How To Protect Your Music Without A Lawyer
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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.
Step 1: Copy It Right
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.
Step 2: Don't Pay By The Hour
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.
Step 3: License To Rock
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.
Step 4: Promote This!
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.