Willbe/Orion ripped off ?
category: general [glöplog]
The copyright laws especially in europe are very straight forward but strangely enough, not widely known.
The instant you produce a work you have the copyright of it, even if it is some random sketch on some scrap paper.
Still, having the copyright and proving you have the copyright are two different issues.
For music, the simplest way to create proof of copyright is to burn a cd with your music, and then snail mail it to your home address.. therefore you have proof that you are the earliest owner of the music, as long as you keep that envelope sealed having the stamp of the postal service. Having the source files and/or recordings of the musical piece (projects files, wavs etc) helps as well should you drag someone into court for copyright infringement.
Now, again having the copyright and making money out of your work is a different issue. There are companies that offer to manage your copyright.. rights (!), for a small percentage of your earnings. i.e, you have composed a musical piece which you have published for free under no record company, but you have assigned another company to collect fees for you from those who want to use your musical piece for profit (public broadcast on tv, radio, festivals etc) and of course keep a little share to keep things running.
You may as well go and manage your rights on your own, but that is quite a pain in the ass if you don't have much spare time.
There is also a case where you get proof of copyright the moment you publically perform/present the piece to a wider audience (and by wider I mean outside your family and close friends), but I am not really certain how it works.
Finally, the copyright for a work produced by more than one person, belongs to all people equally unless differently stated and agreed by the creators.
The instant you produce a work you have the copyright of it, even if it is some random sketch on some scrap paper.
Still, having the copyright and proving you have the copyright are two different issues.
For music, the simplest way to create proof of copyright is to burn a cd with your music, and then snail mail it to your home address.. therefore you have proof that you are the earliest owner of the music, as long as you keep that envelope sealed having the stamp of the postal service. Having the source files and/or recordings of the musical piece (projects files, wavs etc) helps as well should you drag someone into court for copyright infringement.
Now, again having the copyright and making money out of your work is a different issue. There are companies that offer to manage your copyright.. rights (!), for a small percentage of your earnings. i.e, you have composed a musical piece which you have published for free under no record company, but you have assigned another company to collect fees for you from those who want to use your musical piece for profit (public broadcast on tv, radio, festivals etc) and of course keep a little share to keep things running.
You may as well go and manage your rights on your own, but that is quite a pain in the ass if you don't have much spare time.
There is also a case where you get proof of copyright the moment you publically perform/present the piece to a wider audience (and by wider I mean outside your family and close friends), but I am not really certain how it works.
Finally, the copyright for a work produced by more than one person, belongs to all people equally unless differently stated and agreed by the creators.
There's two sides to copyright : you own the "sheetmusic" (the composition) It's called publishing, and like amusic mentioned, you usually let a company look after your publishing rights (radioplay, covers etc.)
Also note that in publishing there's always 2 parties : composer and lyricist (even if the music is instrumental you automatically claim lyrics)
The other type of rights is when you sign for a label: you give them the right to sell/duplicate the "recording of the performance" in a certain timeframe for a certain percentage of sales (royalties) and negotiate percentages for licencing the recording out to third parties (compilations, commercials, etc)
In short : in most cases the music is always yours, and the recordcontract will give the label permission to try and make money out of it until the contract runs out and you get full rights back on the performance ...
Be warned though, every contract can be different and have major loopholes, get a lawyer and stay on your toes.
Also note that in publishing there's always 2 parties : composer and lyricist (even if the music is instrumental you automatically claim lyrics)
The other type of rights is when you sign for a label: you give them the right to sell/duplicate the "recording of the performance" in a certain timeframe for a certain percentage of sales (royalties) and negotiate percentages for licencing the recording out to third parties (compilations, commercials, etc)
In short : in most cases the music is always yours, and the recordcontract will give the label permission to try and make money out of it until the contract runs out and you get full rights back on the performance ...
Be warned though, every contract can be different and have major loopholes, get a lawyer and stay on your toes.
hehe.. one thing my few steps in the 'real world music bussiness' have learned me is that you should ALWAYS have a lawyer to check your contract.. i've seen people getting, or almost getting fucked over a LOT!!!
I've done some research about contracts with record labels, and at least here in Greece the things are very dissapointing. Especially when it comes to genres that are different from what a whole nation is used to listen to (and in Greece, it's copy/paste greek folk music).
It is rather doubtful that an artist will manage to break even with record sales, and the royalties are so ridiculously small, while the obligations to the record label are ridiculously high that I'd much more prefer to give my music for free over the net and have a paypal form for anyone who feels like donating anything for the music.
The only way to be succesful through a record label is to be already famous, or have huge media support behind you. Sad but true. (Again all the info concern the greek market)
It is rather doubtful that an artist will manage to break even with record sales, and the royalties are so ridiculously small, while the obligations to the record label are ridiculously high that I'd much more prefer to give my music for free over the net and have a paypal form for anyone who feels like donating anything for the music.
The only way to be succesful through a record label is to be already famous, or have huge media support behind you. Sad but true. (Again all the info concern the greek market)
It is such a shame that many people listen to this kind of modern crap, when there is so much more better (folk) music from the past.
The modern 'Entehno' music is laughably tedious. I really cannot believe how bad it is. And people listening to this, thing that this is 'good' music. No, it is just rubbish.
Of course it can get worst - pop.
The modern 'Entehno' music is laughably tedious. I really cannot believe how bad it is. And people listening to this, thing that this is 'good' music. No, it is just rubbish.
Of course it can get worst - pop.
http://www.m2m-australia.com/ \o/
haha, yes navis! and you telling this converts us ALL!!!!
*starts 'N-Sync - Dirty Pop'*
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... dirty pop!
*starts 'N-Sync - Dirty Pop'*
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... dirty pop!
oh come on okkie, have an open mind!
mmkay, probably a bad idea :)
mmkay, probably a bad idea :)
All the music that I don't like is RUBBISH! Odd, that.
PLEASE THE COOKIE-CUTTER THING (thx to buzzie :)
Gargaj: Bah, I'm sure the Polish translation would have more feelings from the synchronizer in it. ;)
The web agency just mailed me back.
They're okay to properly credit me and to link my site.
Cool to hear, let's see if it will be done quickly.
They're okay to properly credit me and to link my site.
Cool to hear, let's see if it will be done quickly.
