Adam Smith

what if it is your music...say you just record a song you wrote and put it on myspace or your website. Are there problems with that? Your not going to sell it...just put it on the website for people to listen.

Khora

If it is a song you wrote, then you own the copyright by default.

Now think about it from the composer's point of view. If you wrote a song, and other people decided to record it and demo it and make money off of it, would you want a cut, even a small one, for the time and effort you put into writing it in the first place? Essentially, that would be a license fee or a royalty, depending on the legal procedure.

Someone spent time writing every song out there. If you want to use it, you need to be very sure they are agreeing to let you do so - on whatever terms they set. If they are deceased, be sure the estate is willing. All Gershwin, for example, needs a license agreement. Best way is to tell them what you want to do(and it might take some research to find out who to contact about each song) and get their permission in writing. Then stick to the agreement - or dont' use the song.

Yes, it is a pain, but it is the law, for better or worse.

Best of luck!

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Sandy

Adam Smith

thanks...i just was not sure if we were talking about previously composed music or not. It is a pain but I really don't think its that big of a deal to do. I am happy to support fellow musicians. Oh man am I looking forward to those copyright classes!!

swissdude

It is not such a big deal to research it. You might want to contact the composer (if they are still alive) and get their "written" permission, word of mouth is never enough. Some are very nice and will let you use it.

The copyright laws are here to protec all of us, we need to support them even if sometimes it is a pain or expensive.

Good luck

The BuZZ

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Stage 1: California Light
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"Some days you get up and put the horn to your chops and it sounds pretty good and you win. Some days you try and nothing works and the horn wins. This goes on and on and then you die and the horn wins."
Dizzy

trumpetfunk

Were you sooooo unhappy with the answers you got a the Trumpet Herald ? Here's my answers again, paraphrased for ease of reading.

Fact 1 : If you record someone else's music and distribute in any way (free or otherwise) you must pay rotalties. To fail to do so, you could face legal charges.

Fact 2: Lots of people disregard Fact 1.

Fact 3: I have seen people legally confronted by MAJOR ARTISTS with Fact 2 and narrowly avoiding prossecution by doing the right thing, though belatedly. See Fact 1 for the right thing.

rowuk

Welcome Trumpetfunk!
Sometimes we have a "different" approach at TM
Great to have you here, look forward to more good posting!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

bilboinsa

I was not unhappy at all. I posted this on TH at 8:04 p.m on 7/17. Without any repsonse yet, I posted it here on 7/18 at 1:41 a.m. (up too late, I know) You replied to the TH post on 7/18 at about 9:01 a.m.

More info is always better, IMHO. Have a nicer day.

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Doug Walsdorf

Schilke B2
Kanstul 1525
1927 Conn 22B New York Symphony

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

timcates

remember that you can't copyright a chord progression and don't use the melody (or write a contrafact) - just don't refer to the title of the original work directly - TC

bilboinsa

Wow! Thanks, Tim. I just learned a lot because of your post--I never would have seen this otherwise:
Holocaust Music of the Ghettos and Camps

Thanks again.

__________________
Doug Walsdorf

Schilke B2
Kanstul 1525
1927 Conn 22B New York Symphony

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."