WHAT IS COPYRIGHT?

Quite literally, it is what it says – “the right to copy”. 
Copyright applies to:
  • literary works (poetry, hymn texts, novels, instruction books)
  • dramatic works
  • music
  • art (paintings, sculptures, photographs)
  • films (i.e. moving images and sound tracks)
  • recordings (CDs, MP3s, etc)
  • broadcasts
  • published editions  (layout, typesetting and formatting)

Why should we respect it?

  • The law of the land (and of other countries as well)
  • An issue of integrity
  • An issue of “fair pay”

How does it work?

What do we mean by “the right to copy”?
The owner of the copyright has the right to:
  • reproduce the work, including copying by hand, photocopying, scanning, copying a digital file
  • print out and record or film the work or a performance of it
  • communicate the work in a non-domestic context (for example, emailing, faxing or broadcasting the work or putting it on an intranet or internet site)
  • perform the work live, or play a recording of it, in a non-domestic context
  • adapt the work (for example, making an arrangement of a musical work, or translating song lyrics)
By implication, if you don’t own the copyright you don’t have these rights.
The exclusive rights of an owner of copyright in a sound recording include the right to:
  • reproduce the sound recording;
  • communicate it in a non-domestic context; and
  • play it in a non-domestic context (generally, other than with family or friends).
There may be as many as four copyrights involved in a piece of sheet music (a hymn or song or choral anthem)
  • literary  – the poetry or text
  • music – the notes
  • the “arrangement” or “edition” of the work (i.e. derivative – where a composer, arranger or editor has in some way worked on the piece.  A translation of the text would also come under this category)
  • the published edition (i.e. the layout, typesetting and formatting of the hymn).

When does copyright over a work cease?

Note the 70/25 rule
70 years after:
  • the death of the poet
  • the death of the composer
  • the death of the arranger or editor
 25 years after:
  • the “published edition”  of a sound recording was first released
 Therefore for one piece of music: 
  • Different people or organisations may own copyrights which relate to it.
  • These copyrights will probably expire at different times.
  • The “music” is “copyright” (i.e. cannot be copied without permission) until all of the copyrights have expired.
  • When something has ceased being copyright we say it is in the “public domain”.