Looking after your musical creations in terms of copyright and intellectual property is crucial. Here’s a look into why this is so important financially and morally.
Imagine how frustrating and upsetting it would be, after hours of hard work and effort, to discover your music being used in another context, by someone who doesn’t have your permission, or even claiming they created it. Sadly this happens a lot, so what can you do to protect yourself and your work?
Firstly, come to an agreement with those you are working with and/or for and draw up a contract. This will save you from the likelihood of arguments and confusion in the future. As stated in previous modules, there are lots of free online templates which you can use as a basis for your contracts.
jotform.com/pdf-templates/contract
Retain and hold on to your rights as much as possible, especially when it comes to publishing and usage. There are many great resources to be found on the PRS website, which can inform you further about how all this works, along with how you can claim different amounts in performance royalties, depending on where your material is being played. You can also discover more about this area in our module dedicated to royalties.
Many people don’t realise that you actually own the copyright to your material from the very instant you create it, however if this is ever disputed you need to be able to prove this is the case, often through timestamps, registration, or distribution. You can learn a lot more about this subject and how it all works in the UK from this short video:
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