How To Copyright Your Songs:
A Practical View Of Copyrights
Songwriters often worry their songs will be stolen. Sometimes they are so worried, they don't show people their songs, submit songs to publishers or enter song contests.
At some point in the songwriting process, this kind of reluctant concern becomes counterproductive — even a bit paranoid.
Songwriters who take time to understand basic copyright law usually come to this conclusion: There is no reason to miss opportunities in the music business out of fear that someone will steal your songs.
BASIC RULES OF COPYRIGHTS
When it comes to copyright protection, the main thing to remember is this: The revised Copyright Law of 1976 states that a songwriter legally owns the copyright to his/her song the moment the song is written.
All you need to do to establish a legal copyright is affix a copyright notice on your recording or lyrics. The term "affix" simply means you write your name and the year the song was written next to the copyright symbol.
The format looks like this: © YOUR NAME 2007
That's all there is to it. In fact, it's not even necessary to include a copyright notice on subsequent recordings. The writer still has copyright protection.
PRACTICAL COPYRIGHT USAGE
Because copyright law provides clear protections at the time of creation, experienced songwriters often wait to file formal copyrights (with the U.S. Office of Copyrights) until their songs are polished, rewritten, completed and ready to be published or released commercially.
When a song is finished and ready to go, it's ready to be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
HOW TO ORDER COPYRIGHT FORMS
To order copyright forms from the U.S. Copyright Office, call the Federal Information Office toll-free at 1-800-688-9889
To ask specific questions about the copyright process, call the Copyright Office at 202-707-5959 or 202 707-9100. (These numbers are not toll-free).
Online you can visit the U.S. Copyright Office website to download the appropriate copyright form.
Form PA: For published or unpublished works.
Form SR: For sound recordings.
Instructions are provided at the website. The PA Form is used for copyrighting songs. The SR Form is used for copyrighting sound recordings.
Money-Saving Tip: The copyright registration fee (currently $45) covers either one song OR an entire collection of songs. So instead of copyrighting each song separately, you can save money by copyrighting many songs at the same time and registering "Collections" of your songs. For example: "Great Songs By (Your Name) 2005."
{Note: You cannot copyright an idea or a song title. Anyone can write a song about love or happiness or a lost dog. They just can't write the same song — lyric or melody.}
*Note: This article on copyrights is presented as practical information, not legal advice.
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Songwriters Resource Network™
oh by the way the writings are not mine hehe i found it in this website:
http://www.songwritersresourcenetwork.com/copyrights.htmlyour topic was interesting enough. Goodluck to your compositions!
