proof of access

if some artist or agent gets your registered songs from the LIBRARY of CONGRESS, does the library contact you or make a record of the access? and if they change it a little and put it on a million seller CD, how would you know? They could make 50 grand and the creator gets O.

9. How can I obtain copies of someone else's work and/or registration certificate?

The Copyright Office will not honor a request for a copy of someone else's work without written authorization from the owner or from his or her designated agent if that work is still under copyright protection, unless the work is involved in litigation. Written permission from the copyright owner or a litigation statement is required before copies can be made available. A certificate of registration for any registered work can be obtained for a fee of $30. Circular 6 provides additional information.

-from US Copyright Office FAQs

U.S. Copyright Office, a part of the Library of Congress

101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000, telephone (202) 707-3000

man is someone stealing your songs? whats going on?

YES, i tried to collaborate with someone on the net, and they disappeared with my creation (to where?). I have read of other thefts from other songwritter forms, where they lost infringement cases because they had all the evidence and could not prove ACCESS. There is an attitude among musicians "making money in the music business" that songs are like air and moonlight, they belong to everybody. Not that much money is at risk these days, due to the also help yourself attitudes. A musician chat form had a comment that he downloaded 600 jazz hits and claimed he would be giving it all back when he did his music. All a songwritter can do is register your songs only with the U.S. Copyright Office, keep secrets from industrial spies and get an access receipt signed and dated by anyone who gets your demo. But that cannot stop someone from emailing it to a pal anywhere on the globe. Personally i had a girl friend who wrote about 40 songs , had them taped by a "friend" then he went to michigan and disappeared with them. I told her to register them with the U.S. copyright Office and gather evidence of access and infringement.

Personally i had a girl friend who wrote about 40 songs , had them taped by a "friend" then he went to michigan and disappeared with them. I told her to register them with the U.S. copyright Office and gather evidence of access and infringement.

Sounds like she gave them away herself out of misplaced trust and lack of knowledge of the law and of business. There would be no infringement unless she could prove prior ownership. You are bringing up many issues here which are all largely separate in nature though loosely related. You are talking about people being conned out of their music, and people getting music stolen from the internet, and people getting music stolen without their knowledge or consent ( though I can assure you, it is not being stolen from the Library of Congress.) I had my stuff posted on Napster a few years ago without my knowledge or consent, and when I found out I sent them an email and demanded it be removed, and it was.

The things you mention are things that happen because most people who develop themselves as songwriters spend a great deal of time on the craft and about 10 minutes learning the business. But learning about the business (and the laws governing it) are essential unless one plans on filling notebooks with songs that will never see the light of day. But once they are produced for consumption, i.e., recorded and/or charted, they become fair game for predators unless you know what you're doing. That's why you need to belong to a PRO, and be an active participant in your future by learning. Most musicians are frankly too lazy to learn the business and the law surrounding it and rely on myths and urban legends as fact. If someone can't or won't learn the business, they ought to stay out of it or expect to get reamed up the hindquarters on a regular basis.

speaking of PRO's do publishers & artists go looking for material on ASCAP? all they can get there is the song title and writers name, right? And if you send a demo cd to a publisher, do you need a signature/registered letterback to prove access?

Songwriters publish their own or get a deal with a publisher. The publisher in turn shops the songs to artists, managers, and producers. ASCAP and BMI are basically collection agencies for the publishers and artists royalties.