Piano Tab, Chords Da Tickler / Poor Mans Copyright (0 from 0 votes) 18,861 Views, Last Update 10 years ago by: Da Tickler [Tabologist]

Poor Man's (or Woman's) Copyright - Da Tickler

If you want to legally copyright your on songs, compositions, etc.,
with minimal cost here's what you need to do:

1. Print out two (2) hard copies of your entire song or composition.

2. Have someone you know that is a registered 'Notary Public' (so
   you don't have to pay someone) sign, date, & stamp each sheet
   along with another, secondary witness, and yourself signing also.

3. Mail them to yourself registered mail. This will cost about
   $10.00 U.S. DO NOT OPEN THE REGISTERED LETTER once you receive it.
   Put it somewhere safe like a safety deposit box at your local bank.

4. Within seven (7) years (if you haven't already registered it with
   BMI - Broadcast Music, Inc. by then) re-send the same registered
   letter to yourself again in a new envelope. DO NOT OPEN THE
   ORIGINAL REGISTERED LETTER. Just put the entire original letter
   (envelope & all) in a new envelope & send it to yourself registered
   mail, again. Once you receive it, don't open it. Put it in a safe
   place for keeping for another seven (7) years. Repeat as required.

That's all you have to do to legally copyright your work. The Post
Office date stamp on the registered letter from when you mailed it
stands up in court as the date of official copyright along with the
Notary Public stamp. If ever you have to make a claim against someone
for stealing your music, all you have to do is present the unopened
registered letter(s) containing your work in a court of law & it will
be recognized.

Steely Dan wrote a song about this: 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number'.

'Rikki dont lose that number.
 You don't wanna call nobody else.
 Send it off in a letter to yourself.
 Rikki dont lose that number.
 It's the only one you own.
 You might use it if you feel better
 When you get home.'

This is about a song someone they knew wrote, and was going
to throw away, but they thought it was worth keeping.

Happy composing, songwriting & copyrighting, Da Tickler.

P.S.: Use your real name when you sign it,
not your TabNabber screen name (he-he).