Major Artist "stole" a beat ?

**JeanLukPigheart** · 10-30-2012

Don't get it confused guys. The "right to copy" is only interesting as far as allowing someone.........."to copy" (make copies of/redistribute in some or other medium) your composition. The composition as such is your intellectual property (copyrights can be sold in the US (the only country in the world LOL@exploiting artists), the intellectual property can only be licensed in form of a copyright.

So having a Youtube channel and uploading your composition, setting the upload/channel to private, is a good step. Also creating an email account with your government name (John Smith@gmail.com) and sending the archived and locked (password) composition/session files to it can provide an additional digital "timestamp" and "proof of ownership" (as far as the time of creation vs. release by a third party, which stole your work/uses it without permission, goes).

In the end, registering it the "proper" way just ensures that everyone understands the channels/steps the composition went through before being released, but per se, doesn't change your rights on your own intellectual property.

Additional proof of intellectual property ownership is never a bad thing.

**rhythmgj** · 10-30-2012

Actually, there are additional rights (perhaps in this case it would be better to call them priveleges) that come with properly filing copyright paperwork on your intellectual property. These are all related to the situation where an actual lawsuit might occur, not the original intellectual property itself (such as the uncontested right to counter-sue for attorney's fees if you are involved in a copyright suit). This information is available in books like Passman's, in various places on the web, but most importantly at the Library of Congress Copyright website itself. Read the circulars there sometime, they have important information for those interested in intellectual property and US copyright law.

Again, I think most in-the-know would agree that the best, simplest way to prove your copyright is to file the copyright paperwork. But legally (technically) of course, a "copyright" exists as soon as the intellectual property is put into a fixed form.

GJ

---------- Post added at 07:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 AM ----------

PS-- Copyrights are generally "assigned" or leased. They can be sold, but that is strongly advised against. Remember Charlie Parker...

GJ

**JeanLukPigheart** · 10-30-2012

Originally Posted by rhythmgj

Actually, there are additional rights (perhaps in this case it would be better to call them priveleges) that come with properly filing copyright paperwork on your intellectual property. These are all related to the situation where an actual lawsuit might occur, not the original intellectual property itself (such as the uncontested right to counter-sue for attorney's fees if you are involved in a copyright suit). This information is available in books like Passman's, in various places on the web, but most importantly at the Library of Congress Copyright website itself.

It's not always the case, that you will be able to get that "right". It's a "maybe", not "a must".

And yes, registering your intellectual property is the easiest way to ensure that all of the parties involved can easily check for things like authors/date of registration, etc...

As far as the "copyright" being created with the composition, that's only partially true. The term is confusing. Your intellectual property belongs to you, the moment you create it, that's true, but the "right to copy" can only be called as such after you've either created one copy of the master/an initial release (in which case you license the right to copy to the label/publisher or you perform the composition/broadcast it) or you hand over your master for copying. But it's just confusing, because of the term. It is, after all, just a registration of a "original composition" as far as intellectual property goes.

**MizzHitZthaProducer** · 11-01-2012

Did you copywrite youre music?

**BeatsByYou** · 11-05-2012

I did not read the rest of this thread so my 2 cents
1. I think it is called a DMCA use it to take down YT video and any website that has it posted. All you have to do is "Name of the Song" just like it show into google and you send that letter to every site you find that has your beat.
2. Get it copy written NOW do not wait
3. Get a lawyer ASAP

Good luck

**rhythmgj** · 11-06-2012

@JeanLukPigheart--

That is incorrect. Read the information on Copyright available from the authority on Copyright in the United States, the Library of Congress. Then read Donald Passman's book, and you will have a good start on a better understanding of the issues. But do not pass off your opinion as fact when important issues like this are at stake, please.

To those needing information-- Do your own research, do not take what people say on Internet forums as fact without checking.

GJ