Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

Salutations,

I have two questions regarding copyright in the music world. The first question regards unofficial remixes. I often see unsigned artist remixing other artist's songs (most likely without copyright permission) and offering those remixes for free as a download. Would I be violating any (copyright) law by downloading those (most likely unofficial) remixes?

My second question deals with purchased songs. If I purchase a song what rights and permissions do I have for that song? For example if I purchase a song and wish to make it louder using an audio editor would I be allowed to do so? How about if I wished to compress the file size of that song? Understanding of course that the song itself would be for my own private and personal listening pleasure.

-Thank you in advance


Asked on 11/07/11, 2:25 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Bryan Whipple Bryan R. R. Whipple, Attorney at Law

#1, very likely.

#2, You have the right to re-play the song multiple times for your own use and for unpaid, non-commercial listening in by your family and friends. You also have the right to re-sell the song, on the medium on which it was sold and delivered to you (e.g., vinyl, tape, CD, DVD), to someone else, provided no copying is involved, including your own retention of the song by copying it into another medium.

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Answered on 11/07/11, 7:00 pm


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