Thread: copyright
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  #15  
Old 02-25-2021, 07:14 AM
Tadmcd Tadmcd is offline
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i rec'd today a response from the copyright folks and i am unanimously disappointed:


We are writing because your application includes a claim to copyright in lyrics and music, but the music you sent consists only of chord symbols. These chord symbols alone do not represent enough original authorship to support a copyright claim.

When a claim includes music, the copy deposited must contain at least a minimum amount of original musical expression. Chord symbols do not meet this requirement when there are only a few of them, when they are repetitious, or when they represent only standard harmonies.

Perhaps these words are intended to be sung to a melody. If you would like to submit a copy containing the melody, please let us know and we will give you instructions for sending this material. Or, if you want us to complete registration using the present copy, please give us permission to remove the term “music” from the registration record, as well as the co-author of only the music.


given my remarkable lack of musical chops and any hope of complying with the requirements of the United States Copyright Office, this ends the dream of surprising my friend at a relatively low cost. i am verklempt.

as an aside, i don't understand why chords, repetitious or otherwise, don't represent "music," especially given the fact that about 99.99999% of the stuff i download to play contains nothing more than lyrics and chords. and, in re "only a few of them," i assume the copyright folks would be surprised to hear the expression, "three chords and the truth."

this, my friends, is a traveshamockery!
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