New to copyrighting music

[bishopbiscuits]

.....I am working on some music for copyright. I am scoring and creating a cd (once I finish learning my software). Some of it I am considering sending in with just the lyrics and vocal score. I would later send the entire piece.  The separate submission will, of course, have a separate fee.
.....Besides keeping it to myself until I have mailed the paperwork, any suggestions?

[Forum Administrator]

Hi bishopbiscuits. Your work is copyrighted from the moment you wrote/printed it, dated it and put your name on it. The copyright forms are to officially register your work with the Library of Congress (which is a good thing to do). If it's extra fees you're trying to avoid and you want to add another layer of protection, you can also mail a copy/copies of your unfinished work (dated and signed) to yourself and leave it unopened. The postmark will serve as a timestamp and it will only cost you the price of the stamp(s). Then when your work is completed you can send the entire piece in with your copyright form. You can still mark your unfinished piece(s) as copyrighted until you file the forms.

[bishopbiscuits]

I have been considering what should be the next step after finishing the music that I am working on. I can burn my own cd's, but I was interested in other means of distribution as well. Would it be better to wait and get assistance from an official organization? Or the other question is would it be harmful in any way to self-promote before having any official backing?
.......Could I be successful as a composer distributing my own material is the main question. I am looking at having everything ready fully by early summer, and wanted to begin strategizing. (I am talking about written scores, plus instrumental cd's of vocal parts and background, if the extra info helps)  :-/

[Small_Faith]

Hi BB,
I havew a few close friends with their own Gospel Cds.  Both of them distribute their own music.  One however eventually ventured outinto the diffrent Chrsitian record stores and put his music on the shelves there.  He eventually aired on the radio and now he takes engagements all over the east coast.  Now that he just completed his 2nd album his previous work speaks for itself and sales are booming.  As for my other friend.  He is brandnew with his Jamaican Gospel CD and distribution is still low but it takes time to expand.  You want people to here your music via concert and radio before you start worrying about bigger distribution.  That way people willwalk into stores looking for you CD before it hits the shelves.

Just Go For It...............  God Bless
Small_Faith

[bishopbiscuits]

......I just wanted to clarify, if it was not clear before, that what I am working on now is a work of the music for instruments and voices, but not including actual vocals.
.......So it is a group of compositons for others and /or myself to use. Not a full recording, by any means