Stupid Question...

[HotHolly]

So, this has been on here 5 million times, but I havent seen this question...

I want to use Pop music in my DVD slideshows legally. If I purchase the song from Itunes each time I want to use it, does that make it legal?

I thought not, but I have no idea about songs for sale like that.

Anyone got details if that is naughty or not?

[Hanky]

what ever happened to you buy it it's yours?
LOL i'm sure some day they will be able to data base every thing and through us all in jail for something.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Best bet is to write to ASCAP and see what they say. Most likely you can have use of the song if you pay a small usage fee based on your websites popularity and if you use the full song uncompressed.

(just like whenever you play a CD in a Jukebox some small part of that $ goes back to the artists)

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

Best bet is to write to ASCAP and see what they say. Most likely you can have use of the song if you pay a small usage fee based on your websites popularity and if you use the full song uncompressed.

(just like whenever you play a CD in a Jukebox some small part of that $ goes back to the artists)

So thats a maybe??? Whosie whatsie is the ASCAP?

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

http://www.ascap.com/index.html
specificilly
http://www.ascap.com/licensing/generallicensing.html

[Bartman01]

Originally Posted by Hanky

what ever happened to you buy it it's yours?

You don't OWN the music, you are purchasing the right to privately use that content. NO public use is permitted without additional licenses. Just like if someone buys a copy of your image, you only transfer specific usage rights with that purchase.

In the US, there are 3 different licensing groups: BMI, ASCAP and SESAC.

You might want to look at the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com/) and contact some of the artists on there. These are artists that are releasing their content outside of the traditional music industry, and they might be willing to let you use their music for a low cost (with attribution).

[Bartman01]

A little additional news from looking at ASCAP's page:

http://www.ascap.com/licensing/pdfs/...hted_music.pdf

ASCAP does not license the right to record music either on a CD or tape or as part of an audio-visual work such as a motion picture, video or television program. Those rights, known in the music industry as mechanical and synchronization (or “synch”) rights, are licensed by writers or publishers, or their agents.

So it looks like you would have to contact the individual writer, publisher, and/or agent to obtain the rights to publish on a slideshow.

[Bartman01]

To answer the original questions:

Originally Posted by HotHolly

I want to use Pop music in my DVD slideshows legally. If I purchase the song from Itunes each time I want to use it, does that make it legal?

NO - that is not legal.

I thought not, but I have no idea about songs for sale like that.
Anyone got details if that is naughty or not?

Not only is it 'naughty', but the fines and court costs if/when you get caught will be much higher than just doing it legally in the first place.

[Bartman01]

Did some more digging. Here is a helpful link:

http://www.clearance.com/get_yourself.htm

My guess is that you can get permission to use a specific song for low volume sales for a 'reasonable' price.

[Stephen H]

You should use some old old music so old it isn't even copyrighted anymore, and get some friends to sing it in exchange for pictures. Something like "Jimmy Crack Corn" would be ideal, I think.