"Collection" Copyright Question

[wpzad]

I have a bunch of new tunes that I need to register. My question regarding copyrighting these songs as a collection is if I wind up signing one or some of these songs with a publisher, music library etc. can the original collection copyright be effected in any way? Are there any situations that I need to be aware of using this method of copyright vs a single song copyright such as the SR form?

[suzdoyle]

Hey WPZAD,Welcome to Taxi.Copyrighting a collection of songs gives each song in the collection full legal protection, but means the songs will not be able to be searched for individually on the copyright web site. So if your main issue is having songs protected, then copyrighting them as a collection works fine.If having people search for a single song's copyright info by title is more important, than copyrighting songs singly would be a better choice. Either way, you'll want to register every song singly with your PRO (Performing Rights Org.) -- either ASCAP, BMI or SESAC.Hope this helps.Suz

[wpzad]

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't thought about the PRO point. I will update that today. I guess what I'm not clear on is how signing a deal may effect my copyright. To me the copyright is almost sacred so that's why I want to be clear on this. Let's take a single song copyright to keep my confusion minimal. When you sign a standard (50/50) deal, I the writer retain 50% and the publisher acquires 50% of the copyright or would it be the copyright's earnings. Meaning that I would still own 100% of the original copyright but have agreed to split the earnings 50/50 with the publisher. Do you see what I'm getting at? Or am I signing a deal on a composition that I own the copyright to but have agreed to split the compositions earnings with the publisher 50/50 but still own 100% of the copyright? I'm more than happy to split the earnings 50/50 with someone who is able to make money with my music. It's the ownership of the copyright of that music that I get concerned about... Well, hopefully I've expressed my confusion as well as I seem to do on some of my first takes! (Cm'on now you all know what I mean..)