Stop making working copies!

Judy Galloway, author of series of copyright articles published in The Pitch Pipe (“Making the Music Come Alive ... Legally”) says there have been some major changes in U.S. Copyright law:

• It is not legal to make any kind of a “working copy” of purchased sheet music. Even when the group has been told to make their own originals from the master, those copies are protected as if they’d been printed by the publisher. Individuals cannot make a mark-up copy of their music for themselves; they must use the original piece(s) of sheet music.

• Singers may make “educational, personal” audio “working copies” (such as tapes, CDs, DVDs) of rehearsals, performances, shows, if the recordings are for their own personal use.

• The allowed minimum for mechanical licensing duplications is now 25 (down from 500!) through www.songfile.com.

• The allowed minimum for mechanical licensing duplications is now 25 (down from 500!) through www.songfile.com. ASCAP, BMI and SESAC are beginning to license Internet applications that affect barbershoppers, such as online clips and webcasts.

• Performance licensing is through ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC in the USA.

The more that copyright laws are abused (Youtube.com, etc.), the stricter the rules will likely become. Please make all copyright decisions as if you were the copyright holder.

You can contact Judy Galloway at judy@jgcomputerworks.com.

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