Is it illegal to play pop tunes for warm up?

[Relege_Ttam]

Hey, so I've been writing and arranging pop tunes for my front ensembles for ages, we usually use them as warm up in the lot or just something to get away from the every day grind. I recently started school as a composition major, and we talked a lot about getting rights to record and such, but we didn't talk about rights to arrange. Now I've seen on websites that they offer rights to arrange songs, and I wanted to know if what I've been doing is technically illegal?

[billc36]

Short answer, yes. If something is published by someone else and you choose to arrange it for an ensemble, you need to seek permission to arrange BEFORE you start writing. For some groups it's easy to get permission, others may charge a fee, others will flat out deny the permission.

[NGPercussion]

If you are interested in learning more, check this out: http://www.nafme.org/my-classroom/copyright/

[Silver]

As long as you are not making money off of it, I don't see how it would be against the law to play "Party in the USA" on a marimba in a parking lot. I just played it on my guitar sitting next to me. There's no way that was illegal.

If you are selling your arrangement, I can see. But just arranging it and playing it....not illegal. No more illegal than you singing in the shower.

[billc36]

There's a difference between performing publicly and singing in the shower.

[Silver]

So if I go to my walmart parking lot and sing it is illegal?

[billc36]

Are you arranging a piece of published music?

Look, it's pretty simple. If you take a piece of published music and intend to arrange for a percussion ensemble, or any other ensemble, you need to secure permission from the publisher before you start arranging. If you're going to perform it publicly, there's a chance that someone will record it and upload it to Youtube or other type site. If a publisher catches wind of it, and decides to go after the arranger, they are well within their legal rights to do so. Now, the odds of that happening aren't that high, but is the risk worth it?

If you choose to sing Party in the USA in your local Walmart parking lot, that's completely on you.

Money being made is not important in this case. If you perform it in your home, the odds of anyone finding out are slim.

But, clearly, you understand copyright law more than the rest of us...

[Silver]

Bill I clearly understand copyright law better than you. You think it's illegal to sing "Party in the USA" in a Wal-mart parking lot. It's not. And it's not if I play it on marimba either. You are just saying things out loud. That doesn't make them true. Show me a law where it is against the law to sing a song in public. Prove it, weirdo.

[TheKingofNone]

Dude, he is on the site pretty much solely to deal with copyright. I didn't think so for a while because the law is weird but he definitely knows what he's talking about. Don't be dumb, or a jerk.

[Silver]

Dude, he is on the site pretty much solely to deal with copyright. I didn't think so for a while because the law is weird but he definitely knows what he's talking about. Don't be dumb, or a jerk.

Bill's sarcastic tone warrants that type of response. He's not necessarily being friendly, nor is he explaining himself well at all. He's yet to produce facts that I can't legally sing a song in a walmart parking lot.

You haven't presented any facts either, you are just saying he's right. C'mon now.

[Silver]

Bill is horribly misinforming people with his posts here. It should be addressed.

[broken stick#17]

Bill I clearly understand copyright law better than you. You think it's illegal to sing "Party in the USA" in a Wal-mart parking lot. It's not. And it's not if I play it on marimba either. You are just saying things out loud. That doesn't make them true. Show me a law where it is against the law to sing a song in public. Prove it, weirdo.

Silver, there is a big difference between singing a song, and arranging it for an ensemble.

BTW, you might not wanna complain about a mod being unfriendly when your the one complaining, calling him a wierdo, and saying that he is misinforming people.

[Silver]

Bill I clearly understand copyright law better than you. You think it's illegal to sing "Party in the USA" in a Wal-mart parking lot. It's not. And it's not if I play it on marimba either. You are just saying things out loud. That doesn't make them true. Show me a law where it is against the law to sing a song in public. Prove it, weirdo.

Silver, there is a big difference between singing a song, and arranging it for an ensemble.

BTW, you might not wanna complain about a mod being unfriendly when your the one complaining, calling him a wierdo, and saying that he is misinforming people.

You are proving my point that Bill has horribly misinformed people on this forum. An arrangement can be for a solo singer. Are you suggesting that it's legal for me to sing the song, but if 8 of my friends sing it with me, then we have committed a crime?

People, it is ok, there's is nothing illegal about playing "party in the USA" on a marimba with all your friends in a parking lot. You do not need to seek copyright permission.

[broken stick#17]

Bill I clearly understand copyright law better than you. You think it's illegal to sing "Party in the USA" in a Wal-mart parking lot. It's not. And it's not if I play it on marimba either. You are just saying things out loud. That doesn't make them true. Show me a law where it is against the law to sing a song in public. Prove it, weirdo.

Silver, there is a big difference between singing a song, and arranging it for an ensemble.

BTW, you might not wanna complain about a mod being unfriendly when your the one complaining, calling him a wierdo, and saying that he is misinforming people.

You are proving my point that Bill has horribly misinformed people on this forum. An arrangement can be for a solo singer. Are you suggesting that it's legal for me to sing the song, but if 8 of my friends sing it with me, then we have committed a crime?

People, it is ok, there's is nothing illegal about playing "party in the USA" on a marimba with all your friends in a parking lot. You do not need to seek copyright permission.

That wasn't what I meant. I meant that it is fine to sing a song in a parking lot, but arranging an entire piece for an ensemble to play publicly is illegal.

However, it IS okay if you get permission from the arranger that made the song in the first place.

[TheKingofNone]

Yep. You can do what you want. Chances are you won't get in trouble for it 99% of the time either. Dude asked a question and He answered. Don't be that guy who get all pissy for the sake of doing it.

[Silver]

That wasn't what I meant. I meant that it is fine to sing a song in a parking lot, but arranging an entire piece for an ensemble to play publicly is illegal.

However, it IS okay if you get permission from the arranger that made the song in the first place.

This is false. Bill has confused you.

[tboliske]

Silver,

Before I arrange a piece of copyrighted music and then have my ensemble perform it publicly based on your information, would be so kind as to tell me where you got your law degree and and what experience you have in handling IP cases? Thanks.

[c_maher12]

Relege_Ttam,

I am presuming you will be ‘arranging’ these pieces of music for educational, non-profit use; would that be correct? Should that be the case you can continue to such as long as you do not perform these arranged pieces and attempt to create a profit from these arranged pieces. I am positive there are those who profess to know a bit of copyright law and intellectual property law, which does not have any basis in your initial question, but the laws and regulations you are seeking to not break are meant to protect the individuals who first created the work from being stolen from. Arranging a popular song for your marimba students to have fun with at a local competition / rehearsal time is harming no one’s intellectual property nor is it hindering the sale of their original work.

I hope this helps you!

Colin M.