Poor Man's Copyright

JustJono · 12-16-2003, 04:52 PM

If you don't have the time or money to copyright your material, simply mail the original file (ex: cd, tape) to yourself. Keep all the mailing information. It shows the date that you sent it (so basically the date that you owned and had it).

It isn't always enough to hold up in court, but it's better than nothing.

**SuperGreenX** · 12-17-2003, 12:13 AM

Yea, I've heard of that method. I wanna do the hardcore copyright though

.

**SpookG** · 12-17-2003, 01:48 AM

Yeha, I do that one all the time.. lol...

**squarebear** · 12-17-2003, 02:39 AM

This is a popular myth. The poor man's copyright offers no legal protection at all as it's so easy to fake.
I could mail an empty envelope to myself, wait until a great CD came out then put the CD in the envelope and seal it and I would have what would appear to be a copy of the CD long before it was released.

If you are serious about your music, the only real way to do this is to spend money and do it properly. Also, keep copies of all your source files (the .flp or the reason file) associated with your tracks. That way you could show a court of law how you made the track whereas the person who was ripping you off would not have this.

JustJono · 12-17-2003, 08:25 PM

Ouais, Squarebear a raison.

But I only meant it as a way to get you started. And yes, keep the original source file, because I don't think you can forge creation dates on a computer.

QreepyBORIS · 01-25-2004, 12:13 PM

Legally, all your stuff is copyrighted if you have proof you macde it. You dont need the "c" thing. I realize this is an old thread.

**djaero** · 01-26-2004, 03:15 PM

It's only $30 a cd to copyright, so it's not going to empty your bank account in doing so. After spending countless hours on your music, 30 bucks really isnt that large of a price to pay. As for mailing a cd to yourself, it won't stand up in court, so just pay the money and register your copyright. And yes, creation dates CAN be forged, so look out.
You can find a copyright form here: http://www.copyright.gov/forms/
The form you need is Form SR.

-Dj Aerogroove

JustJono · 01-26-2004, 07:24 PM

Patent costs...?

**SuperGreenX** · 01-26-2004, 11:27 PM

Aero, when you copyright a CD, are the images in your CD cover and such also copyrighted?

Anonymous · 01-26-2004, 11:44 PM

What if we just want to copyright a song, and nothing more?

DJCynispin · 01-27-2004, 07:38 PM

My katana is all the copyright protection I need...

That's something I might say, if I had a katana. So instead I say,
I think I'll suck it up and pay to keep people from stealing my %&$@.

**djaero** · 01-27-2004, 09:21 PM

When you send in a cd with the SR form, only the music on the cd or tape is copyrigted, not any of the artwork associated with it. And if you only want to copyright just a song or two, the price is still the same, so I suggest waiting till you have enough for a whole cd, or you could send it in right now and pay the $30.

DJCynispin · 01-28-2004, 01:29 AM

I can't do it that way though, cause you kinda have to release dance floor tracks as singles so you stay current with your music and production. And it will probably be a while before I'm comfortable with enough songs to make a cd.

HOWEVER, YOU HYBRID FANS WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW I JUST GOT AN UPFRONT PROMO FROM HIM ON WHITELABLE AND WILL BE SPINNING IT SUNDAY. The name of the track is "High as a Skyscraper".

JustJono · 01-28-2004, 04:52 PM

Congrats!

But again, what are patent costs?

**djaero** · 01-28-2004, 08:27 PM

What do you mean by patent costs? As far as I know, patents are for ideas, inventions etc, and not music. I don't think music can be patented but it can be copyrighted.

JustJono · 01-29-2004, 03:39 PM

I thought you needed a patent in order to sell albums.

**djaero** · 01-29-2004, 09:56 PM

You do not need anything to sell special to sell your music. A copyright is just to make sure nobody steals your material, or if they do steal it, you can prove its yours.

JustJono · 01-29-2004, 10:40 PM

So I can copyright a CD, then.. sell it? I don't have to cover any legal issues?

**SpookG** · 01-30-2004, 01:11 AM

If Squarebear could clear this up for everyone, i think that'd be great

**squarebear** · 01-30-2004, 02:51 AM

Ok, if you wish to sell an album then it is highly advisable to copyright your material. This will give you legal protection if anyone tries to rip your music off. Oh and by copyrighting, I don't mean send it to yourself in an envelope. Do it properly via ASCAP or whatever the copyright body is in the US.

You cannot patent your music, as patents are designed to protect inventions rather than intellectual property such as music, books, movies etc.

If you had been the first caveman (or whoever) that had invented music, you could have patented it but it would mean that no-one else would have been able to make music without paying you!

Hope that helps.

12-16-2003, 04:52 PM	#1
JustJono FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 283	Poor Man's Copyright If you don't have the time or money to copyright your material, simply mail the original file (ex: cd, tape) to yourself. Keep all the mailing information. It shows the date that you sent it (so basically the date that you owned and had it). It isn't always enough to hold up in court, but it's better than nothing. __________________ Jonathan Cruz http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Jono.asp

12-17-2003, 12:13 AM	#2
SuperGreenX Tangy music sauce maker Join Date: Mar 2003 Age: 40 Posts: 354	Yea, I've heard of that method. I wanna do the hardcore copyright though . __________________ Wonderful Bite - New SGX Album! You can get it for free, yo!

