When to register a copyright for a musical composition?
Copyright Registration for Musical Compositions 3 Year of Completion The year of completion is the year in which the version of the work you are registering was first fixed in writing or recorded in any other tangible form. • If you are registering a work that was written or recorded over a period of time, or a work that
When does a musical composition not constitute publication?
musical composition does not, in and of itself, constitute publication. • If the work has not been published, state that the work is “unpublished.” • If the work has been published, give the month, day, and year that the copies or phonorecords
Can a sound recording of a musical composition be made?
Once a musical composition is published in the United States on phonorecords, others are permitted to make subsequent sound recordings of the musical composition subject to a compulsory licensing provision in the copyright law.2For more information, see Compulsory License for Making and Distributing Phonorecords(Circular 73).
When did Chick Corea write the song Spain?
Here, Corea shares the original sheet music for “Spain,” a composition for the group’s 1972 sophomore album, Light as a Feather . THE FIRST RECORDING took about three hours at a New York studio. This was in 1972, within the first year or two of Return to Forever’s inception.
Can a song title be a reference to a song?
As an alternative to quoting lyrics, an author may consider identifying the singer and song title, or referencing the lyrics without directly quoting them. The song, “American Pie”, provides a good example of how references may be made to artists, songs and lyrics with almost no direct references to artists, titles or lyrics.
Is it illegal to share a song title with a prior work?
Absent unusual circumstances, producing a new song (or book, or movie) that happens to share a title with a prior, copyrighted work is not going to present a legal problem. Many songs share titles with prior musical works, with no legal implications for the author or obligation to seek permission or to pay royalties.
Can a song title be copyrighted in the US?
Although an argument might be made that an extremely long title should be subject to copyright protection, it does not appear that the U.S. Copyright Office has ever found that a title of any length could be successfully registered for copyright protection. 1
What happens if you reuse a song title?
For a title that the public would associate with a specific hit song or that includes a trademark, reuse of the title may result in claims of a trademark violation or unfair competition.