Ask a Music Lawyer Archive
Welcome to the archives of Ask a Music Lawyer. All of the questions and answers are collected here in reverse chronological order.
Can I play my own music at a venue without a public performance license? – November 18, 2013
What copyright form do I file? – November 5, 2013
What type of beats contract do I need? – October 15, 2013
How many copyright applications to register three songs on iTunes? – October 1, 2013
What permission is needed to publicly perform a cover song? – September 3, 2013
Do I need a lawyer to review my record contract? – August 6, 2013
How much do I pay in mechanical royalties? – July 2, 2013
How do I find a song's publisher? – June 4, 2013
Good books on music publishing? – May 7, 2013
What license do I need with perfomers at my event? – April 2, 2013
Can I use a poem as the lyrics for my song? – March 4, 2013
How much does it cost to draft a recording agreement for an indie label? – February 4, 2013
Can a publisher ask for more than the statutory mechanical rate? – January 22, 2013
Do I need a license for my singing business? – January 8, 2013
What can I negotiate in a management deal? – December 18, 2012
How do I become a music lawyer? – December 4, 2012
What is SoundExchange? – November 20, 2012
Do I own my band's music video if I paid for it? – November 6, 2012
Can I use parody songs in my ad campaign? – October 23, 2012
Can I register the copyrights if artist didn't pay for my producer services? – October 9, 2012
Can I terminate a verbal synchronization license? – September 25, 2012
Can I copyright unlimited songs for $99? – August 28, 2012
How do I legally use someone else's words as the basis for my song? – August 14, 2012
Can I copyright songs from multiple years on one application? – July 31, 2012
When do I need a lawyer? – July 17, 2012
Can a DJ and school bag provider use the same name? – July 3, 2012
How can I find out if I'm owed royalties? – June 19, 2012
Can a band sue the producer for not liking the mix? – June 5, 2012
Can a publisher charge a mechanical royalty rate of more than 9.1 cents? – May 22, 2012
What if a band in Australia is using a similar band name? – May 8, 2012
Can I distribute for free a mix CD of tracks that I purchased? – April 24, 2012
Can I use a short music clip in a video for a nonprofit? – April 10, 2012
Do I have a copyright once I perform a song in public? – March 27, 2012
Do I need a lawyer to file for copyright registration? – March 13, 2012
What should my indie label's artist deal include? – February 28, 2012
Why should I register my copyrights? – February 7, 2012
Can I play the radio at work without paying music licensing fees? – January 24, 2012
Can I play CDs I own at work? – January 3, 2012
Do I need to pay to perform cover songs at live music venues? – December 6, 2011
Is it too late to file a copyright infringement lawsuit? – November 22, 2011
What to do if investor is interested in your band? – November 8, 2011
How do I register a copyright for my performance of a cover song? – October 25, 2011
Can I use part of someone else's recording without permission? – October 11, 2011
What do I do if newer bands are using my band name? – September 6, 2011
Who and what do I ask for the rights to use a sample? – August 30, 2011
Do I need to hire a music attorney in my state? – August 9, 2011
Is my song title protected by copyright? – August 2, 2011
What do music lawyers do? – June 28, 2011
Can I register a collection of songs and pay just one $35 fee? – June 21, 2011
How can I use a remix of a popular song in my student film? – June 14, 2011
How do I correct a previous copyright registration? – May 10, 2011
Which copyright forms do I use? How many do I need to fill out? – April 26, 2011
What license do I need for a live show DVD with cover songs? – April 12, 2011
Why should I register my songs with the Copyright Office? – April 5, 2011
How do I compensate members of my band for contributing to my song? – March 22, 2011
What if another band has trademarked our name? – March 15, 2011
