Should I have been copyrighting my music all this time?

Does the copyright proccess affect distribution or is that just another flat fee? Does that make any sense I just don't see how this works but I've come to find out that every professional level entry for sale and distribution seems to rely on a good strong copyright policy? Is there more than one? IDK please explain (newb) -SLF 2000

feeling confused... 

(worried!)
 

and what does "Royalty-Free" mean, i've used this term for my music as it seems to resemble other royalty-free music library's so I used it as my "umbrella". What does this mean for my music? Can I still copyright my songs even if they are lableled as "Royalty-Free"? I think that's a touchy question because of bait and switch or theft by swindle laws in most modern cultures...THAT's NOT what I'm about...I just need some protection...from other copyright infringers...I hate paperwork! So a good copyright outline should clearly state that I ME is the sole owner of the copyright correct? Is that what a copyright gives me....the right to do WHATEVER I WANT? (with my music?) -SLF2000
 

but for how much???
 

First off, if you wrote the music, it is your property.  It is copyrighted.  No one can use it without your permission.  ASCAP and BMI are organizations that help you collect royalties for intellectual property.  Radio/TV/Streaming etc sites are required to report their playlists for royalty collection purposes.  
 
Royalty free means a person has to purchase your work, but they can use it for any purpose without paying you a percentage.  For instance, if an independent film maker wanted to use a royalty free song in a film as background music, they could buy the music but use it without having to pay you extra.  Most music requires permission and royalty collection to be used outside of personal enjoyment.  

Hi,
 
A couple of history minded lessons here, btw ... and fun too!
 
ASCAP and BMI are there to make money, not to support you. You will never live off their retainers, because your piece of music is not on their top ten ... that collects 95% of all the money! And allows morons to sue lesser known artists because they have nothing better to do with the money!
 
Since the turn of the century, btw, the movie studios have owned almost 80% of all the music out there, and I believe ASCAP and BMI are a part of their setup. This, essentially means, (if even partially true) that they can play and own any piece of music, if you like it or not. I think it was either Spike Jones, or Carl Stalling that made the joke that one studio had BMI and the other had ASCAP for its library and that they had wars over music and cartoons !!!! There is no way that Tom and Jerry is gonna get one on Bugs, and Daffy will get mad! In that situation, it would be "royalty free" because you already own it, or if it's for a new movie, they rent it out to that company ... nothing like paying yourself and the tax code allows it.
 
Nowadays, there is something else, which has been there the whole time. With one problem ... if you take the action, unless one of your pieces gets famous ... you will never get any attention. At the end of the year, you put together all paperwork you have, bind them, pay your fee to the Library of Congress and send them a copy ... voila ... protected for 28 years. Anyone using your work will have to negotiate fees, and while this is interesting, this might also make you think that BMI/ASCAP would have to send you a nickel, if someone listed it on their play list ... but they WON'T.
 
All in all, this is a serious and important part of the whole story of slave rights ... which still applies to the arts, in most of the world. I'm not sure that many of us, that had a miniscule hit in 1927, all of a sudden gets a play, and sells 10K copies, and the family gets a check for $100 dollars! Let's talk about how much a Douglas made on a movie that he ripped off for $10K? We're talking over $100 million 40 years ago or so. He never gave the guy a "tip" either.
 
My ONLY recommendation is that you find an "entertainment" lawyer, or one that is familiar with "copyrights", pay him his $600 and then follow what he/she says. But, the story, still goes, that when you do this, you better make it on your own ... because no one will touch you, until they can buy you out!
 
There you have it ... the mis-interpreted side of copyrights ... and by the way, you really do not want even to come close to the situation on my dad's work in 36 languages ... do you know how much the family trust gets? ... you got it ... 5 cents per month! I guess things don't sell too hot in Africa and in the Moon! And the family? The children don't matter, anyway, who cares!
 

Hi,
 
The links to go after in copyrights are the ones at the Library of Congress., I would think. BUT, I am not the expert in this area at all ... but I do send a copy of my work to the Library of Congress. I may not be published but they will have 400 film reviews, 300 poems, etc, etc, etc ...

craigb
I didn't realize that people other than Shawn could reply!

Eventually, yes they can.

Moshkito 
There you have it ... the mis-interpreted side of copyrights

A very good description of the unhelpful post it's quoted from.
 
And no, I have no intention of getting into a pointless argument so don't bother trying.

I have never done this.

bapu

Moshkito
Hi,
 
400 film reviews, 300 poems, etc, etc, etc ...

You should put that in your sig.

What for? You'll never read'em anyway! Specially the poems! AND, TLW will still be an arsenic and think that I'm the devil's daughter, or something! 

Shawn is apparently located in the US, which unlike the UK, does have a government operated system for registration of copyright. Under 17 US Code section § 410 (c)
"In any judicial proceedings the certificate of a registration made before or within five years after first publication of the work shall constitute prima facie evidence of the validity of the copyright and of the facts stated in the certificate. The evidentiary weight to be accorded the certificate of a registration made thereafter shall be within the discretion of the court." Proving that you are the creator of the work is almost always at the heart of an infringement action, and it is almost always a matter of fact to be determined. All that a registration service can provide is testimony that they received a copy of the work on a certain date from a certain person. Someone challenging your copyright can still claim that he created the work prior to your registration and that the copy you registered was infringing his copyright. Depending on his corroborating evidence and the credulity of the court he can still prevail. A notarized copy of the work would provide the same protection without the need to pay yearly fees or the fear that the service will go out of business and be unable to provide corroboration. 
 
