shyshy Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Hi guys. What would you do if someone used your music for commercial purposes without your permission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Send them a cease and desist letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzfilth Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Introduce yourself nicely as the rights owner and ask for their budget for this. If they don't collaborate, the C+D letter is your ticket, as it can stop their campaign dead in its tracks which will be *very* expensive. Don't allow them to make you wait, as their campaign might be over until you can react and then you have to go through court, and they will always have more resources to out-sit you there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRobinson Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 But, to that end, it becomes critically important that you registered your copyright at https://copyright.gov!! Please refer to this site for exhaustive details. For $35 (USD), you can simultaneously register a so-called "collection" of songs on-line, and the registration takes legal effect immediately. (The notion of "a collection" is merely an administrative practicality.) Now, you have an independently-verifiable record of your claim of exclusive ownership, similar to a car title, and your legal rights are now greatly increased. Now, your rights can be enforced by US Marshals. While the law also says that you have an implied copyright to anything you create, the obvious trick is how to prove it. That's what registration is all about. You make your attestation under penalty of perjury. If you want to market your song, copyright registration is quite a necessity. Because of the draconian penalties provided by the law, no one will touch your song, probably won't even consent to evaluate it, unless you can give them the US copyright registration number ... which they will verify (online). Just as a reputable used car dealer won't let you park your car on their lot unless they've got the title certificate in their hot little hands. This is what's called "due diligence." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzfilth Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Basically yes. But then, you can easily prove that you're the creator since you have all the separate elements to the song, which they don't. A court-approved expert can write an assessment for this. But then, still not fun to go through court with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRobinson Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 But then, still not fun to go through court with this. Definitely not worth $35, paid online for what becomes legally acceptable and internationally-recognized proof that's handed to you in a matter of minutes. (You don't have to wait for the pretty piece of paper to eventually arrive in the mail ...) "If you want to sell the car, apply for the title." You give 'em the number, they look it up online (click! click! click!). Boom. Done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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