Copyrighting a song

Hello, everyone, how are you? i've never been here before...I'm new in a band, just wanted to know about copyrighting songs...what do I need to do? Do I record it on a four track, mail it in to the US copywrite office? Or do I simply record it, name it, put a label on the cassette or CD and call it a 'done deal"? Not sure...thanks so much for any input..

You're material is copyrighted once it's fixed to a medium. You can also register your copyright with the US Copyright Office. Read things over, determine which form you need, and pay the $35 filing fee. Note you can register more than one work under a single applicaition (and filing fee).

Rick

I appreciate your help on this, RDuke. Posting to a medium...well, I sent you an email, so you know I'm confused by this..a medium meaning a cassette, CD, etc...? Thanks.

Yeah, recorded medium or sheet music. Look around the copyright site for specifics...Form SR and/or Form PA. Requirements for submission differ upon the filing form best I remember.

Don't know how the UK compares with the States as regards the 'Copyright Office', but years ago I was told that the cheapest way of copyrighting a song was to mail your cassette (or whatever medium) to yourself in a sealed envelope/jiffy bag....

As long as you don't open it when it's delivered, the postage date proves that the song 'existed' on that specific date....

I do that here in the states too. It's called a "common law copyright", but quite honestly, I have no idea how well it would really hold up in court. Regardless I still do it before I send out for the real copyrights. Dig.

Dugan

The old "Mail yourself a letter/tape" thing will never hold up in court, it's a waste. You can register as many songs as you want, all at one time for a lousy $35 bucks. Do it the right way and you'll have no problems.

You can also get a safe deposit box at your bank and when you put something in it the bank will give you a reciept but, again, the cost of the box will probably be more then doing it the right way.

HoHum is right. The old record it and mail it to yourself copyright idea will not hold up in court. Like he said, get the form from the copyright office off the web and mail it in including a tape/cd recording of the songs and lyrics. You can put multiple songs one cd and copyright them like that also so you're not doing one at a time.

Steve

I understand but with everyone saying "it wont hold up in court" can anyone say why? Its obviously informal, but does make it's point. Why wouldnt it?

All I know is that I had an entertainment lawyer say it wouldn't hold up.

I think it comes down to this. All an envelope proves is that the music in question was recorded by a certain date (verified by the postmark). If someone has stolen your music and you sue the person, the envelope with the postmark would supposedly give you some kind of proof of the general date the song was written (or at least recorded). You would assume that if the person who stole the song didn't have any proof to their claim of the music that your envelope with the tape still sealed in it would be all you'd need to prove your point, however, all a good scam artist has to do is to send themselves some envolopes in the mail and and put them away for the day when they find a good song to steal. Then they manipulate the envelope (i.e. open it and stick their own tape inside). Believe me, if people can print fake money and pass it off as real, they can certainly figure out how to open and re-seal a crummy envelope.

Steve

The truth of the matter is, you owned the copyright before you mailed the writing to yourself. A work is copyrighted as soon as it is put onto a tangible medium; scribbled onto a bar napkin for example. The only problem is being able to prove it in a court. Whether the mailing thing works or not, it can

Here's the basics. I'd go by this rather than hearsay.

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ1.html