On 5/21/20, Francesco Petrogalli <[email protected]> wrote: > I have written it with lilypond, but it hasn't been performed yet. I > wanted to secure the copyright before performing it. Given that there > is no performing artist yet, there is no recording, so I cannot > register it with ASCAP. Have I got this right?
No registration anywhere is needed to "secure the copyright". All you need to have is a way of proving your anteriority if anyone were to come and claim they’ve written it instead of you. There are several commercial services that can do that for you (though many are scams), but there are cheaper and simpler ways; a simple web search brought me to the following page: https://copyright.co.uk/legal-copyright-law.html “““ It is essential to prove the date of creation of the work. An easy but somewhat unreliable method consists of posting a copy of your work to yourself in a sealed envelope just after completion, and never opening it. The postal service’s date stamp will theoretically prove the date. This can then be opened in the presence of a judge or solicitor for an official confirmation of the date. For this to work, the envelope seal must be intact and not appear to have been tampered with. ””” Now, before even considering registering with ASCAP, you should perhaps ask yourself if you’re _really_ sure that you want to publish under "All rights reserved" (which would prevent a _lot_ of people from simply performing your work). There are many alternative licenses out there, that may authorize "not commercial" uses (whatever that means), copying, or even making new works based on your work while still having to credit you appropriately. I’m just saying that you may want to give this at least a thought before closing that door forever. Cheers, -- V.
