Copyright Question
Home > Home Recording Forum > Talkin' Smack > Copyright Question
Posted on Dec 13, 2002 10:09 pm
Dan
Member Since: Nov 21, 2002
Okay, i have been told for a "poor man's copyright" you can
Put the sheet music in a self adressed sealed envelope, get it postmarked and mailed, and dont open it when you recieve it. I guess this would work, but i have also heard that you should include a recording. Anyone know any info on these methods? I have just finished my 2 years work, its all written out, saved, copied, transposed, and i feel i should copyright it. Not as if its worth stealing anyway :P. any info or personal experience will be appreciated greatly. Thanks- Danny
[ Back to Top ]
Dec 14, 2002 12:53 am There is a copyright form called (I believe ) SR for Sound Recording. You don't even need to score anything (maybe the melody, not sure). Go to the gov sight for this and you just download the form. Send it in with a recording, and that's that.
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Dec 14, 2002 08:10 am Does this copyright system work for the whole world or is it country sensitive?
Dec 14, 2002 08:28 am I don't think there is such a thing as a global law.
DanMember
Since: Nov 21, 2002
Dec 14, 2002 10:06 am Thanks Guys. I already scored all the music anyway (what a pain in my *** that was), but i guess i will give that site a try.
DanMember
Since: Nov 21, 2002
Dec 14, 2002 10:09 am Oh, and crux, i am pretty sure that if it is copywritten in one country, if someone overseas uses it, it is still illegal. -Dan
Dec 14, 2002 05:47 pm filing the SR form will still cost money. if you looking to go the *free* route, or even if you're doing it legit, go ahead and mail yourself a "poor man's copyright"... it can't hurt :O)
DanMember
Since: Nov 21, 2002
Dec 14, 2002 11:20 pm yea, it'll cost me $30! hey, i am a gigging musician, ya know how many gigs my crappy band would have to play to get $30? about 37! i think "poor man's C.R." is for me!
Dec 14, 2002 11:26 pm I still don't understand this poor man's copyright business. Who do you mail it to?
Dec 15, 2002 06:38 am You mail it to yourself. Then your music has been carried by the federal postal service and thereby has certain inherited copyrights to the owner and has a date stamp on it. The big thing is DON'T open it after you mail it.
I don't understand, I doubt it will hold up in court, but it is the urban legend.
Dec 15, 2002 10:21 pm it's better than nothing. I think it's pretty slick.
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Dec 16, 2002 08:55 am generally the "poor mans copywrite" won't hold in court because of the ease of forgery of the postmark.
International copyright laws exist but it's mostly regarding how trade treaties will be enforced... if it's copyrighted in the US it's fine... physical enforcement is another issue :)
Dec 16, 2002 09:06 am However, John Fogarty proved you can plagarize yourself. All of CCR's music is now owned by a major label (I forget which one) and they tried to sue him for his song "Center Field" because he ripped off a CCR chord structure and melody that he did not own. John one the case therefore proving the ability to rip yourself off and thwarting the value of "copyright".
There have been pages and pages and volumes and volumes covering music law and intellectual property, no matter how your slice it zek is right, enforcement of a copyright is an entirely different matter from having the copyright.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Dec 16, 2002 10:54 pm Far be it from me to be negitive, especially in this new melimium of "good speak" and "political correctness", however, it happens! I realize this is a tangent. A medical company I worked for patented only projects that where duds. The idea was to have enough patents out there to throw road blocks at the competetor, thus delaying or destroying the marketing launch window. Items we did launch where not patented because that would make it easy for the competition to review the engineering and create work around engineering that would beat the patent rights. It was harder for the competition to actually procure and reverse engineer the equipment! Courts and enforcement agents are profit centers. nuf said.