How To Protect Your Music Without A Lawyer
Until you land that record deal, you'll need to protect the music that could make you famous. Follow these steps to protect your music without those greedy lawyers.
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Step 1:
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Copy It Right
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The lawyer may tell you, "you need us to copyright your music," but the truth is, your music is already copyrighted the moment you put those notes on a tangible format. Write it down or record it. As long as your music exists on media, it's copyrighted.
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Step 2:
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Don't Pay By The Hour
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The lawyer will tell you, "protecting your music will cost you thousands," but the actual figure is in the ballpark of $40. You can register your music with the Library Of Congress, in Washington D.C., for $45 and the cost of a stamp. Log on to www.copyright.gov, and click on the sound recordings link. Download the step-by-step forms to register.
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Step 3:
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License To Rock
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The lawyer will tell you, "it will cost money to draft a license for you," but we're not buying it. Log onto www.creativecommons.org and follow the steps to create and select a free license to attach to your music.
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Step 4:
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Promote This!
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The lawyer will tell you, "you need us to promote your music," tell him to take a hike. There are dozens of free sites that support creative commons licenses. Sign up at any or all of these websites found at www.creativecommons.com/audio and enter your contact information so that other like-minded artists can collaborate with you directly.
