information about how to go about it.
Good luck with your music career.
2007-07-14 18:33:01 · answer #4 · answered by old lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Copyrights obtained will protect your work. In the music idustry a lot of songs are repeated by various artists, and those who want to use the songs for their own music do have to pay for a license to the author. If you do not copyright your work anywone can use it, hit it big, and you won't be able to get a penny for it.
2007-07-14 18:30:35 · answer #5 · answered by What Will The Spill Kill? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is indeed! You don't have to actually write the song out to get a copyright. You can record it and do the same. I sell what I compose, and believe me. It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
2007-07-14 18:26:28 · answer #6 · answered by cyanne2ak 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. Protect yourself and your investments.
2007-07-14 18:27:39 · answer #7 · answered by Coach 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