questions about copyrighting

[Kavie]

i read somewhere (in a book, can't remember the name) that to copyright instrumentals you would have to use Form PA, but i read here in this forum that people use Form SR...which is the form that should be used...another question...would it be a better idea to copyright each instrumental and/or song seperately or put as much shit as possible on a cd and cd it in that way...any advice would be appreciated...

 

[Sick Wid It]

SR stands for Sound Recording. PA stands for Performing Arts. For instrumentals you want to use form SR.

There is a $30 fee every time you register so I would suggest putting as much onto the cd as you can and registering the whole thing as 'Kavie Beats Volume 1' (or whatever you want to call it). That's what I do when I register beats/music.

The copyright office is a part of the Library of Congress. You can go to http://www.loc.gov/copyright/ for more information, or just ask.

 

[Kavie]

thanks for that info folks...

 

[HERESY]

please dont send yourself anything in the mail. so far the only benifit i noticed when registering each song seperately, is individual catalog numbers. it makes it easier to find.

i myself pay $30 and fill the cd up.

:H:

 

[Sick Wid It]

please dont send yourself anything in the mail.

AKA the "poor mans copyright". I'm glad Heresy brought this up because A LOT of people think if you mail yourself a copy of your stuff and leave the package sealed, somehow that protects your work. Wrong. Doing that does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for you.

Luckily most people will never have to go to court over stolen music in the first place. It's actually pretty hard to get away with. And for that matter, if you can't afford $30 to register your work, you have a much bigger problem than the fear of being ripped off.

 

[BIG J]

My teacher told me that Mailin' Shit to yourself doesn't work in a court of law. But my freinds all say that it works because it does have a date on it. I'm just gonna go through Library of Congress and keep it legit.

 

[Sick Wid It]

You gotta realize though that stamping a date on an unopened package doesn't prove anything. Does it prove you composed the music? No. Does it prove you own the music? No. Does it prove you have any claim or right to the music at all? Nope.

 

[BIG J]

^True.

another thing i noticed to today. Was the copyright law Recently Changed. I was reading that copyright for works last for 95 years. I was under the impression that it was still life of the Author plus 75 years. This was that deal that had to do with Europe's copright laws only being in effect for 50 years.

 

[HERESY]

if you can't afford $30 to register your work, you have a much bigger problem than the fear of being ripped off.

a fool and his money......are soon parted.....


:h: