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Music Copyright

Started by pianoman7117, December 30, 2009, 06:46:28 PM

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pianoman7117

Hey everyone, just wanted to bring up a lil topic that recently became kinda important to me. As a Piano player, I've pretty much stuck to not dabbling into composing, but recently, I decided to make a duet arrangement of a very famous classical song, Canon in D, and my teacher absolutely loved it, as did I, very proud of the outcome, and she actually suggested I publish it online. I've looked into it skimming pages about, but I'm still not 100% sure of how it works, and I was wondering what legally I can do with it?

pianoman7117

Thanks this is everything I was looking for, and I mean everything, because I'm still deciding on what to make of it, whether I should do a more serious arrangement, or just to take it on the down low just to share with the rest of the world. thank you again, I'll look more into it.

Vandren

Just for note, Canon in D should not be under copyright because it pre-dates copyright law.  Also, technically, under U.s. copyright law, a piece acquires protection the instant it is committed to "permanent" form, i.e. written down, posted, etc.  However, proving the date of "permanence" is another story.  The best, strongest defense way is the copyright office, as Josh suggested.  The cheap way is to print a copy, hand write a copy, and mail it to yourself (never open the envelope).  That way it has a USPS date stamp on it, which confirms production date.
"Life is growth.  If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead." -Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei

pianoman7117

That's like so interesting, you always here vaguely about copyrighting music and stuff, but never look into it completely, its such a strange process to me, but at the same time so neat how the minute its thought up and date is proven, then its protected.
And although Canon in D is most likely not under copyright, I mean you see variations on Canon all over the place, but the thing is it is heavily based on a Canon in D solo that I found from Hal Leonard, technically none of it is the same as that piece, but at the same time its almost exactly the same. I know that sounds confusing but to make it a little less confusing, I took the original and made a duet out of it with a few altercations, cut outs, and added flair, etc.

Vandren

It's not necessarily the date that it "is thought up" but the date on which it is written, recorded, typed, or otherwise set down in a "permanent" format.  Under U.S. copyright law, at least.  International copyright and the laws of other nations are, of course, a different story.

(And I'll add the caveat that this is coming from a 90 min. seminar regarding academic copyright relationships by a university lawyer from 2-3 years ago, so don't quote me on any of it.)
"Life is growth.  If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead." -Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei