[Hoot Owl Shift]

Ok, I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes...

I'm making a demo tape now and I would like to copyright my material so I can make an mp3.com site and all that. So, what does it take to copyright my songs? Do they have to be written out? Does this cost anything? I'm completely ignorant here so any info is helpful.

Thanks

[bobthecockroach]

This is the right place for the thread

Anyway, I believe if they're posted online they're automatically copyrighted. My bro will be able to give you some more help I'm sure...

[SenorPapaCabasa]

the easiest and cheapest way to make sure they are copyrighted is to either write the lyrics down, or even better, make sure you have a recording on tape or cd.... then stick it an envelope, and put your own address on it, and mail it to yourself. Dont open the letter, that way, you have a postmaked date to prove its yours.

[Nate]

Originally Posted by SenorPapaCabasa

or even better, make sure you have a recording on tape or cd.... then stick it an envelope, and put your own address on it, and mail it to yourself. Dont open the letter, that way, you have a postmaked date to prove its yours.

How many times must I explain this?!?

(Just messing with you, somewhat. Hope you don't think I'm being too hard on you. )

Anyways, the self-addressed envelope method does not work NOR is it necessary.

First, let me explain why it doesn't work. There are quite a few inexpensive office machines on the market that can print valid postage/postmarks (Pitney-Bowes is the main manufacturer). Anybody can buy one of these machines and put a postmark on an EMPTY, UNSEALED envelope... and then later stick anything they want to inside. Furthermore, it really isn't that hard to open and reseal an envelope (providing you have an ounce of patience... and providing you didn't seal it tightly to begin with). You could just send an empty self-addressed envelope to yourself, then open it and stick something inside.

In short, the poor man's copyright (as this method is termed) doesn't work. It doesn't prove authorship or date of creation at all.

Second, let me explain why it isn't necessary. The law says that the moment an author's original idea is fixed in any tangible medium of expression, the work is automatically copyrighted. So, your first recommendation was actually the "better" of the two. Once the ink is dry on the page, or the track is burned on the CD (or even saved on your harddrive)... the song is copyrighted and YOU (as the author) are the legal copyright owner.

Official copyright registration with the Copyright Office (located in the Library Of Congress) is the only real way to PROVE authorship and date of creation.... and it is the only proof that will hold up in court. If you want to sue for infringement, you MUST have a certificate of copyright registration... otherwise, your suit is void. If you want to license your song, most publishers/labels will require it to be registered. Registration is crucial once you decide to do something with your song.

It's late and I don't feel like finding the exact link right now, but go to www.copyright.gov and look for "registration" and you will find a page that tells you exactly what to do. There is a fee of $30 for official registration... everything else is just logistics.

In His love,
Nate

[Nate]

Originally Posted by Hoot Owl Shift

So, what does it take to copyright my songs?

Write them on a piece of paper or sheet music. Record them into a tape recorder. Etc. Anything that FIXES the song in a "tangible medium of expression" gives YOU, the author, COMPLETE ownership of the copyright for the song.

Do they have to be written out?

They must be fixed.

Does this cost anything?

Official copyright registration costs $30 per song -or- compilation. It is possible to register more than one song for only one $30 fee.

I'm completely ignorant here so any info is helpful.

Go to the official copyright website at www.copyright.gov and read the FAQ page, then look for something that says "registration". It is one of the most useful/informative sites I have ever seen; you should have no problem finding all the information that you need.

Hope this helps!

In His love,
Nate

[Danny]

Isn't there already a thread on this?

Merging...

[Danny]

I'm going to go ahead and sticky this too, since it seems like it would be a fairly common question. Feel free to un-sticky as you see fit, fellow mods / local SuperMod.

[Nate]

Looks good, N1ghthawk. Good work.

In His love,
Nate

[Hoot Owl Shift]

Thanks Nate! That does help a lot. I'll start working on writing all this out, easier said than done, lol. The stuff I've recorded so far are classical piano pieces that I've written and, heh, that's kinda hard to write down cause, um, they're rather long, involved and syncopated. Oh well, thank you very much, that is just what I was looking for!

[Danny]

You'll probably be able to find a program that will print out sheet music for you. Unfortunately, the only one I know of is PowerTab, but that's only for guitar tabalature. You might try a Google search, or just ask around.

[Tony]

As far as the mailing to yourself part, you can used registered mail (which is done by the US Postal Service, not just someone with a machine) and send it to a third party (like a lawyer). It’s not recommended to mail it to yourself.

Of course, by the time you went to the trouble to do that, you could have registered with the Library of Congress…

The question is… why do you need your stuff copyrighted? If a song is going to be published, I’ve heard from several publishing houses that they would prefer to do it for you, copyrighting the entire collection at once.

But if you want to publish your own stuff, then copyright it in bulk, as others have suggested.

I’ve yet to copyright any of my stuff over the years, mostly because I don’t expect anyone to steal it for their own purposes. Nor do I expect to make a living from my intellectual property.

tony
maxworship.com

[Tony]

Interesting sidebar...

I just got the latest e-newsletter from worship ideas, which tells a rather disturbing tale about publishing rights and big companies. Don't want to viloate the forum rules by posting an article, so anyone that's intersted can pm or email me and I'll forward it, or you can go to the site and sign up for the newsletter yourself.

[Erika]

I'm sorry but I couldn't resist. Great job on all the explaining, but I have an easy and free way of doing it. You go to poetry.com and you add a poem to their database. The moment it is submitted to their website, they automatically internationally copyright it in your name. So if you put song lyrics on there today/tonight/whatever, it's already copyrighted in your name, and you can PROVE it! I've got a few bits on there, but really, it's free. And easy. And like...in your name. How cool is that?

[Nate]

Originally Posted by *Erika* or Unknown Dreamer

I'm sorry but I couldn't resist. Great job on all the explaining, but I have an easy and free way of doing it. You go to poetry.com and you add a poem to their database. The moment it is submitted to their website, they automatically internationally copyright it in your name. So if you put song lyrics on there today/tonight/whatever, it's already copyrighted in your name, and you can PROVE it! I've got a few bits on there, but really, it's free. And easy. And like...in your name. How cool is that?

This is hardly imaginable.

For one thing, the act of "copyrighting" something is done AUTOMATICALLY the MOMENT that you write down your lyrics on a piece of paper. The ONLY other thing that is required is that you register the copyright with the Library of Congress. Without this registration, you CANNOT PROVE anything. You cannot sue for infringement with a certificate of registration. Whatever this site does, it is not likely to be legally binding.

Sorry.

In His love,
Nate

[Nate]

Originally Posted by Hoot Owl Shift

Thanks Nate! That does help a lot. I'll start working on writing all this out, easier said than done, lol. The stuff I've recorded so far are classical piano pieces that I've written and, heh, that's kinda hard to write down cause, um, they're rather long, involved and syncopated.

You don't have to write them down if you have recorded them. You just need them to be on SOME sort of "fixed medium of expression"... CDs count, hard drives count, etc, etc.

In His love,
Nate