AmazingJas Member Posts: 437 From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA Registered: 04-03-2003 |
Hi, I'm wanting to use some secular jazz music in a very small budget commercial project of mine. I was going to have a muso friend of mine compose a piece but then someone told me that if you get some sheet music of a well known piece, and then re-record it (I guess your own interpretation of the music), then copyright is not an issue, and you can use the resulting music without limitation? Sounds too good to be true as I have a particular piece that I'd love to use, but it sounds a bit suspicious to me. Before I check with my lawyer (which costs!) does anyone know anything about this? Thanks. |
Klumsy Administrator Posts: 1061 From: Port Angeles, WA, USA Registered: 10-25-2001 |
i'm not too sure about that.. the music, and the lyrics etc are innately copyright of the author. If you rerecord using their music, i believe you are breaking the authors copyrights.. Most labels/ studios however don't have copyright of the music etc., they have copyright of the recording.. Thus when you copy a CD, you are breaking their copyright.. When a artist changes label he can't take his old recorded songs, and use them on the new label.. because the old label ussually owns the copyright of the recording.. However he can make an agreement with them, or rerecord the songs again, as he owns the copyright of the actual music.. I don't think you situation would become fair use, unless you were doing a parody or other such things.. or making a completely new peice of music with inspiration only from the original.. As for copyrights, churchs often have to pay rotalities for the worship songs they sing and play in church.. I know our church (other than we sing 85% our own songs) pays so much money a year to one company/organisation which has the authority to license a whole range of christian songs for church use). ------------------ [This message has been edited by klumsy (edited May 04, 2003).] |
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AmazingJas Member Posts: 437 From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA Registered: 04-03-2003 |
WHat you say makes total sense, it sounded too good to be true and I don't want to waste money on checking into it, unless there is at least some chance of it being correct. Prob is that the guy who told me this is normally really, really reliable.. |
CobraA1 Member Posts: 926 From: MN Registered: 02-19-2001 |
The copyright office webpage is here: http://www.copyright.gov/ But it seems to be down right now ------------------ |
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AmazingJas Member Posts: 437 From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA Registered: 04-03-2003 |
Thanks Cobra, it pretty much confirms that my information was incorrect. Apparently there is some arrangement wherein if you compose a piece and then sell the copyright to say, a record company, you still have the right to re-record a new version of the original and make a new copyright (same as what Klumsey said), which is close to what I heard, but no where near enough to my hopeful situation, so it's back to the music man for me.. [This message has been edited by AmazingJas (edited May 05, 2003).] |
. Once it's back up, it should have all the information you need.