On 20 May 1999 Paul Winkler wrote:
> I just thought of something else. Usually on recordings, there
> are _two_ kinds of copyright. There's the "performance" rights,
> meaning the rights to the sonic recording captured on the record.
> Then there's the "publishing" rights, meaning the rights to the
> lyrics, chords, rhythms, etc. that make up the song.
That raises another puzzle I've considered. I don't know on what
terms one records a cover version of a song with reserved rights,
but what of freeing one's performance, GPL or otherwise? Once
you've obtained permission to record a song, is your recording of
it yours enough that you can liberate your rights to the performance
proper? If you agreed that the publisher will receive royalties from
sales of your performance, can you distribute it noncommercially,
result being that royalties are a percentage of zero?
