using older music - is it copyrighted?

sleepwalker

currently working on a edit to music short film project for college. have one track we all want to use but its new and the lecturer is trying to get us out of the habit of using music that is copyrighted

im not too sure about this but is older music like beethoven for instance copyrighted ?

oh and if anybody knows any good sites to go for looking for copyright-free music etc then please post up any urls you have

thanks

mycroft

The music isn't copyrighted, but the performance is. So if you use a berlin symphony ochestra performance of beethhoven's fifth, you must pay them clearance.

Might I suggest you find a musican. In college, our tutors developed a relationship with music students, they composed our score, you get tailored music for free, and you both get experience or credit.

Wander over to the musicans forum and post a request, you'd be suprised how many budding Moricone's and Nyman's there are out there.

susanna

If its a recording that is more than fifty years old, and the composition was written more than seventy years ago, then its in the public domain and you are free to use it. This applies to a lot of classical pieces

mycroft

susanna wrote:

If its a recording that is more than fifty years old, and the composition was written more than seventy years ago, then its in the public domain and you are free to use it. This applies to a lot of classical pieces

Yes so if you can find an old vinyl recording and transfer it, then you can get it for free, crackle, jumps n all.......

Find a composer, and use them. easier, and taliored to your film

father_ted9t9

Or get a soundalike from http://www.directorscuts.tv all the bigboys in music for film composing have royalty free stuff there, or if ya go to http://extrememusic.com you can chat to a person online and they will help you find a soundalike if you tell them the song or email it to them! Ask for Dhia she is very helpful!:) Production Music is very very cheap to use and you may be suprised.let us know how ya get on

mike65

What sort of music is required? As suggested above posting on the music forums here or indeed places like Hamony Central could unearth a gem for free or at least nominal cost.

Mike.

mycroft

father_ted9t9 wrote:

Or get a soundalike from http://www.directorscuts.tv all the bigboys in music for film composing have royalty free stuff there, or if ya go to http://extrememusic.com you can chat to a person online and they will help you find a soundalike if you tell them the song or email it to them! Ask for Dhia she is very helpful!:) Production Music is very very cheap to use and you may be suprised.let us know how ya get on

It's still a cost, and the directors cut stuff is fairly grandeous, short films sound awful if you stick a magestic score on them.

I like the extreme music set, but again, it's a student film, which means zero dinero, and theres plenty of hungry young wannabe composers out there looking for a shot.

dahamsta

susanna wrote:

If its a recording that is more than fifty years old, and the composition was written more than seventy years ago, then its in the public domain and you are free to use it.

For the record, although this certainly applies in America now, I don't think those particular limits apply in Ireland. They certainly differ from country to country, and afaik the Berne Convention only applies country to country.

adam

sleepwalker

thanks for all the suggestions

need a sad piece something thats gonna crush your soul and then pee on it

father_ted9t9

If the piece u are soing is for college then im sure they have a MCPS deal going(Most colleges doing media do!!) Therefore any production music can be used like i have listed above! There is also carlin music, BMG/Zomba production music and Burton. Google the names for tracks, most can be doenloaded online in MP3 format:)