Quick Copyright Question

[moonblaide]

MI
My school is interested in making a compilation CD for its incomming Freshman. I was wondering what the copyright laws are on this. For example if I need to distrubte 50 CDs can i just sign up for www.emusic.com 50 times and burn 50 copies? Or can I sign up for it once and burn 50 copies?

Thanks

 

[hexeliebe]

It depends on the individual songs and if you are charging for the cd or not...

Is this a high school or college? There is a reason I'm asking.

 

[moonblaide]

It is for a private college. There will be no charge for the CD except of course that it comes out of the tuition. Anything else you need just let me know

Thanks again

 

[hexeliebe]

If it comes out of tuition then there is a charge and at that point you will need copyright of ALL songs on the CD.

The reason I asked about the school is because, even as a private college, your administration has a staff attorney. Find him/her and ask them for an opinion.

They will be more familiar with what you want to do and can direct you to other resources.

By the way, BMI and ASCAP both have programs for lower royalty payments for educational institutions. And these are the organizations you'll have to be in contact with, not eMusic.

 

[moonblaide]

So if we did not charge for the CD and only charged for the cost of the media the music is on would we still have to pay for the copyrights? For example is the CDs cost 50 cents and we charged each person 50 cents the music would not have to be payed for?

Thanks for all of your help.

 

[divgradcurl]

You'll have to pay for the music whther you give it away or sell it. How you distribute the music isn't the issue -- its that you DO distribute the music at all -- you need a license to do that. Follow hexeliebe's advice and contact ASCAP and BMI.