This same question about YouTube is going on right now on the Keyboard Corner Forum. The Harry Fox Agency came up and this was the answer from one guy:

Sorry but this does not apply to video. The license HFA can issue is a mechanical license for using the music like recording and distributing a cover. But when you put it to video it requires a Sync license, which HFA does not cover. That has to be negotiated directly with the artist.

Is this correct? I don't know but it should be easily answered with a phone call or check HFA's website. It does sound like exactly what you're talking about Trapper.

Most on the KC forum are saying don't worry about it and a lot of the people there are music biz insiders. You're allowed three strikes before anything bad happens, the strikes only last for 6 months and you have every right to dispute it as was explained here. You lose the protest, take it down. No harm, no foul. Here's an interesting vid by Rick Beato. If you don't know him he has a great YT channel, he's a killer musician, producer, recording engineer and knows all kinds of music biz related things:



It really boils down to what songs you're covering. Huge mega hits by superstars almost certainly won't fly but if you're doing 40-50 year old blues, folk, jazz, country it's probably not a problem. But if you want to cover the big name superstar rock acts from the 70-80's's good luck. Journey, the Eagles, the Stones, Led Zep, Michael Jackson, probably won't work.

The best suggestion I read over there is simply do a search of the song title. If you can't find anything other than the original artist or another big name artist where it's obvious they got permission like Willie Nelson does Sinatra or something like that don't bother uploading a cover, it's probably a waste of time.

Bob

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