Easiest way of copywriting own materials

Subject: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: GUEST,An
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:35 PM

Hi,
I've now come to a point where I've written quite a few songs and I want to put some of them onto a demo and hopefully a cd. What's the easiest way of copywriting your material? Is it really sufficient to record your song and send it to yourself in registered mail? Also should I copyright my songs before I go into a studio? What are the pitfalls of sharing your songs with the wider world. What if you have written a song together with someone else.
I know these are boring questions and apologize, but I reckon there are Mudcatters with experience in this matter, and i would appreciate any help.

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: Genie
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:46 PM

First, it's copyright (i.e., protecting the RIGHTs to your work).

There are several threads in the forum dealing with the intricacies of copyright law in various countries.

Second, you do, by US law own the copyright to your own intellectual creations from the moment of their creation. If you can prove that you created them, the registration of the copyright is not needed in order to protect your rights.

That said, it can be very expensive in time and $, as well as "iffy," to try to prove your ownership in a court of law.

If you already have a collection of songs, why not just send the whole thing --on a CD, for example -- to the US Govt. Copyright Office and pay the $30(?) to register your copyright on that collection ("The Collected Songs of An: Vol. I").

You can try the old send-it-to-yourself-registered-mail-in-a sealed-envelope, of course. That's one way of "proving" ownership at a given time. You could also "publish" your work --e.g., by handing out a lot of song sheets with your copyright info (your name, © and the date of ©) to as many people as you know. Problem is, without the registration, you still might have to go to court to present your evidence.

While paying $30 per song may be prohibitive for most of us, paying the fee for a collection doesn't seem that high a price for peace of mind.

Genie

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copyrighting own materials
From: Genie
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:48 PM

HOW TO COPYRIGHT

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: Genie
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:50 PM

US Copyright Office:http://www.loc.gov/copyright/

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:51 PM

Go to the top of the Mudcat front page to the Lyrics and Knowledge Search box and type in "copyright" (note spelling). Check forum search and you'll get more information than you ever wanted to know on this subject. Be patient, it takes a few minutes to do the search.

To answer some of your questions, it is not sufficient to send your songs to yourself. Should you ever get to court, this can be used as evidence but having an actual copyright is considerd prima facie evidence which means that if you have the coyright, there's no dispute about ownership unless you've signed away some of the rights.

The copyright office charges for each copyright it issues but you can copyright a bunch of songs at once by calling it "the collected works of ...". Or you can copright the CD.The only problem with this is that it's hard to separate them later if you want to do something with just one of the songs.

The copyright office forms allow for more than one author. They even allow someone other than the author(s) to be the copyright owner. It looks very complicated when you first start but it's really quite simple.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:52 PM

Genie:

Wow, your fast. Three postings in the time it took us to write one.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copyrighting own materials
From: Genie
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 02:04 PM

Actually, I'm amazed, B & J! Usually three people post before I finish composing my first post!

But, yeah, if you look through the whole forum ("All" years) under "copyright" you'll find tons of related threads. If you go to the one I linked to, there should be several links to the pertinent "copright" threads (without all the threads about whether specific songs are still copyright protected, etc.).

Genie

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: toadfrog
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 05:43 PM

Yes, there are lots of answers on this site, and some are correct. But Genie is right. If you want to prevent other people from publishing your song, you had better register it. The letter is only evidence, not necessarily conclusive evidence, and unregistered copyrights can also be waived. Like under some circumstances, if you circulate the song without the (c), or let other people use the song.

And before you sign anything authorizing someone to publish your work, talk to a lawyer!

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 03 - 06:58 AM

Hi Genie, Bev, Jerry and Toadfrog. First I want to apologize for my misspelling of the word!! I write these mails when I'm tired and I remember thinking it was so odd that there wasn't a single thread with copyright in it. Stupid me. In my defence, it's not my first language. But really it's unforgivable. Also I should have told you that I am living in the UK, not in the USA. I will have a look in the threads you so kindly gave blue klickies for and probably I will find in there how to register in the UK. Also from now on I will put a (c) on the songs whenever I hand them out to someone. Thanks all, and thank you for your tolerance, too.
An

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: clansfolk
Date: 20 Mar 03 - 07:31 AM

In UK you could join the PRS - a one of £100 fee for life - when you write a new song (you automatically are the only person with the right to change the "copy" - thus anyone trying to rip off your songs by changing the odd word or note would be infringing your copyright) you can register it with them and they will collect any monies due you from others for recording or playing of the song/s.

When you have recorded the master for your CD - you will need to register the songs with the MCPS prior to manufacturing the bulk CDs for sale/distribution and pay any relevant fees (for others songs and tunes if included)

The process for both of the above is quit easy and forms can be obtained in both hard copy and DOC format

MCPS LINK

or contact:-

Richard Evans. MCPS Licensing Operations (Clearance) Tel. [phone]


cheers Pete

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: GUEST,Vince
Date: 20 Mar 03 - 07:43 AM

I've often wondered about copywrites. For example if you sing someone else's song in a club without their permission (even though you may, or should, perhaps announce who's song it is, if you know) but are not getting paid like a floor-singer, are you still in breach of copywright? Or does that only apply if you are publishing the song on your own cd or it's part of your repotoire as a paid performer? Bit ignorant of these things.

Subject: RE: Easiest way of copywriting own materials
From: Richie
Date: 20 Mar 03 - 08:02 AM

Vince,

You can sing any song. The venue (place where you perform) is responsible for obtaining licensing to allow performances of copyrighted materials. Most small venues don't.

Another way to protect your original material is to do a lead sheet with the melody, lyrics and chords and get it notarized. This notarized music will legally establish the date of creation.

Then, when you get several songs you can send them to the copyright office at the same time.

-Richie