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From: ebc417@uiucuxa.Uiuc.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: Song rights
Message-ID: <10900004@uiucuxa>
Date: Sun, 21-Jul-85 15:50:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucuxa.10900004
Posted: Sun Jul 21 15:50:00 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Jul-85 05:52:01 EDT
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Nf-From: uiucuxa.Uiuc.ARPA!ebc417    Jul 21 14:50:00 1985


     The copyright laws provide for something on the order of obligatory 
licensing of performed music;  as I understand it, if someone has published
their music in sheet, on an album, or elsewhere, anyone else may use it in
any fragment, part, or changed form without having to get written permission--
PROVIDED royalties are paid on a per-copy basis immediately upon publishing
and periodically thereafter.  There is a commission which sets the legal
mandatory licensing royalty rates, and I think the rates are currently some-
where around 4 cents a copy these days.

Of course, legal right isn't always the only barrier;  I can see Weird Al ref
..refraining from doing a number on someone who won't consider it 'free
publicity' in order to avoid making an enemy.