Hi, I just made a band myspace for myself...just for fun, i guess, and also maybe to see what kindof reaction my playing garners...anyways, i was wondering what the policy is when it comes to recording and putting up on myspace (not for profit, obviously, just for fun) other folk's tunes. Like there's this great Tommy People's reel, The Green Fields of Glenmore that i'd love to record in my little at-home makeshift recording studio and post on myspace...but i just want to make sure that's ok, because whenever i see a recent composition in a cd, it always says who wrote it, blah blah blah and then often thanks the composers for letting them record the tunes. but i sopose they're selling the cds and therefore making a profit with the tunes whereas i wouldn't be and i was wondering if there was a difference. I feel like i should probibly know this and might be kind of a dumb question, but i would just hate to have somebody contact me on myspace and be like, um, your not really soposed to do this with out the composer's permission.
so thanks! and if i finally get anything recorded on there, i'll post a link so you guys can have a listen!
Hot fiddler, as far as I know there is no legal requirement prohibiting you from posting your version someone elses tune if there is no profit involved. I'm 99.9% sure anyway.
If someone composed it, they are entitled to the rewards for their work. Of ccourse they can choose to waive payment but you cannot assume that they do not have a proprietary claim over their work and an entitlement to payment for its use. If you are going to publish your version eg on myspace or anywhere else the author surely deserves some credit and reward.
A lawyer once told me that copyright law applies to any "publishing" (broadcasting, transmitting, making recordings available to the public, etc.) of an original work, not just recordings for sale. Best to play it safe--stick to public-domain tunes, or get permission from the copyright holder.
I'd ignore the issue completely. People love to hear the sound of their own whinging voices going off about this one, but really, the rules aren't intended to stop people like you having fun with a tune and posting it on Myspace so others can hear your playing. What do you think they're gonna do - send the cops round to your house and arrest you? Woo, scary.
Sure, the odds getting sued are close to zero, for a MySpace recording anyway. But you should give credit where credit is due--that's just common courtesy. If you like somebody's tune well enough to learn it and record it, why would you not want to show them some gratitude and respect?
Erm, why can't you just say: "this is a fantastic reel by Tommy Peoples, who I think is a great player"? Isn't that enough?
Oh, I keep forgetting this is thesession.org. I suppose you could frame a picture of him, hang it on your wall, light some candles and pray to him every night
Sure, a simple acknowledgement would probably be fine. I've never heard of a trad composer denying permission for a small-time recording--although I do know of people who were unhappy about uncredited use of their work.
And I know personally of at least one composer who did choose to receive a tiny royalty check for a very small-time recording. Copyright law says he has the right to make that decision, and it's your responsibility to either pay him a "mechanical royalty" or give him the opportunity to decline it.
And if the rights to a certain tune have fallen into the hands of some company, or licensing agency, and you use it without permission.... lawyers might decide to get involved. I'm just saying.
Not trying to be a wet blanket, just pointing out a few facts of life.
Facts of life according to Judge Judy maybe. Much of the rest of the world gets by just fine on common sense and a conscientious approach to individual responsibility, and would rightly regard any lawyer meddling in a petty case like that to be a w@nker with too much time on their hands.
"W@nker" is too kind, for bottom-feeder lawyers like that, but such w@nkers do exist, and sometimes create headaches for undeserving people.
Ditto those licensing-agency spies that hassle establishments that dare to host a trad session, threatening legal action to extort fees from them.
Sure, Judge Judy is only a silly TV show, but the people who sign up to be on it (i.e., sign a legal contract) are stuck with her decisions. They have to pay real money, in the real world.
I wouldn't wish legal hassles on anybody, and I saw that some people had misconceptions about the technicalities. So I contributed some things I learned from somebody who really knows.
I emailed someone once to try and get permission to put up a tune that had already been put up on YouTube. Didn't get a reply, but I didn't do it anyhow. Not worth the risk. Plenty of trad tunes out there with no problems. It is a common courtesy to let people know when you have dropped in on them whether it be their own home or their internet site, though. Always nice to get a welcome too. Makes the world smaller and friendlier.
Cheers
And hey hotfiddler, thanks for bringing up The Greenfields of Glentown. Lovely tune. Many thanks to Tommy Peoples for composing it. As a result of this thread it is me current project, so when I next get to a session how many years down the track I might just be able to join in on it. Who knows. Jest luv it.
recent compositions on myspace
recent compositions on myspace
Hi, I just made a band myspace for myself...just for fun, i guess, and also maybe to see what kindof reaction my playing garners...anyways, i was wondering what the policy is when it comes to recording and putting up on myspace (not for profit, obviously, just for fun) other folk's tunes. Like there's this great Tommy People's reel, The Green Fields of Glenmore that i'd love to record in my little at-home makeshift recording studio and post on myspace...but i just want to make sure that's ok, because whenever i see a recent composition in a cd, it always says who wrote it, blah blah blah and then often thanks the composers for letting them record the tunes. but i sopose they're selling the cds and therefore making a profit with the tunes whereas i wouldn't be and i was wondering if there was a difference. I feel like i should probibly know this and might be kind of a dumb question, but i would just hate to have somebody contact me on myspace and be like, um, your not really soposed to do this with out the composer's permission.
so thanks! and if i finally get anything recorded on there, i'll post a link so you guys can have a listen!
