Scrolling through the discussion it seems all US based.

The world is a different place outside your borders.

We even have businesses that are here because of your litigious state(s).

Diamond Aircraft who make mostly 2 seat trainers is an example. 60 miles from the border. My buddy works there. The company has stated that they would prefer to be in the St. Louis area. But it is very much harder to sue a company based here. Our sandbox, our laws.

I have no qualms about sitting and discussing any details about the notes in bars 20 to 30 of Satin Doll. You cannot, even if the discussion resides on a hard drive, demand royalties for 'talking' about someone else's work. You don't have to pay every time you speak of what happened at 3:30 of a movie. You just can't play back any more than what is described by the 'doctrine of fair dealing.'

In Canada, our fair dealing exclusion to copywrite MAY include the whole 'song'. As long as the intention is acemdemic. But if I give you a weekly song in band in a box format, that plays the whole thing and we are really sharing then you NIX the fair dealing thing. You were then distributing the work.

It gets more confusing when it comes to performing the thing. No cover, no gate, then the bar or restaurant is already paying (here it's per seat and the total hours you are open). So the annual licence you get requires you to pay, or they will show up and shut your equipment down. (Maybe)

Confused? Add in other countries and you have more versions that you can shake a stick at.

My son the prof. tells me that the academic line in Canada is broad but restrictive and the American version is loose and less restrictive, so that in the end the result is close to the same. (Profs photocopy stuff or post it now on the web for almost every class).


John Conley
Musica est vita