© Nathalie P guitare 5
© Nathalie P
Understanding copyright laws
Common procedure
It is important that songwriters are aware of copyright laws and how they affect their work. Firstly any country that is a member of the Berne Convention uses a very simple copyright procedure.
People who are from these countries have copyright on their intellectual property as soon as it is created. There is some difficulty in enforcing this law if there are multiple contributors to the material.
Benefits of copyright registration
Due to this, many people choose to register a copyright in the United States of America.
Material that is registered for copyright stands a better chance of winning a court case for copyright infringement than material that is not registered. Song writers who want to release their music internationally often choose to register a copyright as it protects their music from being stolen or used without permission overseas.
How to register a copyright of a song in America
Record your song/product
The first thing that a songwriter who wants to register a copyright must do is record the song. It can be recorded onto a cassette, CD, DVD, mp3 or even a USB drive. All that matters is that the song has to be recorded in some format. The copyright owner should then write down the sheet music for the song. If lyrics have been written, these should be included in the sheet music.
Application procedures
Applicants will now have to fill in a registration form and pay a fee. This form can be filled in online or on a regular paper application. People who are applying through mail will have to wait 15 months for the registration to be complete. Those who choose to apply online will only need to wait four and a half months.
Copyright rules in other countries
People who live in countries other than America will need to understand the copyright laws in their own country. For example, as Australia is part of the Berne Convention, copyright is created when the song has been written. However, Australian musicians who want to break into the American market may choose to register their music in the USA.
