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I wish to make some list of rules about the copyright basics, with more interest there are even more information than I expected.
I´ll start and expand the list in the next days, any corrections and ideas are appreciated. If there is already some summary please let me know... Thank you!
So what I found:

Example:
I´m author (songwriter, composer, ...) which finishes the work (track, lyrics,... ) and before
using, broadcasting , etc. the work somewhere I´d like to have guarantee (at least good feeling about that :- ) to be the owner of the copyright.


1) Automatically when I write or compose something it is copyrighted.
2) Local company which provides services for songwriters, composers, musicians, ....
3) I, you join ....
* ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; founded and run by composers, authors and publishers which makes up it's membership) or ....
* BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.; run by broadcasters) or .....
* SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors & Composers) - not easy to be a member
* The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers (UK) - http://www.songwriters-guild.co.uk/home.htm
* PRS - Performing Right Society (UK)
4) I, you: can register my work on http://www.copyright.gov/ (under http://www.loc.gov) - very slow process (by mail), online system is faster
5) .....


(The "envelope" system - time stamp)
ASCAP explanation http://www.ascap.com/musicbiz/copyright_tips.html

thanks for your opinions and experience

Vašek

Some more useful info about copyright: http://www.taxi.com/music-business-faq/ ... index.html

http://forums.taxi.com/topic2327.html

Casey

Dear Casey,
thanks a lot for the link and your interest!

You CAN actually get away cheaper if you copyright with ISA in the UK, where you pay 50£ annually to be a member, but can copyright any amount of songs you'd like for free within that fee. http://www.songwriters-guild.co.uk/home.htm This makes it a lot more digestive when you do 100+ instrumentals a year..

As far as I understand, copyrights with ISA are also valid in a US court of law, but you won't then benefit from the particular paragraph 101 in the US Copyright Act which is more specific in the definition of terms than in other countries.
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#101

Without those definitions, copyright law is a lot less unclear, and you will probably need a better (more expensive) lawyer to state your claim. Other countries have a definitions section too, of course, but seems a lot less clear and not as specific for music business as the American one.

I'm NOT a laywer, so the usual disclaimer applies here, though.

Vasek:

Good information. I would add that the US Library of Congress is VERY slow with their copyrights. I have had some that have taken 1 1/2 years to get back, however once it is RECEIVED by them, that's as good as finished. It's important to get a delivery acknowledgment via UPS or other company with a tracking system. I did my first online copyrights back in May, and I got them back in the mail a few weeks ago, so the online service is much faster.

All the best,

Kazak wrote:Vasek:

Good information. I would add that the US Library of Congress is VERY slow with their copyrights. I have had some that have taken 1 1/2 years to get back, however once it is RECEIVED by them, that's as good as finished. It's important to get a delivery acknowledgment via UPS or other company with a tracking system. I did my first online copyrights back in May, and I got them back in the mail a few weeks ago, so the online service is much faster.

All the best,

Dear Mrs. Alicia,
thanks for your information and experience.
I have updated the list above...

thesongcabinet wrote:You CAN actually get away cheaper if you copyright with ISA in the UK, where you pay 50£ annually to be a member, but can copyright any amount of songs you'd like for free within that fee. http://www.songwriters-guild.co.uk/home.htm This makes it a lot more digestive when you do 100+ instrumentals a year..

As far as I understand, copyrights with ISA are also valid in a US court of law, but you won't then benefit from the particular paragraph 101 in the US Copyright Act which is more specific in the definition of terms than in other countries.
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#101

Without those definitions, copyright law is a lot less unclear, and you will probably need a better (more expensive) lawyer to state your claim. Other countries have a definitions section too, of course, but seems a lot less clear and not as specific for music business as the American one.

I'm NOT a laywer, so the usual disclaimer applies here, though.

Dear Mrs. Magne,
thanks for your info. What you wrote seems to me very clear. I added your information to the summary too.

I would scratch off #2. The "envelope" system is a myth. I've heard that sending it to yourself doesn't do any good at all. At least, it doesn't hold up in a court of law.

I wait till I have 7 - 10 songs and then send them in to the US Copyright Office for $35 a batch via electronic submission. You can check on the progress via the web. I feel that once the copyright office has the songs in their system I am good to go. The nice parchment that comes in the mail several months after submission is cool to touch though.

I could be wrong.