Re copyright of songs

crazy chester

Hi all!

Just a quick question about copyright and the methods used to ensure your work is protected.

We all know the method of the sealed self addressed envelope containing your demos or the lyrics or both, but does this really work?

What other methods are there to protect your precious creations!?

How do the big name writers/composers do it!?

Just wondering on different options as i see some flaws in the self addressed envelope method.

Thanks in advance!

Crazy Chester!:)

PaulBrewer

I believe your songs are automatically copyrighted at the moment of creation.

Contact IMRO for more definitive info.

splitrmx

Like Paul said, your music is automatically protected by copyright, you don't have to do anything to copyright your work. That method of posting yourself the demo or lyrics was traditionally used to provide proof that you wrote the track (and therefore own the copyright), not to copyright it.

I suppose nowadays if you had all the separate tracks on your hard drive that would be good proof you created it (provided you didn't share them with anybody).

iamhunted

the copyright issue is a bit of a mine field. Yes, when you write a song then you own the copyright of it but if you were ever asked to prove it, it gets sticky (just ask Killing Joke after Nirvana ripped off their '80's' bassriff for 'come as you are')

AFAIK the only real way to do it is set up a company and treat your songs as the company's products.

iamhunted

splitrmx wrote: »

I suppose nowadays if you had all the separate tracks on your hard drive that would be good proof you created it (provided you didn't share them with anybody).

That would just prove you have access to the seperate tracks but not that you wrote them. You can lift seperates off games like Guitar Hero these days. Set the date of your computer back a few years when you copy them over and it'll even look like you;ve had them for years.

crazy chester

Thanks for the input guys.

Any views on those websites that claim to give all the protection needed for copyright and ownership issues?

chughes

You might want to concern yourself over the copyright of your name. There's a new character in Fair City called Crazy Chester. Given that he's new and you are around since April 2008, I reckon you've the rights to the name

iamhunted

crazy chester wrote: »

Thanks for the input guys.

Any views on those websites that claim to give all the protection needed for copyright and ownership issues?

I wouldnt trust anyone with providing copyright 'protection' to my music ... not unless i understood completely what they were doing.

PaulBrewer

crazy chester wrote: »

Thanks for the input guys.

Any views on those websites that claim to give all the protection needed for copyright and ownership issues?

Aren't they the ones that offer to extent your penis ?

madtheory

Go find a good publisher. Best way to prove the songs are yours is to get them out their on the hit parade ASAP. Otherwise, you'll just have a load of unopened envelopes and nothing to show for it.

crazy chester

Any suggestions on publishers?

madtheory

We'd have to hear your songs. Join IMRO, and go to all their events, and start networking.