General Music Chat

Just been in touch with the people who know.
It now takes 6 months for an online filing and for them to send a piece of paper saying your work is copyrighted. (i.e. proof).

Apparently you are covered from the date of filing. I just still don't get how long it takes to send one piece of paper.

cause 10 bazillian people are submitting them all day every day - creating a backlog. Govt employees move at one pace, I think it's called "teamster" pace, un-officially, of course.

No worries, you copyright stuff, as you go, you forget about the waits

Dunno about that Kramer?
Even Microsoft works quicker and that is saying something.

Then, I'll let you know how acurrurate that information is, on December 1st.

National Football , All shows,ARE copy write protected from the second they are broadcast. I don't understand why every one is still getting hung up over a peice of paper. IF YOU CREATED IT YOU OWN IT,,,,,PERIOD.

If you have a bag of lawyers tucked away I'm sure this will be the case. You and me?

National Football , All shows,ARE copy write protected from the second they are broadcast. I don't understand why every one is still getting hung up over a peice of paper. IF YOU CREATED IT YOU OWN IT,,,,,PERIOD.

CHIPPY ,YOU STILL BETTER HAVE A BAG OF LAWYERS NO MATTER WHAT.
Whenever money is concerned, Thieves of all kinds will stand in line.
[banks,credit cos, polits,insurance cos, your long lost bro, etc etc].

I was told by a few different people it's better protection to copywrite one song at a time than copywriting a group of songs. I was also told that once you send in the copywrite (and retain proof of how and when you sent it in) you have nothing to worry about. I also don't understand anybody worrying about performing a song after sending in the copywrite. What are the odds somebody is going to steal your tune? I play originals all the time and I could care less if somebody steals it. What are the chances that I hear it played on the radio by somebody else or find it on somebody's CD for sale? I think waiting for the official copywrite notification before performing your tune in public borders on paranoia.

Yeah Bob I do agree you know but I'm old school. If there is a proper way to do things then do it the proper way. Having been trained by older people for most of my life in various things I've found what they have said to make complete sense.

It's just me. I'm a stick in the mud

I was told by a few different people it's better protection to copywrite one song at a time than copywriting a group of songs. I was also told that once you send in the copywrite (and retain proof of how and when you sent it in) you have nothing to worry about. I also don't understand anybody worrying about performing a song after sending in the copywrite. What are the odds somebody is going to steal your tune? I play originals all the time and I could care less if somebody steals it. What are the chances that I hear it played on the radio by somebody else or find it on somebody's CD for sale? I think waiting for the official copywrite notification before performing your tune in public borders on paranoia.

The chances of someone copying an original song are quite excellent.
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Most people can't write new stuff; they seem to think everything new 'has been done already;' so they copy existing songs, and write different lyrics. . . . like the standard 1 - 3 - 5 progression.
When those folks hear a new kind of song which they like - they play it, alter it just a little bit - and then tell everyone they wrote it - because they changed 10% of it, and wrote different lyrics . . .
. . . whatever . . .
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Also - I do not believe it is better protection to copywrite one song at a time. One song - or a collection - either way, the song is copywrited.
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The thing that's different about collections is - not about the strength of the copywrite.
Rather, the assumption about collections is that it's harder to sell one song if it's registered as a collection.
It's 'harder,' (if you can call it that) - because it involves more paperwork, to break one song out of a collection.
My answer?
So what? I'm not afraid of paperwork - big deal, eh?.
Let's see - copywrite 15 songs individually, for $525, or spend $35 for a collection, and then another $35 later to break out one song from the collection.
Let's see $525, or $70 . . .
If I had an unlimited supply of money, guess I'd do individual copyrights.
But, to me, it's harder to first save up $525, than $70.
So to save the $455 difference, I think it's easier to break one song out of a collection - especially if someone wants to, say, put it in a movie, and pay me royalties on it for the rest of my life . . .
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btw . . . it's my understanding that the average copyright lawsuit costs about $1500.
But, the recent Michael - Jackson copyright lawsuit was a slam-dunk, because the song was copyrighted in the Library of Congress.
The guy who actually wrote the song is getting paid for his stolen song.
You can read the article on it - there's a reference to it, I think under 'gossip,' anybody remember where the article was?
It was a pretty cool story . . .

