Copyrights

[JonH2O]

Whenever a songwriter writes a song, he should get it copyrighted. He can copyright this unpublished version of a song with a cassette tape containing only lead vocals & piano (or lead vocals & guitar). To do this he should file a copyright Form PA, along with the cassette tape and lyric sheet, with the Library of Congress Copyright Office in Washington, DC. There are 3 copyright forms: PA, CA, and SR. These forms are free and can be found at public libraries or by calling the Copyright Office. Copyright forms come with submission instructions and the filing fee is currently $30.00 per form.

If the same songwriter writes a group of songs, he can copyright his whole unpublished collection (instead of an individual song) for only $30.00. Let's suppose he has written 5 of 12 songs for your artist's new CD. These first 5-songs can be copyrighted under a "Collective Name" with a form PA and the other 7 songs can be copyrighted at a later date when he has finished them. He can give this first group of 5-songs a collective name (such as: My First Songs) and file copyright Form PA for a $30.00 fee. Make sure to include the cassette demo tape or CD containing these songs with music and all the lyric sheets. These songs are protected as soon as they are dropped into the mailbox.

The Copyright Office will mail back the Form PA within a few weeks with a copyright number assigned. When the additional 7-songs are finished, he will need to mail another copyright Form CA, along with another demo cassette or CD containing the additional 7-songs with lyric sheets. There will be another fee, but be will have copyrighted all 12 of his unpublished songs and paid 2-fees instead of 12.

If you use different songs from several songwriters then each songwriter should file his own PA copyright form. To save yourself legal hassles make sure that your artist records songs that your songwriters have copyrighted and and assigned to the label's publishing companypublishing wing (a label's publishing company). See an Entertainment Attorney for further details.

Before releasing songs on CDs, tapes, or records, a record label should file a copyright Form SR (sound recording) to protect their label's recorded version of the songs. This way no one will be able to use recorded samples of these songs or it's music tracks without the copyright owner's permission (without compensating him). Rap artists as well as some alternative artists use samples frequently. The record label must submit (2) finished CDs, cassettes, or records with the copyright Form SR. Afterwards a ircle "P" followed by the year and the record label name should be printed on the CD, the CD inserts, and any other printed materials. This represents the year that this recorded version was published by the label.

A copyrighted song legally belongs to the writer, whose name appears on the copyright. No one can use or reproduce his song in ANY MANNER (Recorded, Written, or in a live performance) without the writer's authorization. This keeps others from making profits from the songwriter's song without the songwriter getting paid (receiving royalties). Afterwards, the songwriter should use his copyright information (such as: © 2008 Jon Waters) on all unpublished demo tapes and lyric sheets that he submits to others.
--------------------------------

This information was learned by me from the book "In The Right Direction" by Samuel D. Gilleylen. Instead of writing this in a notepad and archived on my computer I thought I'd just post it here for more to access. Hope it helps answer some questions. :D
Feel free to post experiences, concerns, unanswered questions, or the like, regarding copyrights here.

You may also contact the U.S. Copyright Office with questions

[HaniiPuppy]

Although, as long as the writer can prove he wrote it, the copywright automatically belongs to the writer, regardless of whether or not the writer has actually went through the process of filing a copywright.

One of the easiest way to prove you wrote a song is to snailmail a copy (ie on CD) via recorded delivery which will show the time and date sent.

[spamwangler]

At 6/7/08 03:45 PM, HaniiPuppy wrote: Although, as long as the writer can prove he wrote it, the copywright automatically belongs to the writer, regardless of whether or not the writer has actually went through the process of filing a copywright.

One of the easiest way to prove you wrote a song is to snailmail a copy (ie on CD) via recorded delivery which will show the time and date sent.

surley they delivery woudnt be proof of whats on a cd?

if i send a blank cd to myself, claiming to be a friends song that he didnt bother to copyright, would i then have his copyrights?

[Psychopath]

That's not the only way to copywrite your work, there's a thing called the Poor Man's copywrite where you just mail your material to yourself and never open it until someone steals your work.