us copyright law

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okpanda
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 8:43 pm

us copyright law

Post: # 46459Unread post okpanda
Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:05 pm

i'm just getting started as a lathe cutter and several people have asked me about having albums cut for them that perhaps aren't available on vinyl. normally when i advertise i am careful to mention that the rights to the master recording must be owned to avoid copyright issues, but i'm not sure how seriously i should be worried about legal trouble if it's just one copy for personal use. what's the opinion around here, do you guys usually honor these requests or not?

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Kris D
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Location: seattle

Re: us copyright law

Post: # 46461Unread post Kris D
Tue Mar 21, 2017 9:13 pm

Just cut that shit!

As long as you don't sign the deadwax and wear gloves to keep your fingerprints off the disc you will be fine.

Agents from the RIAA may come around asking questions but they won't be able to prove anything.

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Greg Reierson
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Re: us copyright law

Post: # 46469Unread post Greg Reierson
Thu Mar 23, 2017 8:15 am

Fair Use should allow a personal copy from one's own collection. In the US anyway.

I read this on the internet... <http://www.recordcollectorsguild.org/index.php?name=Sections&req=viewarticle&artid=27&page=1>
Greg Reierson
http://www.RareFormMastering.com
VMS70 :: SAL74B :: SX74

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tragwag
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Re: us copyright law

Post: # 46471Unread post tragwag
Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:51 pm

I use a clause in the iTunes purchase agreement, and apply that to vinyl/records as it doesn't mention the medium.
Basically the agreement says you can make up to 7 copies for personal use, when you purchase files from iTunes.
Not entirely sure how sound it is, but they'd have to take me to court I guess. And it would be over a few copies that people play only in their homes so...
making lathe cuts on a Presto 6N, HIFI stereo cuts on vinylrecorder
at Audio Geography Studios, Providence, RI USA
http://www.audiogeography.com

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diamone
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Re: us copyright law

Post: # 46668Unread post diamone
Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:09 pm

I found out from an entertainment attorney friend of my Dad's that looked it up and showed me where it says ``if a ``reasonable'' person cannot be expected to playback the media on commonly available currently-manufactured players, it's considered ``art'' in the same vein as warped LPs being made into e.g. a candy bowl or labels being made into coasters.

Meaning according to this - 33 and 45 is off limits but 16 and 78 is alright - as is any speed in between i.e. 22-1/2 RPM in the U.S. or 24 RPM in the UK/Europe (used sparingly for background music).

Along the same line, quarter inch LP and inch-and-a-half 45 holes are off limits, but any other size or shape hole is alright unless the adapters thereto are not COMMONLY available (why the guys making the spiders for the nine inch Seeburg discs with a 2 inch hole get away with it).

Inside-out cuts are also covered as are counterclockwise (left-handed) recordings and the left-handed turntables built for them (originally by Mattel in the U.S. for several of their 16MM slide-embedded on a multi-track sound disc mechanisms from the late 60's and early 70s)

``Non-playable'' sizes are also covered i.e. larger than 13 inches or smaller than 6 inches i.e like the Juniorfon phono from Veb Toys Ltd in East Germany http://dreh-gmbh.ch/blog/dreh-objekt-160-juniorfon which is basically an East German version of a Carnival Toy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPCPE35-g6A.

Non-standard styli are also covered - so if you were recording with a 2.7 mil ET or 3 mil etc stylus, since you ``can't get them anymore'' at least according to the legal staff - you'd be alright there - and swapping the lateral channel for the vertical channel is covered as is cutting the left on one side of the disc and the right on the other side of the disc and playing it vertically with two tonearms facing each other - or cutting Cook-style needing a double-headed tonearm - and on and on and on - I'm pretty sure you'd be OK.

Jack White gets away with it all the time. P.S. A Lenco (Bogen) L-75 will play his 3 RPM (actually 4-1/16) disc in real time at the right speed.

Of course the more of these you apply to your released product the safer you are going to be. Meaning if you had a 16 inch 16 RPM LP recorded with a 78 groove inside out with the lateral and vertical reversed and had an inch wide triangular hole in the disc etc etc etc. - well you get the idea.
2 Kinds of Men/Records: Low Noise & Wide Range. LN is mod. fidelity, cheap, & easy. WR is High Fidelity & Abrasive to its' Environment. Remember that when you encounter a Grumpy Engineer. (:-D)

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