A copyright question

[ronnie35]

Hi I copyright everysong I write my question is it better to copyright each song by it self or lets say a library picks you up is it ok to come up with a name that covers a group of your songs ? Copyright is pretty expensive $55 a tune ouch!

Ron

[andygabrys]

hey Ron,

there are as many different ways to go with copyright thing as people.

but honestly - and it may seem crazy - but a lot of people don't both copywriting at all. For example - if I sign music exclusively to a publisher, in some cases they want to assume the copyright. In that case, copywriting your song yourself makes things messy when they go to copyright (if they bother).

And those that do copyright - if you send in a CD of works you can register them all as an album instead of one at a time. That might save you some cash.

besides straight cost there may be other advantages or disadvantages to registering a collection of works together.

You might want to research a little more what registering copyright gives you as far as benefits, and what it doesn't. You might also see what kinds of damages you would have to be experiencing before a copyright fight in the courts gets you anything (after all the lawyers are paid) - and here i mean is it $100, or $75,000.

Just an opinion. HTH

[ronnie35]

Andy thank you so much very helpful.
Hope to see you at the rally. I have been focusing much more on instrumentals. Although I do have a few singersongwriter songs. But I feel that instrumentals especially in the dramedy area FROM QUCKERY to hypnotic has a hold on me. thank you for all your sound advice I still have a ways to go but I am seeing light.

Thank Ron

[andygabrys]

hopefully others chime in with equally strong viewpoints the other way, not to cloud the issue, but to present all the possible sides.

I'll be there Ron at the rally - looking forward.

[TheElement]

I used to register copyright but feel now its a waste of time unless your song gets picked up by a major label artist and then I guess they would register the copyright. But for film and tv it doesn't make sense. Just keep writing and submitting. Your music is automatically copyright upon creation of your original creative work in a fixed, tangible form...ie mp3, wav file etc...