Protecting Your Demo (For Producers)

T

ThaBeatMaker

New member
I have a lot of cats asking for my beats but because of a bad experience in the past (somebody used my beat without asking), I'm reluctant about sending out beat cds.

What's the best way to create a demo cd as a producer? Should I just do snippets? Should I put sound effects over the track? Should I already have people rapping over it? What's the best practice?
 
Copyright is very important if you want to send out beat cd's.Snippits would be goood. Tag your beats as well. I been through what happened to you with a 2 whole cds. What I do is something called poor-mans copywrite. If you don't have enough money to get copyright-copyright, you do this.(my NY nigga told me about this. He's an entertainment Lawyer).You put your material in an envelope along with some type of info on paper where you are saying this is your music. Name,date, (Any info that sounds imortant to you). Mail it to yourself. When it comes back it will have the postage date on it. If someone uses you material, thats when you take them to court.DONT OPEN IT untill that cout day. It's best to do this after you do any beats. That postage date means everything. You mailing it before someone uses it w/o permission,is all the proof you need to claim that it's your material. Hope this helps some.
 
Yeah...some of what everybody said, especially copyrights! Although, no offense, the Poor Man Copyright has been arguable in courts. Google some of the beefs about it.
Somethin' I did before was just make a beat CD of some throw-away beats (good tracks, but throw-away...and some won't agree to throw away grind.), and pass it around so much that everybody knew they was mine. Even to labels. Kinda like promo copies of a new release. The wack gon' freeload ya' ish, but real cats gon' ask around to get in touch wit' you. You gotta give to get sometimes. Still...copyright ya' ish! Plus, I think you can pay for your copyright with Paypal now.

Click my icon below and check out how I did my snip joint.
 
Can u guys tell me what happens if u send a demo and e.g. a major label or somebody else likes ur stuff; but what they do then is recomposing ur melody or da beat, add some little own s*** and declare it as their own work.

i can imagine this is very bad scenario for bedroom producers like us cause we can't afford long court trials (and this case wouldn't propably be a short trial).
 
LouisvillezFinest said:
Copyright is very important if you want to send out beat cd's.Snippits would be goood. Tag your beats as well. I been through what happened to you with a 2 whole cds. What I do is something called poor-mans copywrite. If you don't have enough money to get copyright-copyright, you do this.(my NY nigga told me about this. He's an entertainment Lawyer).You put your material in an envelope along with some type of info on paper where you are saying this is your music. Name,date, (Any info that sounds imortant to you). Mail it to yourself. When it comes back it will have the postage date on it. If someone uses you material, thats when you take them to court.DONT OPEN IT untill that cout day. It's best to do this after you do any beats. That postage date means everything. You mailing it before someone uses it w/o permission,is all the proof you need to claim that it's your material. Hope this helps some.
Click to expand...

1) That doesn't work... and you can't receive any monetary damages unless you register...

2) If a lawyer told you that, it's time for a new lawyer... and if you did that and did have a bad experience, you could sue him because he's a professional and liable for bad advice... same as accountants...

3) If you make beats, I'm sure you can afford $30. Any serious beatmaker most likely has spent at least $500+ on his setup, if not more. Even a modest setup can run you well over $2k.

4) To the original poster, copyright your material and send snippets. While this isn't fool proof, nothing is. I'd never send tagged beats to an industry professional, but that's me. I mean 9 times out of 10, they could simply have someone remake the beat... but those are the chances you take when trying to get into an industry like this...
 
quick question:

isn't it proof enough to have the original project files (like reason/cubase/pattern with samples on the mpc...)?
i guess in court they will propably go: "you got the original files? ok.. and you? no? case closed."
is this way of thinking to naive?


.georgeblunt
 
LouisvillezFinest said:
Copyright is very important if you want to send out beat cd's.Snippits would be goood. Tag your beats as well. I been through what happened to you with a 2 whole cds. What I do is something called poor-mans copywrite. If you don't have enough money to get copyright-copyright, you do this.(my NY nigga told me about this. He's an entertainment Lawyer).You put your material in an envelope along with some type of info on paper where you are saying this is your music. Name,date, (Any info that sounds imortant to you). Mail it to yourself. When it comes back it will have the postage date on it. If someone uses you material, thats when you take them to court.DONT OPEN IT untill that cout day. It's best to do this after you do any beats. That postage date means everything. You mailing it before someone uses it w/o permission,is all the proof you need to claim that it's your material. Hope this helps some.
Click to expand...

Your "lawyer" friend isnt too smart for advising that. That "poor-mans copyright" was never utilized in a court of law and therefore may not work and it can easily be faked.

Copyrighting things via the Library Of Congress isnt all that expensive nor difficult and is well worth the time an effort.
 
lol someone was spitten on ya instrumental. some as i heard someone doing that i would of went crazy and started sueing or whatever
 
georgeblunt said:
quick question:

isn't it proof enough to have the original project files (like reason/cubase/pattern with samples on the mpc...)?
i guess in court they will propably go: "you got the original files? ok.. and you? no? case closed."
is this way of thinking to naive?


.georgeblunt
Click to expand...

It's not naive, but whos to say that you aren't a professional musician able to make EXACT copies?

And you have to have your copyright registered to receive any monetary damages...
 
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kid848 said:


It's not naive, but whos to say that you aren't a professional magician able to make EXACT copies?
Click to expand...

true.. but this question should only be asked, if BOTH parties have the original file. and if the other party isn't a professional magician able to make EXACT copies, your chances are good that you might be the only one with the original file..
just thinking about it. i know you are right. that most propably wouldn't be proof enough ("he stole the original files from us! that's why he got them and we don't".."he's a professional magician....." ;) ).


.georgeblunt
 
The Poor Man's copyright does not work other than giving you a false sense of security. Copyright your songs through the US Copyright office.
 
For those knowledgable about copyrights... as far as copyrighting a beat, how much security does it give u? meaning, if someone wanted to jack your beat (idea), and just change a note or two to make it somewhat different.... would having it copyrighted help in that scenario?
 
georgeblunt said:


true.. but this question should only be asked, if BOTH parties have the original file. and if the other party isn't a professional magician able to make EXACT copies, your chances are good that you might be the only one with the original file..
just thinking about it. i know you are right. that most propably wouldn't be proof enough ("he stole the original files from us! that's why he got them and we don't".."he's a professional magician....." ;) ).


.georgeblunt
Click to expand...
files aint ****. I can easily change a date on a new file to make it look like I made it on eariler date. Just spend $30. Anyone serious about this would have already done it.
 
kwic_draw said:
For those knowledgable about copyrights... as far as copyrighting a beat, how much security does it give u? meaning, if someone wanted to jack your beat (idea), and just change a note or two to make it somewhat different.... would having it copyrighted help in that scenario?
Click to expand...
in most cases a copyright wont protect from someone just remakin ur stuff and adding a couple of notes but it will from someone outright jackin u.
 
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