About copyright on your own compositions

[Bluegrasstjej]

I guess this doesn't really belong to this section but I don't really know where to put it.
A friend of mine used to play the guitar and now plays a lot with midi files and a tab software where you can create own midi files. She has also written some songs, and it seems she is getting more and more creative.
I told her she should start thinking about getting copyright on her material, since she wants to share it online (just to avoid that others take her music and claim they created it).

I wonder how you do to get copyright? Is it different in different countries? I know many of you make your own music so someone should know.

Thanks in advance!

[mmukav]

In the US, you can copywrite material with the US government. They have a web site. www.loc.gov/copywrite. There you can find all the info you need. For individual songs, you fill out a copywrite form, which you can download from the site, send a tape or cd of the song, along with a lyric sheet if appropriate, and of course the filing fee. They then will process the application and send you a copy. Viola, your song is copywrited. Or at least it is registered with the copywrite office. Hope this helps.

[sbarnes]

your song is actually 'copyrighted' the instant you put down the pen,pencil,guitar,mando, whatever from writing it.....
the problem though is can you prove you wrote it and when...therefore the need to register your copyright....

the copyright office will take one song or a collection of songs...same price....therefore go w/the collection.....

check out their website (from the above post) for details

[Jim Webster]

In a former life I wrote and published newsletters under contract to a client and would send 2 copies of each publication every month along with the proper form and $20 to the Library of Congress Copyright office. I'm sure there is a similar process for songs. However a cheap workaround is to mark any printed (or electronic copies) with a copyright statement (copyright John Doe, 2004)and to also send yourself a copy via certified mail of your song (written, on tape -- whatever works). Do not open the envelope when it comes to you. File the postmarked package away along with your certified mail receipt. The court can open it as evidence if you need to prove your ownership in the future.

[withak]

However a cheap workaround is to mark any printed (or electronic copies) with a copyright statement (copyright John Doe, 2004)and to also send yourself a copy via certified mail of your song (written, on tape -- whatever works). Do not open the envelope when it comes to you. File the postmarked package away along with your certified mail receipt. The court can open it as evidence if you need to prove your ownership in the future.

Unfortunately, that probably won't work in court because there are several ways to fake a letter like that. Google for "poor man's copyright" for more info.

Anything you create is copyrighted the moment you write it down or record it. Mailing a copy to yourself is no more protection than just writing a date on it and sticking it in a drawer somewhere. If you want to be sure that your work is protected, do the paperwork dance with the LoC.

[sbarnes]

an addendum to my previous post on this matter:

what many people do not understand is songs are property....
real property that has real value...granted many (most) writers may never see a cent for their creations but nonetheless those creations are real and deserve real consideration.....
you would never keep real estate without a deed, a car w/o a title....these intellectual properties deserve no less....a registered copyright...

[MartinD_GibsonA]

The form you want to copyright one song (I don't know if it's for more, because that's all I've done.) is the Short Form PA. #The actual file name on the LoC Web site is formpas.pdf

Don Smith

[mmukav]

Agree wholeheartedly with above. Sending it to yourself, e-mailing it to yourself, or just having a copy of you doing the song can indeed prove ownership , but in a court of law copywrite registration will do more to prove that it is indeed your work. It does not prove originality though, if someone thinks you ripped them off they can take you to court to try to prove it, and that is when a registered copywrite will come in mighty handy.

[BenE]

the copyright office will take one song or a collection of songs...same price....therefore go w/the collection.....


Not always the best route....If someone decides they want to pay you for the rights to do your song and you have them copyrighted as a collection you have to sell the rights to the whole collection....not just the one song. Copyrighting each individual song will cost more but may be better in the long run if you are hoping to "sell" your material.

[jim simpson]

BernE,
I'm glad you clarified this. I copyrighted a tune once and had to decide whether to lump it together or by itself. I have a bunch that I need to copyright and I believe the fee has increased from the last time I did it. A band member prompted me to do it in the 1st place as he suggested someone could hear it and want to record it. I think it's just a dream but I guess with some luck you could shop them around and find the right person to want to record one! Ah dreams!