Part
of copyright is the right to copy a mechanical
works (or the recording) and reproduce it, without
legal consequence. Basically, if a school band
is recording their own music which the band has
written themselves, then they own the copyright
and can reproduce the recording as many times
as they wish, providing everyone in the band agrees.
But,
if the track is a cover version and the composer
or arranger(if it's a new arrangement) has not
been dead for 70 years or more, it can still be
recorded, but a form must be filled out and sent
into AMCOS specifying what it is used for, how
many are to be sold and pay a small fee to AMCOS
who will pass on the funds to the relevant copyright
owner. The fee amount works in relation to many
factors and is calculated on an individual basis.
If
the recording is to be used for the school community
only, and the cost involved in selling the disks
is to recoup the money spent on creating the recording,
then no fee is payable to AMCOS. Many schools
already pay a blanket fee to cover this sort of
copyright already.
If
the recording is to be sold and a profit made
for things such as fundraising for the school,
then a fee must be paid to AMCOS to allow the
copyright owner to receive his or her fees.
Click
here to download the AMCOS Audio manufacture licence
application.
Click
here to download the AMCOS Audio manufacture licence
application guide.
Click
here to download the Guide to the AMCOS, AMCOS/ARIA
& APRA school licences (42 pages)
For
more information about copyright please go to
the AMCOS
website.
