Currently in Russia there is no procedure for state registration of copyright to works (with the exception of rights to computer programs). At the same time, there is an objective need to protect the rights of authors of musical works from illegal use of the product of their work for commercial purposes.
Instructions
Step 1
One of the mechanisms for protecting copyright is the deposit of a work with an organization. This is done most often in the Russian Authors' Society. Authors should remember that this mechanism is not a state registration of their rights to a work, but only plays an auxiliary role in copyright protection. Most producers prefer to work with authors whose musical works have been deposited with RAO, this is the only advantage that an author gets when working with this organization. For greater reliability, it is worth using the services of a notary. He needs to provide printouts of the text and musical notation for certification, a copy of the document or the time of their submission.
Step 2
Authors can use the mechanism of fixing the date of the appearance of the work. In the event of a dispute, the priority will be given to the one who provides evidence of an earlier date of writing the song than the competitor. For example, you can attract witnesses to your side, sing them your new song. In cases of litigation, they will be able to testify about the date of the performance of the piece of music. Another way is to send yourself a letter with the score of the song and save the envelope without printing it out. In this case, the proof will be a stamp with the date the letter was sent. This procedure can be done by e-mail, and the letter can be saved on the mail server.
Step 3
The next good way to prove authorship of a work is to publish it in a magazine or newspaper. As in the previous cases, the date of publication serves as evidence. Recently, the method of electronic copyright deposit has become widespread. When an author electronically submits his work, the service will automatically endorse the time of receipt of the song with a digital signature. Sometimes such services are supported by the issuance of a paper certificate.