What IS a copywrite infringement? Like when President Clinton asked what the definition of is IS. THere's been countless blues songs written with the exact same musical progression. I guess the originator of the 12 bar blues progression should BY DEFINITION been a billionaire many times over. There are many country songs that have the exact same progression. I think there's been a great many frivilous lawsuits concerning copywrite laws. In this day and age of CD replication you theoretically could sue almost anybody who downloads any of your material. What about the BILLIONS of bootleg CD's sold in China? Wouldn't it be funny if I come out with a CD and a few years later I'm the biggest selling artist in China and 1) I can't do squat about it and 2) I can't get a friggin gig in the Kansas City area. ANd then there's the matter of economic loss. Do you sue somebody simply because they download one of your tunes when that somebody gains zero economically from it and you lose virtually (no pun intended) nothing from it? How do you determine GROUNDS FOR A LAWSUIT? What are YOUR definitions for LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR A LAWSUIT? Personally I wouldn't sue anybody without an attorney agreeing on a contingency. For those who don't know what contingency means it's when an attorney agrees to represent you and you don't pay him (or her) unless you win the lawsuit. There's almost NO CHANCE that if you load up one of your songs for the public to listen to that somebody somewhere will NOT download it for his (or her) private use. Again, I say that IF an attorney will not take your prospective lawsuit on a contingnecy it's a FRIVILOUS lawsuit. The country of China, and many other countries for that matter, theoretically owe us musicians many BILLIONS of dollars. There may be people at your gigs who may have listened to and used your songs. BUT you have to be able to PROVE economic loss without an ounce of doubt AND have the ASSURED legal clout behind you in order to make a LEGITIMATE lawsuit. Anything short of that is a WASTE OF TIME, EFFORT, AND MONEY. That's why I, for one, will NOT worry about somebody stealing any of my material. The chances are remote that I will be able to sue without the shadow of a doubt for economic loss. And certainly the chances of a good attorney taking on my case on a contingency is also remote.

for safe practice theres always the poor mans copyright, make a copy, place it in an envelope and have it mailed to yourself by the usps. Once its dated, theres your copyright, just dont open it, keep it. I have a friend who records and everytime she goes to copyright something, she sends it to herself first so she has a backup copy before she gets her paperwork stuff back

And the bottom line is...............

If you take the time trouble and expense to copyright your stuff. (The right thing to do). You will have a choice should something crop up.

If however you do not copyright your material, don't give a hoot, drive without a seatbelt, ride a bike without a helmet, allow people to plan 911 you will not have a choice.

When I took my exams I took them to prove something. I don't think this any different than hauling for a good job.

Like I said before. There is a right way and a wrong way. Besides I would never argue with my old tutors. I'd end up with a thick ear for talking back. Again the right thing to happen and do.

for safe practice theres always the poor mans copyright, make a copy, place it in an envelope and have it mailed to yourself by the usps. Once its dated, theres your copyright, just dont open it, keep it. I have a friend who records and everytime she goes to copyright something, she sends it to herself first so she has a backup copy before she gets her paperwork stuff back

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There are NUMEROUS posts here, telling why this does not work.
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Geez - I didn't know copyrights were so valueless . . . too bad nobody told any of 49 gazillion artists who have made money off of their copyrighted songs . . .
I guess they didn't listen to all the 'nay-saying.'
. . too much negativity here . . .
It's easy to 'explain' 10,000 reasons why a thing can't work. Hell - I can probably give you 1,000 good, logical - sounding reasons why an airplane can't fly. But - have it your way; don't have time for this . . .