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Questions tagged [music]

For questions about laws applying to musical works, recording and performance.

215 questions
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What is the legal distinction between watching a YouTube video in a browser and downloading it for personal use?

If the act of watching a YouTube video creates a temporary download in my internet cache, why is it illegal to use an app that intercepts the YouTube API to download music videos to listen to later when I don't have internet? When people buy a CD or…
MelodySkirata
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Is it legal to buy second-hand vinyls?

I live in a town that has lots of second-hand stores that sell second-hand vinyl records, tapes, etc, for incredibly low prices. I recently bought the soundtrack from A Clockwork Orange for 1 dollar on a vinyl record. I believe the right holders…
MicroMachine
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I forgot to BCC people in music promotion email

I am a small musician promoting a new song but forgot to put the recipients of a promotional email as BCC (I got the emails off of my presave list). One person has emailed me concerned about their email being visible. I don't know what to do
Claire
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Legality of busking a song with copyrighted melody but using different lyrics to deliver a message

Are there any legal impediments to busking a song with melody and lyrics copyrighted in the United States---with the same melody but with different lyrics---on U.S. streets? Does it matter if the song is to be sung not for money, but to deliver a…
DDS
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Will using a cover of a song in a film free me from legal obligations?

I want to use the song "Whole Lotta Love" in my upcoming film. Obviously the song is copyrighted by led Zeppelin. So I'm planning to get a few musicians and cover the song and then use it as a background score for my film. Will that free me of the…
Black Dagger
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Auto-generating every possible melody to forstall copyright: will this work?

This article describes a scheme to have a computer generate every possible "8-note, 12-beat melody combo" and release it under a Creative Commons license so that anyone can use it (not exactly public domain, but close enough for practical purposes).…
Paul Johnson
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Performing music in public

I am a musician. I want to perform music. How do I do this without being sued into oblivion? I am particularly interested in UK law. As I understand it, a specific sound recording (of anything) is protected by copyright, but the specific pattern…
MathematicalOrchid
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When is due diligence enough when attempting to contact a copyright holder?

Here's a hypothetical situation: Musician came across a trumpet concerto that Musician wants to use for a competition to win the chance to perform it with a local orchestra. There is a well-known and published transcription of the concerto for…
Calvin Godfrey
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On Copyrighting Hook-Augmented Melodies from the Public Domain

If one takes an old song in the United States public domain (e.g., "Wreck of the Old 97" comes to mind)---which has no refrain (i.e., a "hook")---and then adapts a completely unrelated set of lyrics to the original melody augmented by a hook at…
DDS
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Is it legal to arrange music I don't have rights to if it is never performed?

I had the idea to transcribe and arrange the music from the musical Ride the Cyclone for a wind ensemble for my school. I got in contact with the company that owns the license (Broadway Licensing) to ask about being able to do this, and they said I…
violetorigin
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Can a song be used in a presentation for work?

Does it fall under that Fair Use Act of 1976 to include a song as the intro to a presentation for work if the presentation is being given for educational/teaching purposes?
Wesley Musgrove
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Write song to the tune of a copyrighted song

my wife is considering writing (and selling) some childrens' books which will contain songs which are to the tune of various copyrighted songs (like the "Let It Go!" song from Disney's Frozen). She wouldn't have the musical notes in the books. My…
caleb
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Why is a cover song not fair use? (But parody songs are?)

Considering fair use law, parody, transformative works: Weird Al always asks for permission for his parodies but many law professionals have stated he would not have to. Considering all this, why does a musician need to license the original piece of…
Opcode
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May I add additional lyrics to a copyright song without claiming any ownership?

A copyright holder has flatly refused my request to add additional lyrics to one of their songs, for use in a private congregational church setting. Does this mean it is simply illegal? I have seen several high-profile cases in the pop music world…
Mr. Boy
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Uploading images of music notation: Do we violate copyright laws?

As I have noticed, it is rather common on music.SE to post a photo of a few bars and ask for help how to play it, e.g. fingering, how to play ornaments, etc. Is that according to copyright laws? My assumption is that posting 1 or two bars could be…
Arsak
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