Avoiding possible theft

[Back-From-Purgatory]

So, here's the deal, I recently got a commission to recreate a song minus the vocals for someone to do an english version of the song (It's originally Swedish or something). And I'm concerned that I'll spend all the time to create this instrumental version of the song just to have credit stolen from me.

I have a couple reasons for my concern, first off, his first request was that I don't upload the instrumental to newgrounds, "to avoid other people from using the beat". Second, I asked about the guys youtube page so I could keep a watch on it once I have handed over the track, and he's got a lot of stuff up that said it was produced by himself, stuff of which sounded like it could've been from another famous artist. And none of the songs have credits showing that someone else may have created the beats.

Why this is odd, is that if he can create this stuff he has uploaded, why can't he recreate this beat on his own? It's not that complicated, it includes a piano, light drums, bass, and some strings at the end.

I am planning on uploading the track here either way, but to clear his concern of "Other people using it for themselves", I'll put some robo voice over top of it to make it unusable by anyone else. I like covering my ass, even if I did not compose the original, I don't want a cover that I did to go to someone who only put vocals on it and claim they created everything. So by uploading it here, I have it dated before he uploads the video to youtube, showing that I created it before he used it.

Just looking for some feedback here, should I be concerned? And if so, what other measures should I take to ensure I don't end up having my efforts claimed by someone else?

The song I am recreating (Minus vox):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zgbzXbrZ hM

The youtube profile of the person asking me to create it for him:
http://www.youtube.com/user/EuropeMusicP rofile

[krssvr]

don't do anything your not comfortable with, your gut feeling is probably right

[Chozz]

At 11/16/09 10:06 PM, krssvr wrote: don't do anything your not comfortable with, your gut feeling is probably right

Amen.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

Well, I plan on having a chat with the guy once it's near completion, get in depth details of what he plans to do with it... and if I don't like what I hear, I won't hand over the file... I'll probably still upload it here with the voice over top though (The "prevent others from using voice" I mean, not the original vocals), don't wanna let all that work go to waste, you know?

We'll see where it goes I guess..

[JonH2O]

Register your sound recording here: http://www.copyright.gov/register/sound.
html

Or get it copyrighted. So, get the proper forms. The form needed for a sound recording to copyright is the Form SR and possibly Form CON. The copyright form can be requested at [phone], requested through mail at US Copyright Office Library of Congress Washington D.C. 20559, or found on the Internet at: http://www.copyrightaid.co.uk/advice/reg istering

Send it to:

Library of Congress
Copyright Office
Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

Include $45 and a non-returnable copy of the music.
If your submission was filled out right, you will get a certificate of registration in the next 4-5 months

[loansindi]

It's worth noting that copyright is inherent. You don't 'get something copyrighted'

Also, you linked us to a british website but gave information for the library of congress. What's up with that?

[MaestroRage]

well if he wants exclusive hold on the track I sure as hell hope he's paying you handsomely for it. Like, easily over $400 handsomely.

Putting the song up here with a twist to make it unusable is a great idea, also be sure to tell him you want credit on the youtube page or some good business.

If he was seriously involved in the business he should have had you sign some kind of contract. Without a contract you could take his money and upload the full version here and be safe as he's got jack in regards to evidence.

On the other side of that coin he could also screw you by exploiting your talents and taking credit where it's not due.

If it were me i'd have told him to keep looking, but the allure of a paying gig is very powerful, I know that feeling well.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

Thanks for the replies guys, but I think you missed the part where I said it's not my song. The song is (At least I'm assuming it is) already copyrighted by the original artist, and I'm not getting paid because as far as I know, me getting paid to simply recreate the beat of another artist is a violation of said copyright.

He just approached me asking to remake the song, without the vocals, so that he could put his own vocals over top. To my understanding, he wants to do an english version of the song.

I'm not worried about money or copyright really (Unless he ends up trying to sell it, in which case I'd get in troubled cause I made the instrumental), I'm just concerned all the effort I put into remaking it (Much like I did my 28 days later cover) will be for nothing if he decides he doesn't want to credit me for making the back track.

I have, however, finished the song, took 5 days of work, but it's done, and I plan to upload it with something on top here just simply to show I was the one who put the work in to get him the back track, then send him the copy without the jibberish on top.

Although, I guess the copyright info will be handy sooner or later either way, as I am working on an album, but I'm a long ways from having to worry about finalizing anything.

[InGenius]

He's a remixer, all of the stuff on his site is remixed using stems or loops from the originals and a little bit of his own whatever. He wants you to recreate the track because he's not good enough to do it himself. If you don't get a c-produced remix credit for it, he's a prick. Every one of the tracks he had was tagged with "Edit" because that's all he's doing, editing the original. Now, this is common practice with a huge number of DJ's and electronic music producers, but those producers/DJs also usually have their own, original, music and could reconstruct what they needed to edit that track themselves. I'd be wary of this situation as well. In the end, though, if he's got views and a fanbase and you get credited and linked, you could end up benefitting. It's a tough decision.

[Alchemist94]

Have a vocoded "Made by 'your name'" in the middle of it, but not majorly noticeable. Then if you need to prove it, just make people listen to that part of the song.

[Syntrus]

Did you keep your copy of the instrumental in .wav form on your computer? Because I have heard that this sort of thing helps in legal matters.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

So, I talked with the guy via MSN just now, and turns out he wants to change the song name and get radio play with it... He's attempting to steal the song.

Better yet, I asked if he had the original artists approval for this... and he refuses to show me any proof. So yeah... my gut says no. He also refused my idea of putting a quiet "watermark" on the song.

[MaestroRage]

yeah man, pack your bags and go. This reeks of nothing but trouble to me.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

Yeah, I told him to screw off, I still uploaded the song here with the "watermarks"... I mean.. 5 days of work, I may as well show it off.

My bigger concern now is that he has been asking a lot of people on newgrounds to do this apparently, someone is bound to do it without asking questions and end up caught up in a legal battle when the original artist finds out this guy stole their music, put their own vocals on top and tried to sell it.

I already made that clear to someone else who posted about the same guy here on the forums, but sooner or later, he's gonna find someone who's not as conscious about they way copyrights work.