Date sent: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 14:10:01 EST
Subject: Re: Copying music
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

In a message dated 1/12/00 10:57:26 AM Central Standard Time,
BLYTHE-at-BrandonU.CA writes:

<< As a completely obscure composer however, I would be glad and
flattered if people would make multiple copies of my music, so long as they
let people know who wrote it! That doesn't mean I think "professional"
composers should do the same, merely that I have no sympathy for them!
>>

When I worked with Danny Goggin (author/composer of the "Nunsense" series)
the topic of photocopying came up.

We had received our scripts & scores and had a couple of music rehearsals
before Danny came to town. One of the girls in the cast came to rehearsal
one night with a lovely bound photocopy of the entire script & score complete
with the artwork on the cover (she worked at Kinko's). I was pretty shocked.
She didn't understand why, until I explained that the AUTHOR was arriving
tomorrow---and since we had never met him, we had no idea how he would react
to illegal photocopying of his work.

Once Danny got there, we asked him about it---it turned out that he couldn't
care less how many photocopies anybody makes of his work. (He's making TONS
of money on performance rights, so why should he care?) He even laughs
about various community theater companies that illegally video tape his
shows--and then send him a copy!!!! First of all, he doesn't want to see it,
and secondly, it's ILLEGAL.

For the most part, I own originals for the majority of the music that I
perform. Also, when I perform with my cocktail partner, we're usually in a
club that has an ASCAP or BMI 'license.' I do, however, occasionally
photocopy that one, hard to find song from an obscure musical that's out of
print. Situational ethics? I guess so. But for every illegal photocopy
I've made, I have a $20 (or more) anthology that I bought for one song.

Tami
Milwaukee
2 more days of my day job!