cantgetenoughcorps Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Just wondering when corps have people arranging their music, what are the arrangers legally allowed to do? Can they transpose music to a different key if it could be played better that way? Are they allowed to add runs wherever they want to? Are they able to add harmonies where they didn't exist in the original. And are there written guardlines from the original composer(or company that owns the music) that are handed over when they purchase the rights? I have never heard any discussion on this, are there any arrangers on DCP that could answer these questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcpguy1111 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Just wondering when corps have people arranging their music, what are the arrangers legally allowed to do? Can they transpose music to a different key if it could be played better that way? Are they allowed to add runs wherever they want to? Are they able to add harmonies where they didn't exist in the original. And are there written guardlines from the original composer(or company that owns the music) that are handed over when they purchase the rights?I have never heard any discussion on this, are there any arrangers on DCP that could answer these questions? Ummmm, arrangers are allowed to do whatever they want. That's why it's an arrangement.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Ummmm, arrangers are allowed to do whatever they want. That's why it's an arrangement.. Ummmmmmmmm..... NO ....that's not it at-all. There's an entire body of law that covers that .... COPYRIGHT LAW. The original composer (or subsequent assignee) retains the exclusive rights to the work for the duration of the copyright - including the right to define how their work is modified/represented. While some composers would be willing to permit a wide range of changes - I'm sure others would require that the arrangement remain true to the original composition. The details of the license would dictate the limits of what could be done. My advice - contact someone that is well-versed in copyright law and the nuances of music licensing. DCI and several of the Top-12 DCI corps use CopyCat Music Licensing for their releases and licensing work. Jeni is well-versed in the law and procedures for securing the rights to arrange, perform, record, transcribe, and transmit copyrighted works (just about ALL music is included). -john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmpiano Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 That is not necessarily true. Some composers do set strict limits on what can and cannot be changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 That is not necessarily true.Some composers do set strict limits on what can and cannot be changed. Which is why some composers don't allow their music to be altered in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walder Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 ALL music prior to 1900 is liscence free.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsar Nikk Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 ALL music prior to 1900 is liscence free.... Actually, it's 1923. And you have to be working from an original copy of the score from before 1923, you can't be arranging something that has had its copyright renewed, unless you've got the original, pre-renewal score. Copyright law is a very complicated, very exhausting field that good arrangers have to know quite a bit about. Of course, there have been a lot of new and controversial ammendments to copyright law, mostly pushed through by record companies...essentially, if it isn't under public domain right now, it won't be available to the public domain until the 2030s, and if it's a sound recording, it is protected until 2067, no matter when it was recorded! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaobai88 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Actually, it's 1923. And you have to be working from an original copy of the score from before 1923, you can't be arranging something that has had its copyright renewed, unless you've got the original, pre-renewal score.Copyright law is a very complicated, very exhausting field that good arrangers have to know quite a bit about. Of course, there have been a lot of new and controversial ammendments to copyright law, mostly pushed through by record companies...essentially, if it isn't under public domain right now, it won't be available to the public domain until the 2030s, and if it's a sound recording, it is protected until 2067, no matter when it was recorded! So out of curiosity... does this apply only to music arranged for shows? Or does this apply for any arrangement that the corps wants to play for standstills and general public? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsar Nikk Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 So out of curiosity... does this apply only to music arranged for shows? Or does this apply for any arrangement that the corps wants to play for standstills and general public? This applies to any arrangement, for any occasion, for any reason. Basically, if you are altering the original intent of the music, you had better make sure it's public domain, or that you received "Permission to arrange" from the license holder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindsorGman Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I think the whole issue of copywrite in pertaining to drum corps would mostly affect DCI and the record( sorry DVD) producers as the major point being PROFIT. Since most all corps, if not all, are Non-profit and don't make revenues off the sales of recordings ( correct me if I'm wrong, do DCI or the music distributors share royalties with the corps?) The the issue comes back to, are you making money off me? How many schools have been prevented from performing because of copywrite? Ever been to the bar on the weekend, do you think the thousands of bar bands worry about it. This is a youth activity and I don't think for a minute that anyone would shut down a youth activity based on not being greased. While DCI would like all corps to worry about this, I think it is those who make PROFIT off the copywrite infringement that have to worry about it.After all DCI is about making money, wonder why Ken Kobald recordings are being burried?, Ken put a specific into his donation to DCI forbiding them to be used for profit, and if you can't make money off them, why make them available. For the drum corps involved , not because you think theres money in it. After all who started a drum corps thinking "Hey lets make some cash!" As I've said I believe the whole copywrite issue is about making profit off something you didn't pay for. For the little guys, the most I feel would happen would be a cease and desist order telling you not to do it, to stop playing a composition. For the others "if you made money off me and didn't ask or share" this is what copywrite is about. Music arrangers this pertains to you as well as I know you sell you araingements to the corps, so you are making profit . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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