Posted by joe exley on January 14, 2004 at 19:14:18:
In Reply to: For the copyright experts... posted by Ted on January 14, 2004 at 00:29:58:
Not legal advice -- but here are a few resources that might help you out:
Check out the Harry Fox agency online (www.songfile.com) this is an agency that handles *most* (but certainly not all) tunes when it comes to licensing -- especially tunes that are by BMI and ASCAP composers or arrangers. They have a great database online (that is free) that can be a huge help in these matters and can often answer simple questions. You can even pay for royalties online for some things. It is designed to be quick and easy.
If you are (lucky enough to be) publishing this arrangement, perhaps the publishing company can help you out. If you want to just arrange it for performance, then research each tune.
When searching for rights to arrange tunes -- often you will see it described as to "cover" the tune -- that is the pop way of saying "doing your own arrangement of someone else’s tune".
There are many books on this -- check the library or a big bookstore before spending big bucks on a lawyer -- music lawyers can be VERY EXPENSIVE.
ALSO (attention: great resource for all here) you can contact VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS -- it is a non-profit organization based in NYC that provides legal services to artists at very little or no cost at all -- it sounds like your questions are basic, so they might be able to do that right on the phone or by email.
[www.vlany.org]
I am not sure if they will help folks outside of NYC, but it is worth a try. Also, there might be similar orgs in other states.
peace
je
NYC