Getting your publication Copyright

[InfernoxDeath]

I'm looking forward to getting my own lyrics copyrighted but is what is the right procedure? Question is, how do i get it copyright?

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

IPOS - Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

 

[epicbreakfast]

If I'm not wrong, copyrights are automatic.
So I don't think there's any procedure or anything. Just state that you wrote the lyrics.

 

[Plastic]

Yeah, I think copyright is universal, it is trademark that has to be applied for.
Just have prove you write it, and it's yours, if anyone rips it, you can sue.

 

[john_dzite]

well, i too think it's an automatic either. For example if i wrote some stuffs and another guy use it. I don't think he feel what i wrote or even have the pride for it. If the guy want to use it then use la. It's my stuff anyway and for people to use it, my stuff must be really good.

 

[letterhead]

i once read that there is such thing as a poor man's copyright. this can be done very inexpensively and conveniently.

Just gather all your material and stuff, date it, seal it in an envelope and mail it back to yourself. that way, there will the the official postal stamp on the envelope, and unless you open it, it will be copyrighted in there. hope u understand me, i don't really understand myself either lol.

but this can be argued over at times. If u want to go the proper way, guess you'll have to do as what the people mentioned before me, but that one damn troublesome

 

[wantonne]

Yup. Some actually do that to copyright their poems so the date is there and stamped legally. But don't open it coz then it'll be void. So just keep it for safekeeping just in case someone decides to make use of your words to earn millions and you earn nothing.

 

[rottenramone]

a quick search: http://soft.com.sg/forum/music-kopi-tiam/16141-copyright-issues.html

 

[AgingYouth]

vheissu, that's an urban legend. Doesn't work that way.

 

[someone]

Its not an urban legend, but its quite hard to prove.
If you do try it then you must make sure its registered mail...

but to be honest, are you going to chase some fella to court in the first place... If its a big company that uses your material and does pay any royalty do you really have the balls to take on their legal team and hope your poor mans copyright will withstand their rich mans legal team...

If you want to secure your copyright the best bet is still to register with the money grabbers at compass... being money grabber they do actually chase down all the users and they do have enough legal power to demand payment from most all users

The downside.. if you play a small show compass can demand that they take out a performance of copyright materials license which is NOT CHEAP!
If an organizer kenna this they are more likely to drop you from the bill than want to pay up...

So the question is: do you earn enough from your copyright royalties to forego those smaller shows. If your songs are going to radio MTV then you should register... if not then it may not be worth it

 

[dmr]

a copyright is automatic when you create your work so don't need to apply or register..

 

[letterhead]

Agingyouth, is it?

i'm not too sure, but i'm very certain i read it in a book before, a published book in fact haha. can't remember the name of the book though.

 

[weckl-x]

"Copyright" isn't something you get, it's something you have when you create something. In this context, a song.

You own the copyright as soon as it comes outta your head, or when you record it. What you can DO, is to ensure that you have PROOF of ownership and copyright. That's when you register your work/s with your national agencies which help to protect copyrights.

In singapore, that agency is COMPASS.

What Is COMPASS?

The Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS) is an organisation created to protect and promote the copyright interests of composers, authors* (and their heir) and publishers of musical works and their related lyrics. COMPASS is a non-profit public company which administers the public performance, broadcast, diffusion and reproduction rights in music and musical associated literary works on behalf of its members. COMPASS deals specifically with music copyright and the usage of musical works.

COMPASS

Q. Who owns the Copyright?
A. In most cases, the Copyright of a work vests initially in its creator. However, under circumstances where the work was made by someone under the employment of another, the employer may retain the Copyright. If the original creator of the work has died, the Copyright would fall to the estate of the deceased.

Q. How do I register my Copyright?
A. You do not have to register Copyright. It automatically subsists as soon as an original work is created, in writing or put into any material form, eg. musical scores, cassette, CD etc.

As no formal registration of Copyright is required, in the event of a dispute over authorship, ownership or originality, there is no standard way of proving that one work was in existence before another.

Registration of works with COMPASS is one of the ways that may help to substantiate existence of work at a given date. Another possible way is to send a recording or copy of the work to yourself by registered post, and leave it unopened. These methods however do not prove that you created the song; rather, it only helps establish the date you claim the song came into existence.

One old method musicians used to use (previously mentioned above), and some still do, is this:

The easiest way to protect your copyright is to send yourself a copy of your material by recorded delivery. Remembering to do the following:

1. Put a note inside of when and where the material was recorded. If it is not a recording but a manuscript of the music with a lyric sheet date, then note when and where it was written
2. Include a list of performers on any recording, and the names of writers of the song. Include their addresses.
3. Make sure that you write the name of the song on the outside of the package - you may have more than one package so need to know which song is where.
4. Get the post office to date stamp across the seal.
5. Don't open the package when it arrives, just put it somewhere safe.

BBC - Radio 2 - Sold on Song - Songwriting Guides - Working with other writers

 

[gutturalpiss]

You can do nothing about it and still claim your rights over your material when the time does come.

The only problem is verifying that claim. In today's digital world, you can get precise history data from a multimedia file. If you think your work is really fantastic, then go and register your rights.

 

[someone]

As pointed out by a few ppl the issue is indeed proving that you are the original composer.

the proof is usually in the form of the earliest certifiable copy, which is where the post it to yourself concept comes from

Its quite hard to use digital files to prove first copy as they can be easily faked. e.g. by adjusting your computers internal date setting.
There needs to be an independent third party to verify the date (e.g. the post office that registers the article would verify that the package was posted on that particular date)