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Thanks for clearing this up Harvey. It seems simple, bet gets complicated real fast.

As a schoolteacher, I get something called "fair use," which I am told allows me to use copyrighted material in the classroom. So then what if I show a DVD movie in class and then view it again at home? Am I in violation the second time? What's the difference?

Here's another one: I bought my favorite album, years ago, on vinyl. Now vinyl is obsolete. Since I own the music that I bought, I should be able to copy my friends CD of the album.

Yes, I know. The answers to these situations are pretty obvious. I'm just saying its not so simple in the real world.

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You'll find that there is a copyright on both the song and the recording of the song. So, while you purchased a legal vinyl copy, you only purchased that - and not a copy of the CD material which is a separate sound recording.

Here's what I suggest everyone do - it doesn't cost much and it's worth the effort to learn about it:

Write your own original song and make a recording of it. Then go through the official process (it's quite easy now in the US) to obtain copyright for the song itself as well as the recording. It's not all that complicated. Here's the place to do it for the US:

http://www.copyright.gov/

It's been awhile since I obtained copyright on some of my songs - but it was 2 forms (I registered the songs and the recording) - don't remember the form names.

Now, it can be done electronically through file submission - easy peasy.

-Scott

My Songs, photos, writing,etc.
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