Discussion:
What is the name of your state? New Jersey.
Hi,
I am thinking of starting a music publishing business and I have a question in that regard.
Would I need to ask permission and/or pay licencing fees in order to sell sheet music transcriptions of bass lines taken from copywritten sound recordings even if I don't include the melody or the lyrics?
I understand that if the bass line is a distinctive part of the song it is protected under copyright laws. But what about when it is not?
And what about if a particular transcription has already been published elsewhere?
If i do have to ask permission, who should I ask?
If I do have to pay, what kind of fees would I incur if I sell the transcriptions online individually (e.g. pdf format) instead of printing a set amount of copies?
The reason why I am asking is because I own a published "Pop Basslines" book and there is no copyright information nor permission information about the individual trascriptions.
Thank you,
Agi
Answer:
Would I need to ask permission and/or pay licencing fees in order to sell sheet music transcriptions of bass lines taken from copywritten sound recordings even if I don't include the melody or the lyrics?
Write a letter to "Vanilla Ice" and "David Bowie" and ask them
Answer:
Write a letter to "Vanilla Ice" and "David Bowie" and ask them
**A: those 2 do not play bass. Jack Bruce still does.
Answer:
**A: those 2 do not play bass. Jack Bruce still does. Ya but it was the bass line that Vanilla stole
Answer:
Write a letter to "Vanilla Ice" and "David Bowie" and ask them You obviously have not red my post in its entirity. I also wrote:
"I understand that if the bass line is a distinctive part of the song it is protected under copyright laws. But what about when it is not?"
The bass line of "under pressure" is an obvious case of the bass being the main riff of the song. Also, we are talking about two different things. You are talking about copying a song from a song. I am talking about printing the music with proper crediting.
Agi
Answer:
What is the name of your state? New Jersey.
Hi,
I am thinking of starting a music publishing business and I have a question in that regard.
Would I need to ask permission and/or pay licencing fees in order to sell sheet music transcriptions of bass lines taken from copywritten sound recordings even if I don't include the melody or the lyrics?
I understand that if the bass line is a distinctive part of the song it is protected under copyright laws. But what about when it is not?
And what about if a particular transcription has already been published elsewhere?
If i do have to ask permission, who should I ask?
If I do have to pay, what kind of fees would I incur if I sell the transcriptions online individually (e.g. pdf format) instead of printing a set amount of copies?
The reason why I am asking is because I own a published "Pop Basslines" book and there is no copyright information nor permission information about the individual trascriptions.
Thank you,
Agi If you are using someone else's copyrighted work, you need permission or you face a potential infringement suit. If you use just a part of a work -- like the bassline from a song -- then it might be acceptable under a fair use analysis. However, as noted elsewhere, since fair use is a defense to a suit for copyright infringement, it's not really the best thing to rely on.
Your "pop bassline" book probably has a copyright on the compilation. If the basslines are acutally note-for-note transcriptions, then they are likely either infringing or they have permission. If the basslines are "inspired" by another work, then they may not be infringing, depending on how close they are to the original work.
Check with the Harry Fox Agency about purchasing the rights to transcribe and sell the basslines to works.