On Thu, Sep 27, 2001 at 01:29:09PM +0100, rob hod wrote:
>     Apologies to the topic-police but could someone explain this copyright
> thread to me, I presume it concerns the US situation, but I wondered if it
> might throw up some tips for me, as i'm not clear what the situation is here
> in the UK.

I think it's worth keeping this on-list for the moment as it's probably
relevant to many.

First of all, you don't have to register copyright. Copyright subsists
in everything you create, automatically. However, it's obviously desirable
that you should be able to *prove* that you authored something *before*
some random other person who ripped you off did.

In the US there is a copyright office where you can register your music
in two different ways, and this helps provide the necessary proof of date
of authorship, and coincidentally offers certain guarantees about compensation
should you be ripped off. You can register both a particular song, and
a physical entity like a CD which contains one or more songs. These copyrights
are separate things and have separate forms. Form PA (Performing Arts) is
used to protect the songs themselves -- words and music. Form SR (Sound
Recording) protects the physical recording. This is explained at:
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ56.html#choosing

In the UK there is NO OFFICIAL COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION. Also copyright only
protects the realisation of an idea, not the idea itself. As far as I know
there is nothing to prevent you registering with the US copyright office
if you wish to, but in the UK this is not necessary. The usual method to
protect yourself is to make a recording of your songs, place them with
a copyright notice etc into an envelope which is sealed and then either
deposited with a bank or solicitor (which can vouch for the date of its
deposit) or posted to yourself by Special Delivery, which shows the date
of posting clearly, and kept unopened. Lots more at:
http://www.intellectual-property.gov.uk/

Mainstream musicians in the UK usually join a society such as the MCPS
and/or PRS. These can assist in protecting your rights, but I personally
would not join them as they both have a vested interest in preserving
the cartel of "big name" artists and major record labels. Also typically
when you join you actually surrender your own rights to them, rather than
granting them a specific licence, so they really get you over a barrel.
But that's my personal opinion.

I'm afraid I can't comment on the situation in other countries, although
those within the EU are *probably* similar to the UK since copyright
laws were recently harmonised.

Jamm!n