Copyrights and Public Domain

What are your opinions about copyrights and public domain? Do you find them helpful, necessary, restrictive, or confusing?

Where do you go to for more information?

Care to define a bit more your questions?

But for me copyright after the death of the composer is a bit redantant, stupid, and as so many things in life, imposed by companies (publisher practically). Thing is, though, that as a composer, I have nothing to leave to my children as my heritage, except my music. I mean, a shop owner will leave his boys the... shop. A doctor, if the kids become doctors will leave... his clients and so on. The idea of leaving the music to your children is not so appaling really.

But I would never want my, personal, music to be left for 70 years (?!?!?!?!?!?!) after death so my grand grand grand children to taste the benefits. Completely stupid. Let's say 5-10 years after the death of the composer, so that the children feel better if the father dies, and that's all. :p

Public domain: It's free, it's there. More or less, you do know what is PD and what is not and unless you are making money (and a considerable amount actually), no one minds. I mean take any song of today and make a cover. Who cares??? I mean, in the end even if... sir (:p) Mcratney catches you singing Let it be, what will he do? Tell you to stop?

I also am a little perplexed as to the goal of this "question".

I believe in copyright for living composers. The creative output of any artist should have some sort of legal protection.

Likewise, I believe there should be SOME leeway for "inheritance" to the heirs of a composer. However, that leeway has, in my opinion, been considerably abused with the ever lengthening periods covered for copyright. Particularly since so little of that protection actually benefits anyone but the publishing houses.

I don't know, 10-20 years after a composer's death seems reasonable to me. And if a publisher holds the copyright, it should ONLY apply to their "edition" of the work in question - the actual page layout, etc...

My apologies, I left the question somewhat open to prevent replies being pushed in a certain direction. I intended to ask how people/young composers are up to speed regarding legislation and how it is part of their daily work.

I read that regarding public domain one should not be too concerned; especially, as you point out nikolas, in case no money is being made.

How do you check up on that your work is not being copied somewhere? Are most people here (in Young Composers) member of some union? Or do most people work within a company that has dedicated people for such topics? And is there a possibility (e.g. a central databank) in which I could look up who owns what rights to a particular piece?

In case I would like to read up more, and I don

How do you check up on that your work is not being copied somewhere? Are most people here (in Young Composers) member of some union? Or do most people work within a company that has dedicated people for such topics? And is there a possibility (e.g. a central databank) in which I could look up who owns what rights to a particular piece?

[re: keeping tabs]

How do you check up? You have performing rights societies to do the follow up on legal performances (radio/concert/clubs - who should have paid licensing fees), but unless you feel like scouring radio playlists from across the country and keeping watch on websites and internet radio and such.... you get the picture....it's tough.

[re: performing rights societies]

I'd expect most folks on here are not members of any such society... see:

• SOCAN (Canada)
  
• BMI (USA)
  
• ASCAP (USA)
  
• MCPS-PRS (UK)
  
• CISAC (international)
  

[re: database searching]

There is such a thing...I've never had occasion to use one, but a quick poke finds: ASCAP ACE - Database of works registered to copyright protection.

... hope this helps. And it reminds me...I need to register a few more pieces.

How do you check up on that your work is not being copied somewhere? Are most people here (in Young Composers) member of some union? Or do most people work within a company that has dedicated people for such topics? And is there a possibility (e.g. a central databank) in which I could look up who owns what rights to a particular piece?

First of,

copyrights exist without working for a company, or registering. By law, in most countries, the creator is by definition the copyright holder.

That said, if someone stole my tracks, or QCCs tracks, how on earth would I know? If I find out, I can always sue, but then I will have to prove they are mine. (Here is where registration, or publishing comes into play). Just being the composer, doesn't mean much, in all honesty. I could, for example, perfectly well, explain and analyse your own track, and pass it up as my own. There was no chance you would persuade someone that it was yours. What's more, digital times and dates, don't pass into court and furthermore I have more "friends" than you :toothygrin: and I am more popular than you :toothygrin:x2 which means that more people will see my name under the track than yours. Case closed (<-of course the above is an assumption and no insult is intended, nor it holds any water in truth, but it's how things work.)

If you have, however registered your tracks with some company (copyright registration is the words to google, and depending on the country you're on there should be a service, which shouldn't be freee, unfortunately), then chances are that you should be ok.

Now, for the actual facts.

Me and QCC, are professionals, like we get paid to compose. I don't think he, and I certainly don't have any problem with someone stealing my music. I doubt I'm "good enough", and I don't create those "ultra catchy" tracks for someone to steal. If I was about on hip-hop with ultra slim and sexy bass lines, then I could worry. But now, who on earth will go and steal "exeliksis"? (buahahahaha!)

You, generally don't have much to worry. In all, register, or don't post on the internet. But noone, unless you are REALLY REALLY REALLY good, will care. At least from my POV.

____________

On a semi-related issue, I was googling my name "nikolas sideris", because yes, I'm that type of retarded internet person and a newbie and blah blah, but actually it protects what I do:

I found on page 6-7 links to my scores. ALL my scores. EVen the ones that were on my webpage but not on my website!!!!!! So I got rather pissed off, since I never gave permission to anyone to do this, and I'd hate for anyone to get, even a tiny bit of traffic, thus advertising value, from my own work, without me getting anything (which isn't much of a point, I don't expect to earn anything for a few 100s of views over the internet), but without my permission. I had, of course, given my permission for IMSLP to use my scores, but it was different (and my permission).

Either way, I contacted the persons respnsible of the site, not the one who uploaded my stuff, and told him about copyright, etc. He was apologetic and asked me to fill in various details for some US law to apply, etc. I filled all the necessary part, in my opinion, send it back, and told him that, I live in the UK, so US laws do not apply to me. He removed the scores and I thanked him.

silly business and no harm done, but it did bug me, that the guy never asked. "problem" (<-non existant) solved.

But now, who on earth will go and steal "exeliksis"? (buahahahaha!)

You never know... :musicwhistle: