Distributing Transposed Music (fake charts)

[fenderrocker]

So I have realized that I have a pretty discerning ear for music, although admittedly very little music theory education, and I have been working on transcribing a few charts ranging from rock to jazz. I try to make them as accurate as possible, and each song I transcribed is an improvement over the last. Is there any way that this could be illegal, and is this a potentially lucrative skill to have, or is it fairly common?

[browniespeaks]

yes distributing the charts without paying royalties is illegal. playing the charts live is covered under the venues cabaret licence. recording the charts without permission or negotiated terms is illegal. Transposition is a basic skill most musicians find necessary it involves changing the key of the music while keeping the rhythms and melodies intact. Very often a horn player will be given a lead sheet in C and must transpose the chart on the spot. I think your actually asking about transcription though.

[fenderrocker]

woops. Yeah, transcription.

recording the charts without permission or negotiated terms is illegal

really? So all these youtube "cover" videos are actually illegal?

[browniespeaks]

unless the tune is in the public domain... yes...

Enforcement of your intellectual property rights are a whole other story. But i would say this. Do unto others :)

Songs get into the public domain a number of ways but mostly they are older songs (more than 50 years). The creative common licence is another way to give people the ability to record YOUR tunes without giving away all your rights.

Why do you think song writers sell there music to music publishers. Do a WIKI seach on "The Real Book" for a real world example of a very popular and widely used illegal book of music.

Again this does not pertain to public performance.

oh and somewhat related but i have to ask now. You do know it's illegal to photocopy a book right? Well why would it legal to memorize a book and transcribe (theres that word again) its content word for word on paper. Now good luck as the author trying to stop that. But lets say someone decides to record your book as a book on tape... is that fair game? Now lets say you decide to put that book on tape on youtube... is that fair game? HELLZ NO LOL

sorry this subject erks me. as there will not be a official Sony release of some very remarkable Clifford Brown/ Max Roach music for this very reason. Sony does not feel the recording can be sold because the bootlegs are every ware.

ok /rant

[fenderrocker]

Originally Posted by browniespeaks

unless the tune is in the public domain... yes...

Enforcement of your intellectual property rights are a whole other story. But i would say this. Do unto others :)

Songs get into the public domain a number of ways but mostly they are older songs (more than 50 years). The creative common licence is another way to give people the ability to record YOUR tunes without giving away all your rights.

Why do you think song writers sell there music to music publishers. Do a WIKI seach on "The Real Book" for a real world example of a very popular and widely used illegal book of music.

Again this does not pertain to public performance.

oh and somewhat related but i have to ask now. You do know it's illegal to photocopy a book right? Well why would it legal to memorize a book and transcribe (theres that word again) its content word for word on paper. Now good luck as the author trying to stop that. But lets say someone decides to record your book as a book on tape... is that fair game? Now lets say you decide to put that book on tape on youtube... is that fair game? HELLZ NO LOL

sorry this subject erks me. as there will not be a official Sony release of some very remarkable Clifford Brown/ Max Roach music for this very reason. Sony does not feel the recording can be sold because the bootlegs are every ware.

ok /rant

Thanks for the info. Looks like I'll be snooping around here.