12-17-2003, 01:48 AM	#3
SpookG (For Great Justice!) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Los Angeles, California Age: 40 Posts: 829	Yeha, I do that one all the time.. lol... __________________ Royal For Great Justice! Electronic Music est. 1999 . kerBLAM

12-17-2003, 02:39 AM	#4
squarebear FFR Music Producers Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 118	This is a popular myth. The poor man's copyright offers no legal protection at all as it's so easy to fake. I could mail an empty envelope to myself, wait until a great CD came out then put the CD in the envelope and seal it and I would have what would appear to be a copy of the CD long before it was released. If you are serious about your music, the only real way to do this is to spend money and do it properly. Also, keep copies of all your source files (the .flp or the reason file) associated with your tracks. That way you could show a court of law how you made the track whereas the person who was ripping you off would not have this. __________________

12-17-2003, 08:25 PM	#5
JustJono FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 283	Ouais, Squarebear a raison. But I only meant it as a way to get you started. And yes, keep the original source file, because I don't think you can forge creation dates on a computer. __________________ Jonathan Cruz http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Jono.asp

01-25-2004, 12:13 PM	#6
QreepyBORIS FFR Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: It is a mystery. Age: 33 Posts: 7,454	Legally, all your stuff is copyrighted if you have proof you macde it. You dont need the "c" thing. I realize this is an old thread. __________________ Signature subject to change. THE ZERRRRRG.

01-26-2004, 03:15 PM	#7
djaero FFR Music Producer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles Age: 35 Posts: 87	It's only $30 a cd to copyright, so it's not going to empty your bank account in doing so. After spending countless hours on your music, 30 bucks really isnt that large of a price to pay. As for mailing a cd to yourself, it won't stand up in court, so just pay the money and register your copyright. And yes, creation dates CAN be forged, so look out. You can find a copyright form here: http://www.copyright.gov/forms/ The form you need is Form SR. -Dj Aerogroove

01-26-2004, 07:24 PM	#8
JustJono FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 283	Patent costs...? __________________ Jonathan Cruz http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Jono.asp

01-26-2004, 11:27 PM	#9
SuperGreenX Tangy music sauce maker Join Date: Mar 2003 Age: 40 Posts: 354	Aero, when you copyright a CD, are the images in your CD cover and such also copyrighted? __________________ Wonderful Bite - New SGX Album! You can get it for free, yo!

01-26-2004, 11:44 PM	#10
Anonymous FFR Player Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,088	What if we just want to copyright a song, and nothing more?

01-27-2004, 07:38 PM	#11
DJCynispin FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Georgia Posts: 101	My katana is all the copyright protection I need... That's something I might say, if I had a katana. So instead I say, I think I'll suck it up and pay to keep people from stealing my %&$@.

01-27-2004, 09:21 PM	#12
djaero FFR Music Producer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles Age: 35 Posts: 87	When you send in a cd with the SR form, only the music on the cd or tape is copyrigted, not any of the artwork associated with it. And if you only want to copyright just a song or two, the price is still the same, so I suggest waiting till you have enough for a whole cd, or you could send it in right now and pay the $30.

01-28-2004, 01:29 AM	#13
DJCynispin FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Georgia Posts: 101	I can't do it that way though, cause you kinda have to release dance floor tracks as singles so you stay current with your music and production. And it will probably be a while before I'm comfortable with enough songs to make a cd. HOWEVER, YOU HYBRID FANS WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW I JUST GOT AN UPFRONT PROMO FROM HIM ON WHITELABLE AND WILL BE SPINNING IT SUNDAY. The name of the track is "High as a Skyscraper".

01-28-2004, 04:52 PM	#14
JustJono FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 283	Congrats! But again, what are patent costs? __________________ Jonathan Cruz http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Jono.asp

01-28-2004, 08:27 PM	#15
djaero FFR Music Producer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles Age: 35 Posts: 87	What do you mean by patent costs? As far as I know, patents are for ideas, inventions etc, and not music. I don't think music can be patented but it can be copyrighted.

01-29-2004, 03:39 PM	#16
JustJono FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 283	I thought you needed a patent in order to sell albums. __________________ Jonathan Cruz http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Jono.asp

01-29-2004, 09:56 PM	#17
djaero FFR Music Producer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles Age: 35 Posts: 87	You do not need anything to sell special to sell your music. A copyright is just to make sure nobody steals your material, or if they do steal it, you can prove its yours.

01-29-2004, 10:40 PM	#18
JustJono FFR Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 283	So I can copyright a CD, then.. sell it? I don't have to cover any legal issues? __________________ Jonathan Cruz http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Jono.asp

01-30-2004, 01:11 AM	#19
SpookG (For Great Justice!) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Los Angeles, California Age: 40 Posts: 829	If Squarebear could clear this up for everyone, i think that'd be great __________________ Royal For Great Justice! Electronic Music est. 1999 . kerBLAM

01-30-2004, 02:51 AM	#20
squarebear FFR Music Producers Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 118	Ok, if you wish to sell an album then it is highly advisable to copyright your material. This will give you legal protection if anyone tries to rip your music off. Oh and by copyrighting, I don't mean send it to yourself in an envelope. Do it properly via ASCAP or whatever the copyright body is in the US. You cannot patent your music, as patents are designed to protect inventions rather than intellectual property such as music, books, movies etc. If you had been the first caveman (or whoever) that had invented music, you could have patented it but it would mean that no-one else would have been able to make music without paying you! Hope that helps. __________________

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