File sharing site

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 13 Sep 2004, 05:40

Hi
I posted this in teaching section, but have had no response so am trying here.
I have been poking around the web and discovered a sheet music file sharing site.
The address is
http://www.pianofiles.com
Would be interested to hear if any of you have used the site and what you think?....also is it legal?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 13 Sep 2004, 22:30

"PianoFiles.com does not offer sheet music for download. It only offers a place where people who play the piano can meet eachother and talk about the interpretation of sheet music. "

The site is only offering a go between service A tad more slicker that the srvice we offer on this site - if someone request the latest hits of what ever and some one sends a pdf copy PianoFiles.com or the UKPP is not in breach of copyright just the persons who send and received the copied music, assuming the music is still in copyright Where we would be in a problem area is when some places an ad stating that they can get the latest for X composer and X coposter asked us to remove that ad we would have to compile and so would PianoFiles.com well if they have any sense they would

Barrie,

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 14 Sep 2004, 13:17

If I understand your reply Barrie....it would mean that if I received sheet music in pdf form via email from a person registered on that site or if I sent them something of mine...then that person and myself would be breaching copyright...so in fact, it is not legal...did I understand correctly?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 14 Sep 2004, 21:13

Copying any music which is still in copyright is legal in most country’s However, if the music is out of copyright then it is not legal

Barrie,

Steve071261 · Post by **Steve071261** » 15 Sep 2004, 12:50

Hi,

just to clarify, I think Barrie inadvertently got this the wrong way around. If it is copyright, then sharing is not legal. If it is not copyright, then sharing is legal.

If a piece of music is still in copyright then, if you've purchased it you can use it for your own purposes, no problem there. You can even make a copy for your own use, if you wish. So, for example, you've bought the music and you've made a photocopy so you can play it somewhere else without having to carry the original with you. That's OK, but if you give the photocopy to somebody else, for their purposes, then that's not OK.

(I guess if you had a copy of a duet, and you gave a copy to somebody else so they could practice it, then that might be OK, assuming they were going to play it with you).

Lots of old music is out of copyright, of course, so anybody can do whatever they like.

I hope this helps

Steve

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 15 Sep 2004, 13:54

Yes thank you both ...that clarifies it and is how I thought it would be. Just needed to verify what I already thought.
So in essence the site in question is providing the means for people to do something illegal...and many of them may not be aware of it....or if they are aware...choose to ignore it.
Glad to hear its ok to copy music for my own use as I prefer to do that rather than have wear and tear on the originals....also saves turning pages halfway through a piece.
Is there a general rule as to the length of time before something is out of copyright?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 15 Sep 2004, 17:13

Steve071261 wrote:Hi,

just to clarify, I think Barrie inadvertently got this the wrong way around. If it is copyright, then sharing is not legal. If it is not copyright, then sharing is legal.

Copyright law is different is each country now in the UK a school purchased a copy of copyright sheet music for a pupil, this pupil was visually impaired so they enlarged it on their photo copier so he could see it. Chappell Music took the school to court for infringement of copyright and won so you see making any copies under UK law illegal. Giving it away or lending it to some one is a deferent matter

Barrie,

Steve071261 · Post by **Steve071261** » 15 Sep 2004, 20:06

Hi again,

I'm not a legal expert, although I do work for a company that does some publishing so I know a little bit about copyright and I'd guess that what the school did wrong was not the enlargement on the photocopier, but the lending of the music to the pupil. In essence, the copyright would allow the school to use the music, i.e. to play the music, but not to pass it to somebody else to use as well. I'm surprised Chappell made an issue of it, there may be more to the story I guess, but technically I imagine the school should have applied for a licence to use the music in the way they did, i.e. for educational purposes.

Copyright generally lasts for 50 years. In the case of books at least, and can be extended in some circumstances longer still, but once the copyright has lapsed the material becomes public domain and anybody can do what they like. That's why you see all these cheap versions of the classics, Dickens, Bronte, etc. Anybody can publish a version and because there are no royalties to pay, the costs are cheap.

cheers,

Steve

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 15 Sep 2004, 20:42

Because of the case of the young boy and the problem we have with brailing books the EEC are looking into changing the Law across the EEC as the law stands if I go and buy a book or music and have it converted into Braille even if I destroy the original I can and will be prosecuted if I don’t ask permission and you will be surprised how many publishers refuse it even if you tell them you are destroying the original it is not as bad now as it was 10 years ago the DDA act is helping a bit

Barrei,

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 16 Sep 2004, 14:06

Goodness.....the case of the school being sued for helping a visually impaired student seems a harsh measure for a publisher to take.
But it certainly sends a clear message about copyright, and surprises me therefore that these file sharing sites are not stopped.