Using Copyrighted Music in PTE presentations

[kstittel]

I have created quite a few slide shows over the past few years using music from my personal CD collection and other pieces paid for from internet music resources. I have never published a slide show for "public consumption" (only family and friends have seen my work) and I have made an effort to credit my music sources. i.e. listed artist and album information on a page of the slide show. If I were to post a show on a website, is this enough information to keep me "legal" regarding giving credit to the performing artists?

Thank you to anyone who might be able to give me some guidance.

[bmccammon]

This is a topic that gets a lot of air time in a variety of forums and never seems to get resolved. Some folks have very strong feelings about the illegality of using commercial music for slideshows that get released for public viewing. Other people think it's just fine to use any music you have purchased. A good analogy might be if you went to a slideshow at your local camera club and found one or more of your images incorporated in the show and knowing full well that they were lifted off your internet site. There are countless examples of websites and "published" slideshows that clearly are using commercial music. Does that make it right? Personally, I don't think so. With the wide variety of royalty free music available, both for purchase and for free, I don't know why anyone would risk infringement by using copyrighted work for shows that are given (or sold) for use outside your home. Sure, you'll lose the mainstream songs that make it easier to have a succesful show but there are wonderful sources of royalty free music available. My choice is to use royalty free music that I have purchased and have yet to have a client (or friend) reject the show. My $0.02 worth and I'm sure you'll get a lot of varied opinions. Good luck.

[kstittel]

Thank you for your reply.

Do you mind sharing your resources for Royalty free music?

[mhwarner]

Here are a few places I have used or at least looked at. Some are a bit pricey, but others are fairly reasonable. All of them allow you to play samples before committing to a purchase:

First, one of our own members here has a nice selection of royalty free music on his site which can be used for the purposes you describe:

http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/royaltyfreemusic_new.htm

Also:

http://musicbakery.com/

http://www.freshmusic.com/

http://www.music2hues.com/

http://www.instantdownloadmusic.com/demos.asp

[Ronniebootwest]

The laws relating to the use of copyright material are very well documented, the simple rule is this, 'Yoy cannot use it unless you have permission from the author' this means that you will need to purchase a licence.

There is also a difference between 'Copyright Free' and 'Royalty Free' so please do some homework and get some proper advice before plunging in at the deep end because if you do use music that is subject to a copyright, you could end up in a very expensive legal action.

An excellent source for music that can be freely used in your slide shows is the Beckam Digital web site Here:

Ron

[bmccammon]

travelkat ---- PM sent to you this AM. Good luck

[kstittel]

Bruce, Mary and Ron-

Thank you all for your resources. Am looking forward to utilizing them, and who knows-- I might even get brave and post one of my projects

[Ronniebootwest]

Kati,

please do not be shy - go ahead and post your project, we would all love to see it!

Ron.

Visit my website if you need some help, there are many FREE tutorials for you to download.

[Almark]

Where do you go to get a licence? I have used a track from a CD I bought, do I have to contact the publishers of that CD? Can camera club, for example, buy a licence that will cover their members?

All information is most welcome.

[Conflow]

Mark,

The 'Performing Rights Association' handle these matters in the UK.

If I remember correctly one of our Forum Members: Maureen Allbright

has the details on this and owns such a Licence (Cost approx:£20.pa.)

You might send her an EMail about this...

Brian.Conflow.

P.S. You should be able to contact her here:-

www.maureenalbright.com

www.digital-av.co.uk resource information for digital AV

[Mike Reed]

Here in the Uk the safest way regarding copyright music is to join the Film and Video Institute (previously the IAC). Ask for their Copyright Clearance scheme leaflet.

They can be contacted on

admin@theiac.org.uk

web site is www.theiac.org.uk

phone 013272 822812

[Almark]

Thank you Mike I will check this out.

