When I Copy Write My Material With Copy Write. Gov Does It Allow Me to Upload Wav Files or Mp3s?
Why independent songwriters should register the copyright for their music
[This article is written by guest correspondent Anthony Ceseri.]
Delight Note: This article discusses opinions on copyrighting your music and should not exist considered legal advice. If yous're unsure about how the copyright laws in your country will touch on y'all, please contact a lawyer before proceeding.
When you submit a song for copyright y'all're only proving the engagement of submission of your work. The fine folks of the copyright function don't sit around listening to every submission to encounter if they've heard information technology earlier. That would be an impossible task. When you write or record your song, technically, you've created it — and thus you own the copyright to it.
By submitting a song to the copyright office, y'all're protecting your music simply by acknowledging the engagement of its creation.
REGISTER YOUR COPYRIGHT TODAY
Some aspects of your song are NOT protected fifty-fifty if you've registered the copyright. These include:
- chord progressions
- the overall thought or concept of your song
- and a title or short phrase
Just think near how many songs take used cliche ideas like "I wish you lot were here," or "What doesn't kill you lot makes you stronger." Also, imagine how many copyright infringements there would be if the I – V – half dozen – Four chord progression could exist copyrighted. On the other manus, melodies and the actual lyrics are very much covered under copyright protection.
Kickoff the copyright registration process
If yous're looking for the simplest way to register your copyright, get all your collaborator agreements in writing, and protect your songs, check out Cosynd's special deal for CD Baby clients:
Annals YOUR COPYRIGHT TODAY
If you want to get the totally DIY route, the website for registering your copyright in the Us is https://www.copyright.gov/. On this website, yous'll be able to impress forms for mailing in the music yous desire to copyright, or you can submit your music for copyright online, which makes submitting even easier.
When it comes fourth dimension to copyrighting your music, in that location are two forms you can utilise as a songwriter. They are Form SR and Form PA. Technically, there are 3 forms, if you lot consider the fact that there's too a brusque-form version of the PA form. But that offers the same protection every bit the PA form. SR stands for Audio Recording, while PA stands for Performing Arts. So how practice you know which one to employ? The following is from the Copyright Office's website and volition answer that for yous:
When to Utilize Class SR (Sound Recordings)
Use Class SR for registration of published or unpublished sound recordings, that is, for registration of the item sounds or recorded performance.
Class SR must also exist used if you wish to make ane registration for both the sound recording and the underlying work (the musical composition, dramatic, or literary piece of work). You lot may brand a single registration but if the copyright claimant is the same for both the sound recording and the underlying piece of work. In this instance, the authorship statement in Space 2 should specify that the claim covers both works.
Form SR is also the advisable form for registration of a multimedia kit that combines two or more kinds of authorship including a sound recording (such as a kit containing a volume and an audiocassette).
When to Use Form PA (Performing Arts)
For registration purposes, musical compositions and dramatic works that are recorded on disks or cassettes are works of the performing arts and should be registered on Course PA or Short Class PA. Therefore, if you wish to annals only the underlying piece of work that is a musical composition or dramatic work, use Form PA even though y'all may ship a disk or cassette.
Examples of the Proper Employ of Forms PA and SR
Jane Smith composes words and music, which she entitles "Bravado in the Breeze." Even though she records it, she is not interested in registering the detail recording just only in registering the limerick itself. If she decides to submit "Blowing in the Breeze" for copyright registration, she should use Form PA.
Emily Tree performs and records Jane Smith's "Bravado in the Breeze" after complying with permissions and license procedures. If Emily decides to submit her recording for copyright registration, she should use Form SR.
The aforementioned principles utilise to literary and dramatic works. A recorded functioning of an histrion speaking lines from "Hamlet" could be registered on Form SR as a sound recording. The claimant in the sound recording, of course, has no copyright in the underlying piece of work, "Hamlet."
Copyright registration costs…
In that location is a cost associated with each application, whether it's a Class PA or From SR. Cheque the Copyright Function'due south website for the most upward-to-date fees. The good news is, if you're copyrighting your own music, you can submit multiple songs under one awarding for one awarding fee. So if y'all're copyrighting an album of ten songs, as opposed to copyrighting them 1 by ane, you lot'll salvage a few hundred bucks when protecting your work. Plus it saves you the paperwork of copyrighting all of your songs separately.
Poor-Man'southward Copyright, and Other No-No'due south
It's likewise worth mentioning that there are a couple makeshift copyright alternatives that songwriters occasionally like to talk nigh. I don't recommend doing these. The nearly popular is called the "Poor Man'due south Copyright." This is when you lot physically postal service a recording of your song to yourself via certified mail and keep it sealed. Supposedly the postmark on the envelope volition date your music and therefore protect y'all if someone comes forth subsequently that and steals your song. A newer version of this idea is simply putting your song on YouTube or some other time-stamped social media outlet. The idea is that your music is dated and therefore protected by the time stamp on the social media site.
All I can say about these kinds of alternatives is — DON'T Practise THEM! Their ideas may make sense to y'all, but if it ever came down to a court battle, you would absolutely want your music properly registered with the copyright office. Especially because the fact that it'due south really not that expensive if y'all submit a whole drove of songs at in one case. Taking the proper ways to protect your music is something all artists should do as they motility forward with their music careers.
Now that yous have a background on how to go your music copyrighted, move forrad with the process and so yous can get your music out to the masses and go heard!
For a lot more than useful songwriting information, grab my free EBook here: https://successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer/
REGISTER YOUR COPYRIGHT TODAY
[Copyright image from Shutterstock.]
Source: https://diymusician.cdbaby.com/music-rights/how-to-copyright-your-music/
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