Music in the USA in year 1922 or earlier is Public Domain

[michael-piziak]

Musical Works published with a valid Copyright Notice of 1922 or Earlier are in the public domain in the United States.

Source: http://www.pdinfo.com/copyright-law/copyright-and-public-domain.php

And the source above says you can use that music any way you want to.

This is almost a post for "General Help" but still quite something to talk about around the water cooler. I'm curious of laws in other countries, for example.

I want a good microphone, preferably a head set, and a good app or program on my Ubuntu 12.04 lts system to use this music to sing and record my songs to.

I can't play anything but a drum (who can't beat a drum).

So I will use this music before 1922 to make my songs and I sing and record them on my computer, then I want to put them on youtube and maybe even get famous.

Justin Beeber got famous on facebook for singing just one song I am told.


Cheers everyone!

Michael Piziak

p.s. There is some GREAT JAZZ in the USA that is recorded and available on youtube that I will sing to! LOL

[erfahren]

my dad came across this site when he was searching for some old recordings - https://archive.org/details/audio_music

[michael-piziak]

Totally kewl, I will definitely use that as a resource!

Right now I need some peeps to suggest this:

I want a good microphone, preferably a head set, and a good app or program on my Ubuntu 12.04 lts system to use this music to sing and record my songs to. I need a good app for editing this video/audio too. And something not so hard to use please.

[bcschmerker]

As a musician, I have to research all possible markets for any track I am considering, which means that a number of pre-1922 compositions may not be public domain for much of the world outside of the United States. For instance, SingSnap®, a service of a Canadian corporation, has worldwide usage, and I would be remiss not to locate, when possible, the composer(s), lyricist(s), and publisher of any source work for a Recording there, regardless of track supplier.

[Bucky Ball]

... I would be remiss not to locate, when possible, the composer(s), lyricist(s), and publisher of any source work for a Recording there, regardless of track supplier.

+1. Indeed. From your link:


Copyright protection may be 50 to 70 years after the death of the last surviving author, 95 years from publication date, or other copyright protection term.

A song registered in 1922 is copyright for the lifetime of the composer/lyricist. If the last one dies in 1960 then the copyright will not expire until possibly as late as 2030, 70 years after their death. This is not taking into account any arrangements they may have made for the copyright prior to their death.

It's a fine line with music copyright and I would do a bit more research than this one website. You are ALWAYS advised to check the legalities of each individual piece you are looking to exploit (yes, that's what it's called if you are intending to release the work in the public domain for any kind of gain).

[mystics]

A song registered in 1922 is copyright for the lifetime of the composer/lyricist. If the last one dies in 1960 then the copyright will not expire until possibly as late as 2030, 70 years after their death. This is not taking into account any arrangements they may have made for the copyright prior to their death.

It's a fine line with music copyright and I would do a bit more research than this one website. You are ALWAYS advised to check the legalities of each individual piece you are looking to exploit (yes, that's what it's called if you are intending to release the work in the public domain for any kind of gain).

At least in the U.S., copyright law doesn't have a single length (set or variable) that covers every work. The Life + 70 years only applies to works published since 1978. There are cases, though, when this time will be significantly less (can't remember the legal speak for it, though). Works made between 1923-1978 have different rules, and almost everything between 1923 is no longer under copyright. That said, I think music falls under what may still be copyrighted depending on state laws.

Overall, U.S. copyright law can be quite convoluted. Life + 70 years is a very good reference point because almost all works coming out today that seek some kind of protection will be protected for this long. However, that doesn't apply to all works throughout history.

[Bucky Ball]

However, that doesn't apply to all works throughout history.

Exactly. Without some experience of copyright in the music industry it would be hard to imagine, or perhaps fathom, the permutations and conditions of copyright an individual may choose to implement, sometimes unexpected and obscure. Which is why you should always check, regardless.

This page (http://sydney.edu.au/copyright/students/music.shtml) gives a better idea, particularly this:


Copyright in sound recordings and printed music is complicated because multiple copyright owners are often involved and industry agreements and practices frequently override copyright law.

The rules for the ownership of copyright in written or printed music differ from those for sound recordings.

To give an example of how involved this can be, say you want to record 'Mother Hubbard'. All good. The original published printed sheet music might be in the public domain and recordings made from that sheet music might be in the public domain. BUT if your version covers a (printed or recorded) re-arrangement of 'Mother Hubbard' published in 1960, the copyright to that arrangement still belongs to the possibly living arranger and you have broken copyright as only the original published sheet music and recording are out of copyright, not the 1960 published re-arrangement. See where I'm going?

[SantaFe]

266136
Ain't it the truth! ;)

[erfahren]

I was reminded of this I saw awhile back Judge Rules That "Happy Birthday" Is Public Domain (http://www.snopes.com/2015/09/22/happy-birthday-public-domain/)
Warner/Chappell Music was still collecting on it - crazy!