how to legaly sell beats?

[dvyce]

That's a totally false statement. Copyright protection in the United States exists with or without registration with the United States Copyright Office, or anywhere else for that matter. Copyright arises automatically from the moment you create an original, copyrightable work.

Actually, you hold a copyright in the work from the moment it is RECORDED (or transcribed)... from the moment it is fixed in tangible form.

If you have created it in your head, you have no copyright.

If you play it on your guitar, there is no copyright yet.

once you record it or write it down, the copyright exists...

...but!

BUT, in the event of a dispute over the ownership, you're gonna to be able to prove you are the creator of your work. Which is where copyrights come in handy. If the people he sold the track to use it on a major label he could still pursue legal action. All he would have to do is prove that he created the music and that they got it from him e.g., email convos, etc. A copyright would just make it easier, but by no means is he just screwed 100%.

As I said... MAILING a copy of the song to yourself (i.e., "poor man's copyright") is not equal to REGISTERING YOUR COPYRIGHT.

A court will through your "poor mans copyright" right in the garbage.

It would hold no weight in court.

It proves nothing.

All a person would have to do is mail an unsealed envelope to themselves so you get a postmarked envelope then keep it around until you need it and put your CD in the envelope (and you can even put any old cd in the envelope when you mail it just so the envelope gets the indentation from the cd and looks extra "legit")

Worthless.


If you want to pursue legal action, you will still need to file your copyright.




...and, like I said regarding his question (quoted below)...

Say if I just sold a beat, Straight up cash for the track, thats it. After reading this I see that I did some things wrong. As far as the copyrighting and what not, should i take the "legal route" and actually send the material off to D.C or would the "poor man's" route be appropriate? Is it to late to go back and enter a contract into the agreement? Or am I just screwed?

He already sold the track, so he no longer owns the copyright either way.

 

[Ebzee]

Paypal may come in good use for some of you guys

 

[Deejay Timzz]

Is it advisable to register a work on copyright.gov for European (Belgium) music?

 

[jahzrealbeatz]

the easiest way to sell beats

sign up to a automated beat selling website,upload quality beats make sure they are your best beats,keep uploading new beats when you can,and promo to fb and youtube,building a twitter following can be a good help,especially if you have you own webpage,having a webpage and marketing your webpage to artist who can be potential buyers are the olny way you will sell,make sure your copyrighted and have all your agreements written out,or you can lose out in the event your song is used for profit

 

[ChefBoyRBeez]

Yea its pretty much you you sell they pay you, BUT having contracts and a production business can help you establish yourself more.

 

[JaysNext]

Contract wise and legally I'd think it would just be best to talk to a lawyer.. Absolut you helped me out bro. I'm totally new to producing and thought since I have friends who rap and wanna make mixtapes and such, I'd just give em a beat as long as they got cash but you helped me out. Good looks homie. I think I'll stop by staples and pick me up a receipt book now lol

---------- Post added at 01:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 PM ----------

And btw chef, fire ass beats my dude. I'm sitting here going crazy listening lol

 

[Good Times Ahead]

Wow, to read a thread on this topic that started in 2006 is crazy. It really shows how much has happened in the scene and so much has changed over the last 9 years. Things certainly were a lot harder back then! (Online especially). I mean YouTube had only been around for what, a year? Damn man! Anyway love to everyone posting in this thread!

Peace!