copyright

[All bar one]

My crappy tablet cant access the search facility here so forgiveness sought as im sure this has been covered many times ......

After many many years I finally got round to writing a few songs. I'm suddenly very protective of what ive done - what do I do?

Ive been playing a few local festivals just singing covers, but now these babies have been born, I want to show them, but protect them from the world out there!

Thanks

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by All bar one

My crappy tablet cant access the search facility here so forgiveness sought as im sure this has been covered many times ......

After many many years I finally got round to writing a few songs. I'm suddenly very protective of what ive done - what do I do?

Ive been playing a few local festivals just singing covers, but now these babies have been born, I want to show them, but protect them from the world out there!

Thanks

Well to be clear you cannot actually "protect them from the world out there" per se .... You can take steps to have it fall under the protection of copyright law ( which does not prevent theft but only actually gives precedent for legal recourse if it happens )

Are you asking when would they be considered to be copyrighted ?
Or are you saying you wish to register them with the US Copyright Office ?

1. A creative work in the US actually falls under the protection copyright law as soon as you affix it to a physical medium like written on paper, recorded to tape or film, or create a digital file (recorded digitally).

If your asking about registering, you can register on line.

For registering start here. http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/

[MikeBmusic]

Assuming you are in the USA.... The link Kevwind provided will give you all the what-fors. I usually wait until I have all the songs I am putting onto a CD ready and then copyright the whole thing as one complete work on one application, cost used to be $35 I think it's $45 now (?).
If you register your original songs with a PRO (Performance Right Organization - BMI or ASCAP in the US) and then keep an updated database of your originals when you play them, you will get royalty payments a couple of times a year.

[All bar one]

Thanks, I should have mentioned i'm in the UK - i'm due to perform tonight so i'm going to video and time / date each song to a seperate small memory card and start filing these away in what will hopefully become a 'collection'.

[Kray Van Kirk]

Post the video so we can see what you're creating! :-)

[GuitarMC]

You can record yourself playing the music and write down any lyrics, chords, arrangement notes, etc. and then package that all up and send it to yourself. I sometimes have the post office put dated stamps on the seam of the envelope to make it obvious that it's never been opened or tampered with. If I ever needed to take legal action, at least I'd have some form of evidence that I wrote the song(s).

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by GuitarMC

You can record yourself playing the music and write down any lyrics, chords, arrangement notes, etc. and then package that all up and send it to yourself. I sometimes have the post office put dated stamps on the seam of the envelope to make it obvious that it's never been opened or tampered with. If I ever needed to take legal action, at least I'd have some form of evidence that I wrote the song(s).

This is a myth that refuses to die.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by GuitarMC

You can record yourself playing the music and write down any lyrics, chords, arrangement notes, etc. and then package that all up and send it to yourself. I sometimes have the post office put dated stamps on the seam of the envelope to make it obvious that it's never been opened or tampered with. If I ever needed to take legal action, at least I'd have some form of evidence that I wrote the song(s).

Originally Posted by RRuskin

This is a myth that refuses to die.

Although it has already been said, the following bears repeating. When someone writes a song or instrumental piece they already own the copyright. However; establishing the copyright ownership as a fact in law requires affixing it to a material medium that can be accurately dated.
It's best to register one's original works with a legitimate association or society specific to the discipline you're creating in. I believe BMI and ASCAP are the American organizations. In Canada it's SOCAN. There must be a U.K. equivalent. I'm attaching a link that confirms RRuskin's assertion (See section 3.3) about the lack of credibility given to the self-mailing procedure by courts of law. If you're putting original creations out there it's very prudent to protect your copyright.
http://www.songwriters.ca/copyright101.aspx

[Mr. Jelly]

Posts 2 & 3 are spot on. If you really think you have something then spend a couple of bucks and do it correctly. Otherwise your just fooling yourself.

[All bar one]

Many thanks. And will post vid as soon as I get chance.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

Although it has already been said, the following bears repeating. When someone writes a song or instrumental piece they already own the copyright. However; establishing the copyright ownership as a fact in law requires affixing it to a material medium that can be accurately dated.
It's best to register one's original works with a legitimate association or society specific to the discipline you're creating in. I believe BMI and ASCAP are the American organizations. In Canada it's SOCAN. There must be a U.K. equivalent. I'm attaching a link that confirms RRuskin's assertion (See section 3.3) about the lack of credibility given to the self-mailing procedure by courts of law. If you're putting original creations out there it's very prudent to protect your copyright.
http://www.songwriters.ca/copyright101.aspx

Registering your work with performing rights organizations like ASCAP or BMI is not the same as copyright registration.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by RRuskin

Registering your work with performing rights organizations like ASCAP or BMI is not the same as copyright registration.

Good catch registering with PRO's is about collecting royalties for performance of your music

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by RRuskin

Registering your work with performing rights organizations like ASCAP or BMI is not the same as copyright registration.

True. However; no copyright registration in and of itself is a guarantee of legal protection. By registering works with a performing rights society or organization the composer and date of conception are established. In Canada the copyright of intellectual property can be further reinforced by submitting works to the Library and Archives of Canada as well as registering the work(s) with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. The point I was making is this, from a legal standpoint the more evidence a creator has of his or her copyright ownership the better.

[LSemmens]

Copyright, as with a Patent, is only a proof of ownership. It is absolutely no good to you until you have to take an infringer to court to make them pay. Registration with various performing rights associations is good in that it, at least, demonstrates some "ownership" and guarantees an income stream from honest people. Copyright, and Patents are only useful if you need to recourse to the law to get your due rewards from those who choose to ignore your originality in the first place.