Re[2]: Copyright Etiquette & Public Domain

[richard_wolpoe <richard_wolpoe...>]

Dear Judy,
        thank you so much for this wealth of information.

Of course I realize that US Copyright law is not Jewish Specific.  What I 
was unsure of is regarding adaptations for various uses, many of them 
nonprofit such as a shul.

Here is an example:
My synagogue runs a Chanukah party.  We perform "Bei Mir bis du Schoen"  We 
charge $20 a person for food and entertainment.  Do we now pay ASCAP?  What 
about taking the song, making copies for our "singers".  Is this illegal? 
I'm not talking about copying it for resale just for reuse)? 

Or are there any implications if I adapt a copyrighted tune into the 
liturgy?

etc. etc.

Regards,
Rich Wolpoe

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Copyright Etiquette & Public Domain 
Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org> at Tcpgate
Date:    6/10/98 12:50 PM


Richard:
Jewish music or any other music that is published and copyrighted would be
protected in the same way in the United States. To my knowledge, there is
no distinction made in the law on music that happens to be Jewish. To find
out what is appropriate and proper procedures, you may wish to turn to some
organizations that are concerned with these issues and have done a lot of
groundwork in this area. They may inform you directly or lead you to
persons who are knowledgable in this field. 

Check out the site at the Music Publisher's Association website at :
http://www.mpa.org/
and click on the "copyright resource center". It has loads of information
about researching copyright. 
It also links to another is the copyright website: http://www.benedict.com/ 

You may also wish to check ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors
and publishers). Their website is: http://www.ascap.com/. Their phone in NY
is 212-595-3050 (according to one book)

These sites include links that lead you to actual documents about US
copyright and also to information specifically geared to music copyright
issues.

Franklin Pierce Law Center also has some websites about Intellectual
Property for non-lawyers... at http://www.fplc.edu/tfield/order.htm

And of course there is always the government:
U.S. Copyright Office. To obtain frequently requested circular and
announcements and get first hand info, try
http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/

If you are serious about copyright, and everyone should be, then know the
facts.
It takes time, but it's worth it to be "kosher" about copyright. Judy.

At 10:09 AM 6/10/98 -0400, you wrote: