Re: MR-Request-music

[Robert J Welenc <rjwelenc@erols.com>]

Poster: Robert J Welenc <rjwelenc@erols.com>

At 09:13 6/27/96 -0400, Lady Celynnen wrote:
>
>As far as posting the words to "Music, Sex and Cookies", there *is* that nasty
>little copyright thang. Regardless of who's written the song, I'd be reluctant
>to post it without their permission.
>
If the author of a song is known, I would quite agree, but this has me
wondering at what point copyright violation occurs.

1. I sing "Music, etc." in the privacy of my own home, for my own enjoyment.
No copyright problem there, right?

2. I sing it at an event, for a few friends.

3. I sing it at a bardic circle, to a larger audience.

4. A friend with an ear for music learns it that way.

5. A friend who needs the words  written down asks me for a copy of the
song, which I hand-deliver to him.

6. Another friend asks me for an Email copy which I send to him privately...

7. And then I post it to the list, since I know of others who would enjoy it.

8. I make a tape including it as one of my favorite songs, from which I make
a modest profit.  Obviously, if I do not obtain permission from the author,
this IS copyright violation.

At what point in this list of modes of transmission does copyright violation
begin to occur?  I would think only at #8, since money begins to creep onto
the scene, but perhaps someone more versed in law than I can inform us if
the law has a different opinion.  Does it make a difference if I give proper
credit to the author with #5, #6, & #7?  What if I don't know the author,
having learned it from a friend, who learned it from a friend...?  (And BTW,
since I sing in the key of Q-flat, #5 & #6 are the only ways I have shared
favorite songs, giving credit to the author when I know of him/her.)

Alanna

Bob, Lucinda and Tabby Welenc
<rjwelenc@pop.erols.com>
(410) 969-8303

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