Ok, if you make something and you sell it without getting it copyrighted and all that jazz, then it's illegal right? But what If I gave my demo out for free! They can't stop me giving out my own material for free, can they?

You can do that, as long as it's yours. However, someone else can turn around and sell that demo because you don't have the exclusive right to that work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...as far as i know...

If you have made the songs yourself, and not just compiled a mixtape, then yeah you can distribute it.

If you make something completely yourself then its automaticly copyrighted to you. registering just means you get better protection if someone steals it but you can do whatever you like with it so long as it's entirely your creation.

Several years ago I was in a band and we obviously couldn't afford to copyright anything we made (really expensive)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, we came up with a cool way that stands up in court.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make a CD of your stuff, then post it to yourself via Special Delivery in a container that is clearly sealed (the special recorded delivery stickers covering the seals).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because these are dated and timestamped, they are apparently valid as a means of authenticating original dates :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps lol

Good luck with that, "poor mans copyright" is bunk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

US Copyright office says "There is no provision in the copyright law regarding any such type of protection, and it is not a substitute for registration"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom Office says "it may help copyright owners to deposit a copy of their work with a bank or solicitor or send a copy of their work to themselves by special delivery (which gives a clear date stamp on the envelope), leaving the envelope unopened on its return; this could establish that the work existed at this time"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the "may" and "could". you'd have to convince a court against a person who can probably afford a better lawyer than you.

Good luck with that, "poor mans copyright" is bunk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

US Copyright office says "There is no provision in the copyright law regarding any such type of protection, and it is not a substitute for registration"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom Office says "it may help copyright owners to deposit a copy of their work with a bank or solicitor or send a copy of their work to themselves by special delivery (which gives a clear date stamp on the envelope), leaving the envelope unopened on its return; this could establish that the work existed at this time"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the "may" and "could". you'd have to convince a court against a person who can probably afford a better lawyer than you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yer, agreed... was just offering an alternative to paying thousands upon thousands on a genuine copyright lol.