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LotF
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:39 pm
Posts: 371
Location: Antarctica
PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:00 pm 
 

For those who are experienced at making music:

I'm going to be releasing music in the near future. Some of the stuff I have made I'm quite proud of, though I'm releasing it freely. People will be able to get it off of my website or SLSK free. I don't want to make any money from it, nor am I in it for the money.

Though, with this I was wondering what can I do to say legally "This is my song"? I'm not trying to Metallica it, I'm just wondering how it's done. I really doubt anyone would actually steal stuff, but the blue moon occasions do happen (Velvet Cacoon anyone?). Really it is just paranoia, since... technically before I didn't care. It just feels so much different now because I'm going to be releasing my best ideas and my hard work; free.
Thanks.
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rexxz
Where's your band?

Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 9094
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:51 pm 
 

Intellectual property is instantly copyrighted upon its creation. However you might want to register your copyrights, which you'd do so through appropriate offices of your country. There'd be little use in registering it though if you don't really want to make money off of it. To provide yourself with a more concrete form of proof of ownership, you could email or mail your music to yourself which provides a real date which can be used in courts of law as evidence of ownership.
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blackpage
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:17 pm
Posts: 27
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:43 pm 
 

Not sure about Germany, but in the US at least you'll want to get a patent on the particular sound recording as well.

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rexxz
Where's your band?

Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 9094
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:43 pm 
 

No. That's not how it works.
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SupremeAbstract
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:51 pm
Posts: 122
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:54 pm 
 

Having the raw unmixed unmastered tracks on your computer or portastudio is pretty much irrefutable evidence that you created it, or at least were involved in it's creation at some point.
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Manic616
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:01 pm
Posts: 572
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:58 pm 
 

rexxz wrote:
To provide yourself with a more concrete form of proof of ownership, you could email or mail your music to yourself which provides a real date which can be used in courts of law as evidence of ownership.


Thats what I did with my music so I would have proof of creation plus the date.

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rexxz
Where's your band?

Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 9094
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:03 pm 
 

SupremeAbstract wrote:
Having the raw unmixed unmastered tracks on your computer or portastudio is pretty much irrefutable evidence that you created it, or at least were involved in it's creation at some point.


Yep, but the reason copyright registration is important is because you can only seek a low level of reperations from a law-suit if someone infringes your copyright and it's not registered.
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circleofdestruction
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:15 am
Posts: 1050
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:25 pm 
 

Yeah, it's probably better than nothing, anyway.

Still, when I self-released a demo in 1997 I registered it, I sent a copy of the music notation and a copy of the cassette, and had to fill out some kind of form with info including pseudonyms, etc. I don't know how it works in Germany, or even here in the US anymore since that was ten years ago, but it cost me $20 then.
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rexxz
Where's your band?

Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 9094
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:29 pm 
 

Yes you have to fill out forms, I have copies of them here.

Business law was part of my minor curriculum in college, specializing in music business. It really pertained to US business law but I assume Germany is at least very similar.
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thewitchfinder
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:07 am
Posts: 145
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:39 pm 
 

rexxz wrote:
To provide yourself with a more concrete form of proof of ownership, you could email or mail your music to yourself which provides a real date which can be used in courts of law as evidence of ownership.


The poor mans copyright. I suggest doing this. When you start getting more out there in the music business - take it to a higher level with the forms and fees.

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rexxz
Where's your band?

Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 9094
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:52 pm 
 

Yeah, it should not be used as a substitute for actual registration though, since it can also easily be faked and may not hold up in court.
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Dechripastocide
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 3:16 am
Posts: 162
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:28 pm 
 

rexxz wrote:
Yeah, it should not be used as a substitute for actual registration though, since it can also easily be faked and may not hold up in court.

Can mailing something to yourself be faked? I'm not sure I understand this completely.

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Manic616
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:01 pm
Posts: 572
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:30 pm 
 

Dechripastocide wrote:
rexxz wrote:
Yeah, it should not be used as a substitute for actual registration though, since it can also easily be faked and may not hold up in court.

Can mailing something to yourself be faked? I'm not sure I understand this completely.

Its not that hard to fake an address and a postal stamp...

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rexxz
Where's your band?

Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 9094
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:33 pm 
 

Dechripastocide wrote:
rexxz wrote:
Yeah, it should not be used as a substitute for actual registration though, since it can also easily be faked and may not hold up in court.

Can mailing something to yourself be faked? I'm not sure I understand this completely.


You can mail a package to yourself and fill it with contents at a later date then seal it. So it is a very inconclusive sort of evidence.
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