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Copyright and Publish Music
Copyright © Roddy McKay - 2009 - All Rights Reserved
Copyright & Publishing
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Circle C - the copyright symbol is easy - Option G.
Circle P - the performance copyright - not so easy. The CD Man font doesn’t appear to be available anymore and the circle CP is a bit limited. I have put together a package for you to download and see which you like best.
CD Man also has compact disc logos and instructions.
I have stored the ZIP file in the container.
Click it and maybe it will open for you if you have magic fingers!
Before you release your album you must copyright your songs. This is done at the US Copyright Office if you happen to live in the USA! You can do it electronically which is 10 bucks cheaper or by downloading the form and mailing it. Go HERE to start.
You are going to register a Sound Recording - Form SR.
If you are registering an album, you don’t need to register each song. Register a Collection for one payment of $35/45. You can register the individual songs later if you want or do it now if you have lots of money.
I have done all the hard work for you. Click the icons below to download a Copyright Tutorial and Copyright Info.
Copyright Information
Copyright Tutorial
If you are self publishing - and who wouldn’t - join a Performing Right Society so that you can collect Public Performance royalties. Look up the appropriate organization for your country or region. I have given you links to the two main USA ones and the UK outfit that I still belong to even although I live in California now.
Just click the logo of your choice.
BMI USA
MCPS/PRS Alliance UK
ASCAP USA
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There are two copyrights involved in a sound recording.
The mechanical copyright protects the physical recording and performance and is usually owned by the record label. It is denoted by the symbol
The song composition’s copyright is owned originally by the songwriter(s) and is usually handled by a music publisher. The is denoted by the symbol
The mechanical copyright fee is collected on the physical sales of the song.
The record label will belong to a society that collects the mechanical royalties.
The publishing royalties are collected from physical sales and public performance.
Both the composer and the publishing company will belong to a performing right society who are responsible for collecting fees for the public performance of the song and on physical sales by the record company.
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The mechanical right royalty is normally collected on behalf of the record label by an institution.
In the USA this is normally the Harry Fox Agency and in the UK, MCPS.
Anybody who wants to use all or part of your recording for reproduction or use in movies, TV etc. must either negotiate a license fee or obtain a compulsory license.
The public performance royalty is collected on behalf of the composer(s) and their publishing company by their performing right society.
If you are selling your own music, you are automatically collecting the mechanical royalty and don’t have to pay yourself. If it is released by a record company they will pay you this royalty as provided in your contract.
The royalty for any public performance by anybody other than the owner of the song copyright will be collected by your performing right society.
Anybody who wants to perform or play the composition in public must pay a fee. Playing music on a website is considered a public performance.
Harry Fox Agency
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Click HERE to read the Disclosure of Material Content in compliance with the FTC Guidelines effective December 31, 2009