[HANASHIR:4206] Re: recording copyright question

[SOUNDSRITE <SOUNDSRITE...>]

Dear Susan, et al,

People call our office several times a week in regard to the use of Debbie 
Friedman's music for projects similar to yours.  We are always delighted when 
people call for permission and readily give it!  Since your recording will be 
given away to congregants and no money will change hands, no royalty is due.  
We do, however, request that the correct copyright information (which we will 
provide) be printed on the accompanying J-card/CD booklet, etc.  We also ask 
that you send us two copies of the completed product - we keep one on file in 
our office so we can track where Debbie's work appears, and the other one is 
forwarded to Debbie so she can see how and where her songs are used.  It is 
really exciting for us to see how Debbie's compositions are creatively used 
all over the world!

This process is a very simple but valuable one.  It is important for the 
protection of Debbie's copyrights to credit her appropriately.  By calling 
us, people using the music are validating the professional stature of the 
artist.  Recipients of the recording  see that their leaders are respectful 
of the creative work of others, are using material with permission, and are 
educating the congregation about Jewish music and its composers.  Though many 
people assume that some of this music that has been around a long time came 
down from Sinai with the Torah and is exempt from copyright issues, this is 
not the case!!!

Thank you for asking this important question.  I look forward to hearing from 
you and others about your projects.

Randee Friedman, President
Sounds Write Productions, Inc.
www.soundswrite.com

In a message dated 10/16/1999 4:11:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
sschanerman(dot)dvh (at) tuhsd(dot)k12(dot)az(dot)us writes:

<< Subj:     [HANASHIR:4189] recording copyright question
 Date:  10/16/1999 4:11:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time
 From:  sschanerman(dot)dvh (at) tuhsd(dot)k12(dot)az(dot)us (Susan Schanerman)
 Sender:    owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
 Reply-to:  hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
 To:    hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org (hanashir)
 
 Copyright experts:
 My temple has asked me to make a tape of the Shabbat melodies that I
 generally sing at our services.  They plan to give (not sell) this to
 those who attend a temple retreat in November to help congregants learn
 the songs so that they can sing along at services.  If I credit the
 composers on the song index that fits in the cassette, am I doing
 anything wrong by not writing to the composers to get permission?  The
 tape is being used for educational reasons.
 
 Susan Schanerman
 Phoenix
  >>

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