Do Engineers Get Copyrights?

[work2do]

All writers (music n lyrics) should be a part of the copyright. But as long as the song has been registered with bmi/ascap listing you as a writer/publisher with your proper percentages you should be good.

Engineers are not on copyright or ascap/bmi unless they wrote some music/lyrics.

[narcoman]

As an engineer you do not get a copyright.

However you have mentioned that you co-wrote the song. You have a co-write credit at least.

As for "checking copyright" - I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean with LOC if you are in the USA?

could you clarify your situation? are you a member of a PRO? Do you have a publisher? Who owns the masters for th recording you did?

[drBill]

Note to self : in 2012 copyright is so hosed that people don't even know what it IS anymore.



AposL - I hope you get credits on your project man, God knows I've engineered hundreds of projects without the slightest mention of my name, but all that said, credits are not copyright. Engineers do not get copyright credit. Learn what copyright is - and isn't, and you'll be that much further down the road to success. Good luck. Cheers, bp

[AwwDeOhh]

"Credit(s)" have to do with contractual terms. Copyright is ownership of the music and/or recording.

[narcoman]

Yup!!

[NYCruiser]

"Credits" = Pat on the back
"Copyrights" = Cash

[narcoman]

Surely credits = pat on back and copyrights = ownership??

And both may or may not mean cash?

[NYCruiser]

IME credits get thrown in during negotiations in lieu of raising the rate the are paying. If paying was the goal they would throw in a 5 or 10 percent writer share.

[aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Surely credits = pat on back and copyrights = ownership??

And both may or may not mean cash?

To correct the above: Copyright = temporary distribution monopoly. The public is the only owner of any published work, and copyright is a temporary exclusive right that the public grants to the creator in exchange for publication (a word which literally means making public, as in issued [given] to the people).

I think you're right that either credits or copyright could result in -- or could at least indicate -- cash, though!

[rack gear]

Originally Posted by AposL

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know where engineers get the actual credit?

I recorded, mixed, produced (in the traditional sense), and co-wrote a song for an artist that is signed to an indie-label. In the contract, it is stated that I get credit for the above, I checked the copyright record and I am mentioned nowhere. Now, before I start freaking out, is the copyright the appropriate place for the engineer to receive credit or is there another place where i would be listed?

Thank You!

engineers may get copyright when they create branded plugins for waves.

[Jeff Hayat]

Hi. First off, to be clear, credit and copyright are two different things.

Originally Posted by AposL

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know where engineers get the actual credit?

Typically, on the published and released medium. If it's an album (CD), the credit is on the jacket/sleeve. If it's a movie, the credit is in the end credit roll (but usually not on the DVD jacket/sleeve).

Originally Posted by AposL

I recorded, mixed, produced (in the traditional sense)...

That is credit. Which should appear on the CD. If you have a signed contract that says it will, and it's not there, you may have a lawsuit against the label.

Originally Posted by AposL

...and co-wrote a song for an artist...

That is copyright. If you had a hand in writing a song - in whole or in part - your name should be on the copyright forms submitted to the copyright office in whatever country you reside. This is regardless of whether or not you belong to a PRO. If the band has a PRO, and registers that song with that PRO, your name should be included there.

Now - did you actually have a hand in writing the song? Some people think that they took part in writing a song, when they actually have not. Did you write a guitar/piano riff? Vocal melody line? Lyrics? If yes, that would be considered writing. Did you come up with the drum beat, and maybe tell the band to play the bridge 2x, end with a single hit instead of a fade, and play the rhythm with a slightly different feel? If yes, that would NOT be considered writing - that is considered arranging. In the former ex., you are entitled to have your name on the copyright form; in the latter ex., you are not.

Keep in mind, I am going off of the laws here in the US; I have no idea where you live, and the laws vary a little from country to country.

Cheers.s