hip-hop beats, instrumentals and rap beats

How To Copyright Your Music To Protect Your Future Royalties

Many musicians confuse copyrighting music with registering music; these are two different things. According to the law
in the United States, once you have written or recorded your music in a permanent form, it is automatically copyrighted.

Of course, it might help to first understand what it means to copyright music. A copyright is a certain legal protection
that is offered to those who compose creative works, whether those works are art, music, or the written word. The U. S.
Constitution states there are limits one can place on the amount of time the work is exclusively protected.

If you copyright music, this means you (and you alone) have the right to use your work or allow others to use your work.
You also have the right to distribute copies of your work. Whether those copies are in the form of written or sheet music
or recorded music to the public as well as the right to perform your music for the public.

There is something called Fair Use (more commonly known as the Fair Use Doctrine) that allows anyone to use your
written or recorded music for the purpose of research, news reporting, commentary, or criticism. In other words, there
are times when the use of copyrighted material is deemed appropriate without the consent of the one holding the
copyright.

In some cases, copyrighting music alone is not enough to protect your music, at least not without going through a lot of
hoops to do so. One of the things you can do to protect your copyright is provide notice of copyright. This involves
writing a simple statement such as using the word "copyright," the date, and your name at the bottom of your sheet
music or on the case for the recording or the actual recording itself. CDs are the most common means for recording
devices today and a notice of copyright can easily be added to the exterior of your CD or on your label if you have one
printed.

Why copyright music? The answer is simple: so others cannot take credit for your hard work and creative genius. For
extra protection you may want to register your copyright as well. Registering your copyright will provide you with formal
legal documentation of your ownership of your music should anyone attempt to claim rights to your music or dispute
the true ownership/authorship of your music.

You must have your copyright registered if you wish to file a copyright infringement suit; it is, in my opinion, better to not
only copyright music during the creation process, but also to register your copyright before it could possibly become an
issue. Registering a copyright is not a difficult a process. Basically it involves filling out an application, paying a filing
fee (check with the U. S. Copyright Office for the current amount), and a copy of the work you want to protect.

Your music doesn't have to be published to obtain a copyright. Music should be copyrighted and registered long before
the publication process to protect your rights as the creator of the music. Whether you are dabbling with cute little
limericks or writing masterpieces and concertos, you want to make sure to copyright music earlier rather than later for
the best possible outcome should any problems arise.

About The Author

Richard Cunningham -

copyright introduction Rap Instrumentals

Joeycutless.com (a subsidary of Rothstein-Unstopable Music Group LLC) is a Independent music production and music licensing company owned an operated independently
soundclick.com in 2001 and was at the forefront of the online beat licensing industry and has provided artists worldwide with thousands of the hottest free Hip Hop beats for over
ten years. The mission and agenda of our company was to provide production for rappers, singers etc on a budget and offer them high quality instrumentals for their music,
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For commercial or profitable use of any kind, including published mixtapes & performances ia $24.99 beat license is required and grants you the rights to record a song over one
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