[jkb]

In the UK, to use Commercial music legally you must hold the appropriate licenses, MCPS, BPI and PPL. Members of the RPS & PAGB can purchase the MCPS & BPI for £8.54 which allow you to record the music, but in order to play those recordings in public you must hold the PPL which is only available to IAC Members. For IAC members the Licenses cost £7.17 & membership is currently £37.50.

One of the conditions of the BPI license is that 'The NAMES of all instrumental groups, bands, orchestras, choruses, solo artists and/or performers shall NOT be identified in the subtitles or credits etc.'

We recently featured a 4page article on this subject in AV News Magazine (Issue 177 August 2009).

See AV News website for more details & Links to the appropriate IAC pages

Jill & John

AV News Editors

[Guest showman]

I am totally agree with Mr.Conflow.

i think he provided us some useful information here.

So,

Follow according to him.

Listen to free streaming mp3s

[Don]

Does anyone know where one can purchase the rights to use music (from CDs or downloaded from the net) used in non-commercial slideshows? I saw the info for the UK, but I would like to know for the US.

Does anyone know where I could find music on the net available for downloading that does not require any authorization to use for non-commercial purposes?

Don

[fh1805]

Don,

Have you tried Googling for "Royalty free music download"? I just got over 4million hits doing this.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Barry Beckham sells royalty free music which can be downloaded or sent by CD. It isn't mainstream stuff but you won't be harassed anywhere for using it. It does however have certain limitations which can be read on Barry's web site. Just Google Beckham Digital.

Yachtsman1.

[Don]

I did do a Google search but evidently got discouraged too quickly as I was finding that the downloadable music was royalty free, but not totally free. Fees were involved. This may be okay for me, but as I'm new to slideshows, I wanted to find out what was available totally free.

Motivated by your comment, I went back to Google and searched for "totally free legal music downloads." This yielded a number of opportunities. They are not as searchable and as well organized as the pay sites, but hey, it's free.

I am creating PTE slideshows as a hobby. None of my work will be used for commercial purposes. So, I don't want to be spending a lot for each piece of music. Free is nice, and I would not have any concern about a small flat or annual fee for access to a large selection legal downloadable music.

Thanks,

Don

[Guest Yachtsman1]

If the shows arew for your use only you can use any music you like.

Yachtsman1

[Maureen]

If the shows arew for your use only you can use any music you like.

Yachtsman1

I have yet to meet anyone who has produced a show for their own use only

.. and never shown it to anyone else !

Once you show your work to any others - family or friends, it is not for your own use.

Amateur or professional !

Much easier to stay legal or use Royalty free music or compose your own.

UK = Buying the IAC licences is a lot cheaper than the fines too.

I have made an effort to credit my music sources. i.e. listed artist and album information on a page of the slide show.

Already answered by others = do not do this with current licences.

If I were to post a show on a website, is this enough information to keep me "legal" regarding giving credit to the performing artists

No. Already answered by others = do not do this

[fh1805]

To re-inforce Maureen's message above still further...

No matter where in the world you are, no matter what use you intend to make of it, any copying of any piece of work that is not your own is illegal under copyright law, unless you have the permission of the copyright owner to make and use that copy.

You cannot legally copy anything unless you have the necessary permission.

regards,

Peter

[Ken Cox]

For an example see

http://www.boiseweek...i-sue-idaho-bar

http://www.google.ca...aylor+swift+sue

from what i have read , the music police can nail you for playing a radio in a public place

and

when you buy a piece of software, music, movie etc it just gives you the right to use it, not to copy it unless specified by the producer or as Maureen and others have said you buy a licence

Brian or others can qualify my statements

ken

[jfa]

from what i have read , the music police can nail you for playing a radio in a public place

To following on from Kens point. In the state I live in Australia some years ago there was an issue with shop owners playing a radio quietly in the background in their shop, for their own or their customers benefit. It was deemed an infringement on the copyright of any music that might be played on the radio. The end result was the shop now needs to purchase a licence and pay an annual fee to do this.

So in effect anyone cannot play a radio in public if the music can be heard by anyone other than the owner of the radio!!