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by BE
Re: recent compositions on myspace
"The Green Fields of Glenmore"
Do you mean The Green Fields of Glentown http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/671 ?
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Hot fiddler, as far as I know there is no legal requirement prohibiting you from posting your version someone elses tune if there is no profit involved. I'm 99.9% sure anyway.
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by session savage
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Oh. yeah. that's it, green fields of glentown....don't know why i thought glenmore...
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by BE
Re: recent compositions on myspace
If someone composed it, they are entitled to the rewards for their work. Of ccourse they can choose to waive payment but you cannot assume that they do not have a proprietary claim over their work and an entitlement to payment for its use. If you are going to publish your version eg on myspace or anywhere else the author surely deserves some credit and reward.
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by rochson
Re: recent compositions on myspace
A lawyer once told me that copyright law applies to any "publishing" (broadcasting, transmitting, making recordings available to the public, etc.) of an original work, not just recordings for sale. Best to play it safe--stick to public-domain tunes, or get permission from the copyright holder.
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by John Galt
Re: recent compositions on myspace
This issue will keep coming up forever. There does *not* have to be profit involved for it to be a copyright violation.
# Posted on April 13th 2007 by Bob himself
Re: recent compositions on myspace
I'd ignore the issue completely. People love to hear the sound of their own whinging voices going off about this one, but really, the rules aren't intended to stop people like you having fun with a tune and posting it on Myspace so others can hear your playing. What do you think they're gonna do - send the cops round to your house and arrest you? Woo, scary.
# Posted on April 14th 2007 by Dr. Dow
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Sure, the odds getting sued are close to zero, for a MySpace recording anyway. But you should give credit where credit is due--that's just common courtesy. If you like somebody's tune well enough to learn it and record it, why would you not want to show them some gratitude and respect?
# Posted on April 14th 2007 by John Galt
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Erm, why can't you just say: "this is a fantastic reel by Tommy Peoples, who I think is a great player"? Isn't that enough?
Oh, I keep forgetting this is thesession.org. I suppose you could frame a picture of him, hang it on your wall, light some candles and pray to him every night
:-|
# Posted on April 14th 2007 by Dr. Dow
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Sure, a simple acknowledgement would probably be fine. I've never heard of a trad composer denying permission for a small-time recording--although I do know of people who were unhappy about uncredited use of their work.
And I know personally of at least one composer who did choose to receive a tiny royalty check for a very small-time recording. Copyright law says he has the right to make that decision, and it's your responsibility to either pay him a "mechanical royalty" or give him the opportunity to decline it.
And if the rights to a certain tune have fallen into the hands of some company, or licensing agency, and you use it without permission.... lawyers might decide to get involved. I'm just saying.
Not trying to be a wet blanket, just pointing out a few facts of life.
# Posted on April 14th 2007 by John Galt
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Facts of life according to Judge Judy maybe. Much of the rest of the world gets by just fine on common sense and a conscientious approach to individual responsibility, and would rightly regard any lawyer meddling in a petty case like that to be a w@nker with too much time on their hands.
# Posted on April 14th 2007 by Dr. Dow
Re: recent compositions on myspace
Hey Dow, I'm not agreeing with the bastards.
"W@nker" is too kind, for bottom-feeder lawyers like that, but such w@nkers do exist, and sometimes create headaches for undeserving people.
Ditto those licensing-agency spies that hassle establishments that dare to host a trad session, threatening legal action to extort fees from them.
Sure, Judge Judy is only a silly TV show, but the people who sign up to be on it (i.e., sign a legal contract) are stuck with her decisions. They have to pay real money, in the real world.
I wouldn't wish legal hassles on anybody, and I saw that some people had misconceptions about the technicalities. So I contributed some things I learned from somebody who really knows.
# Posted on April 14th 2007 by John Galt
Re: recent compositions on myspace
I emailed someone once to try and get permission to put up a tune that had already been put up on YouTube. Didn't get a reply, but I didn't do it anyhow. Not worth the risk. Plenty of trad tunes out there with no problems. It is a common courtesy to let people know when you have dropped in on them whether it be their own home or their internet site, though. Always nice to get a welcome too. Makes the world smaller and friendlier.
Cheers
# Posted on April 18th 2007 by Clear Drops
Re: recent compositions on myspace
And hey hotfiddler, thanks for bringing up The Greenfields of Glentown. Lovely tune. Many thanks to Tommy Peoples for composing it. As a result of this thread it is me current project, so when I next get to a session how many years down the track I might just be able to join in on it. Who knows. Jest luv it.
# Posted on April 19th 2007 by Clear Drops