Copyrights


It is essential that any arrangement or performance of music comply with copyright laws concerning licensing, permission to arrange, and associated fees. This section is intended to help you understand your responsibilities on this often confusing subject. 

Any arrangements I produce for you are likely to be copyrighted by another party, meaning they own the rights to the music, including the right to say if another party can arrange or perform their music. The rights holder is not necessarily the composer and they will likely charge you a fee for granting permission to arrange or perform it. 

Only music that I compose for you, or music that is in the public domain (PD) is free of copyright restrictions. Do not assume that music is PD because it is "old". Always check first. If not, you may be surprised, in a bad way. Also, do it right away. You may be surprised how long this process can take, also in a bad way. 

If I produce an arrangement of someone else's music for you, it is your responsibility to obtain permission to arrange and perform that music from the rights holder and to pay any fees associated with the permission. I will not begin arranging until permission has been obtained from the rights holder by you and passed along to me.

Most music competitions require you to provide proof that you received permission. You should allow plenty of time for this process by getting started as soon as you know the music you want to use.

You could obtain these permissions yourself or hire an attorney to do this for you. But this can be time-consuming and costly, especially if you make a mistake. You may want to consider CopyCat Music Licensing, LLC for obtaining these permissions. They are a reputable organization that works with the marching activity and charges reasonable rates. 

You can reach CopyCat at Jeni@CopyCatLicensing.com

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