As noted previously, for US works, registration with the Copyright Office within three months of publication additionally allows suit for statutory damages and recovery of legal fees, which an informal system does not. 

shawn@trustmedia.tv
I just realized with over 300 songs completed I have completely forgotten to COPYRIGHT ANY OF MY MUSIC! DOH!!!
 
so, what is my first step to protect myself...my stuff is 99% instrumkental so is that ASCAP or BMI? IDK!
 
Also, the scary thing is my music not being copyrtiten allows anyone to use it anywhere with NO BLOCKS! (on sites like youtube, facebook, etc...)
 
This will surely prevent me from monetizing...OH I SHOULD HAVE COPYRITTEN FROM THE START!
 
Question...some of these songs were written 25 yeras ago...Do I even own these songs anymore? DID I EVER! 
 
and Lastly, how much is this going to cost to SECURLEY and COMPLETELY copyright my 300 songs...$35.00...$40.00!!!!???
 
 
Please help I'm a copyright newb...
 
I just a musician...not a lawyer PLEASE HELP! (Before my music gets stolen I hope to GOD!!!) :(
 
 Heym, their not going to be dipping their legal pens into my selling price are they or is the price of protection just a flat monthly fee no matter how little (or much) I sell?
(breathe)
 
 
Thank You People of Twelve Gibson Roland Tones... - SLF 2000

 
I did not read the previous comments due to a lack of time....
 
Well.... let me tell you how I do it now.
 
Copyrighting 300 songs would be a formidable task and an expensive one. You could do collections under one fee.... throw 10 to 15 songs into a collection and do a collection copyright. Still going to take lots of time and money.

You could also use a third party copyright process. SONGUARD is a free service with  Master Writer software.
http://masterwriter.com/help/Songuard.html  it is NOT Library of Congress copyright. I have used this as a form of protection for songs I send to publishers and libraries. I have a bunch of tunes in the vault.

BEST OPTION:  Don't worry.... don't copyright....sleep well at night.   The simple truth is, the chance of someone stealing your tune is close to zero. If you are sending to publishers and libraries, you should be vetting them out before you send tunes. You really should trust the person or company you are dealing with. Anyone who has been in business for a long time generally is trustworthy. Blow your trust in this business and you're gone.  Stealing is not cool.  Avoid the song sharks who ask for money. All the reputable shops will not ask for a dime and will cover the costs as a part of doing business.  Any who do spend money to copyright your tunes are entitled to recover that money first before any royalties are divided and paid.
 
I send tunes to libraries that I work with and trust. The songs are completely unprotected. No copyright, and sometimes I have not even registered them with Songuard. The publisher or the library will register the copyright when the time comes. If you register it and pay the fee, they will have to re-register it anyway if they sign it. I had one publisher ask me NOT to register in my name to avoid all the paperwork of changing the registration.
 
In many cases, if the library is exclusive.... they will copyright the tune for you.
If the library is NON-exclusive (and many are) the only thing they work with is your PRO affiliation. No copyright unless you get it.
 
Non-exclusive libraries will not get a copyright. They will ask you to re-title the song with their code.  Your song ...Springtime.... would be  HRMUSIC_springtime for royalty tracking. You are free to use that tune and to place it in multiple libraries who will all re-title to ID the song for them. SO... theoretically, you could have 5 or 10  instances of "springtime" show up in your PRO registration list.... one for every library.  None of that matters.... it's how things work. The important part is when the song is used, the PRO can track the money where it's supposed to go... library and writer, and cut the check to you.
 
Exclusive libraries and publishers will obtain the copyright and only THEY can use the song. At that point, even you, as the writer, would need permission to record that song and post it or release it because you're not the copyright owner. Generally they will not re-title the song since there will only be one release of the song initially and no one else can use it without their permission. You have an agreement/contract with them that specifies that you get writer credits and usually 50% of the royalties. (writer's share) unless it's a co-write and then you split that 50% between the writers.  For max income... keep co-writers to a bare minimum and try to write by yourself for film and TV. 

PRO.... ASCAP or BMI.  Either works fine. They both do the same job and the money is about the same with either. I'm with BMI.  Sign up for writers is free.  Once registered, you get a CAE/IPI number that the publisher of library will need to know. Register all your songs with the PRO.  BUT....ask the library because many times they will register them with the PRO for you. My libraries do.  I have a number of songs being used in film & TV shows that are not copyrighted and the PRO did the BMI registration. I'm not worried that someone will steal my tunes.  DO you remember the 15 second cut of music that played behind the scene in Pawn Stars when Rick was looking at a baseball card collection?  Nope?  Neither will anyone else..... but the writer gets paid. And that cut may or may not ever be used again.  Point being .... don't worry.

If you find out that one of the publishers is placing your song in a movie, and it's going to be underscore or end credits and play in it's entirety, certainly in that instance you want to be sure that the publisher has the copyright. It's unlikely that you will own the copyright to your songs should they ever be placed in such a situation.  The publisher who lands the cut will own the copyright at that point. You will get the writers share of the royalties.
 
Back to your point and question..... I would not worry about copyrighting all 300 songs.  If you're placing your catalog with a publisher or library, speak with them about that.  You may find that they prefer them unregistered. Send a few songs for them to hear the work.... discuss the details and proceed.
 
I could expound more..... but time is pressing on me.... hope this helps you a bit.