Recording Covers

[hariossa]

I was wondering about doing some covers of my favorite tunes and upload them to my site for free download...

is that possible or I'll get into deep shit? what is the legal thing about it?

I guess that if I'm not making any money with that I don't have to pay nobody... am I right? :

[Didier]

Hi,

I was wondering about doing some covers of my favorite tunes and upload them to my site for free download...

is that possible or I'll get into deep shit? what is the legal thing about it?

You'll have to check with SGAE about that, my Spanish is not that good.

But I doubt the SGAE would have a very different opininion than SACEM (France) or GEMA (Germany).

In short, the answer is no, you do not have the right to make available for free something that is not yours.

I guess that if I'm not making any money with that I don't have to pay nobody... am I right? :<img src=" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

Yes and no.

Some might think that, albeit indirectly, you are using the work of others for your own promotion and/or promotion purposes.

For instance, you have a link to Petrolmusic on your site, which in turn contains "ads by Google".

I'm not saying your motives are bad. Just wanting to point what would be the general reasoning.

Didier

[john]

Hey

Although it's not about Spain, you might find the basic info in this article useful:

http://www.songstuff.com/articles.php?selected=7

Cheers

John

[hariossa]

Thanks guys!! I'll check the article.

[Alistair]

Thanks guys!! I'll check the article.

Why would you want to, Hari?

You are a genius in your own right.

They should be covering you.

[hariossa]

Why would you want to, Hari?

You are a genius in your own right.

They should be covering you.

well the problem is that I don't have enough time to make much music, so most of my music time I spend it composing, but that is very slow... so I thought that if I use some other people's songs I can improve my mixing/mastering/playing/singing technique, and learn more about composition by understanding other ways to make songs. I believe that I need to learn more about structure and other stuff...

[Ricky]

Hari... I don't know International law... I am also not sure about internet use.. and the law.

But I can tell you this.. if it is an US artist you are covering.. and they belong to BMI, ASCAP etc. then you absolutly have to pay up front. There is this thing about public domain.. but you would want to reseach it.

Harry Fox is the main link for US based music.

http://www.nmpa.org/hfa/hfafaq.html

Here is the fax link.

Our band did a cover of a Beatle song (Harrison actually) we had to pay $42 per 500 copies (this included downloads) no one ever gave us much information about streams?? So we offered it as streams.

Saying all this... you will find... Very few OMD's will allow you to put up a cover tune. They don't want the hassle.

MP3.com.. was the only one I ever knew who allowed this, and they run you through the wringer.. making sure you had all the license etc.

I hope this is helpful.. I agree with Alistair... record your own music.

If you want to get feedback from cover tunes.. the best way is to run it by your local network of friends.. and leave the virtual world out of it. It may come back to haunt you one day.

Blessings

Ricky

[hariossa]

well, at this point I'm sure I won't upload any cover song...

I'll have to stick with my own stuff.

[Ricky]

Theres nothing wrong with that my friend!!!