Help/FAQs
Is a reprint license really necessary for using copyrighted music in church and other settings?It is! Both copyright laws and our faith require it. Music licensing services like LicenSingOnline support composers and publishers by distributing the fees to rights holders in the form of royalties. Composers depend on these royalties to maintain their ministries, make a living and to provide for their families. What music does LicenSingOnline cover?LicenSingOnline represents a wide variety of music and worship materials from more than 345 publishers and copyright holders. For more information, please visit our Search Music and Copyright Holders pages. Your search does not list a song I am certain is covered by LicenSingOnline. Why can't I find it?Not all of the over 100,000 songs LicenSingOnline covers have been posted on the site yet. Currently our search and browse tools list only the 20,000 or so most popular titles. We are continually updating our database and adding songs to the site. If you can't find a particular title, please contact customer service. If a song or text appears in a work by a LicenSingOnline publisher, does that mean it is covered by a LicenSingOnline license?Not necessarily. The texts, tunes and arrangements that appear in hymnals and collections can come from sources other than the publisher of the book. Our licenses only cover works held under the copyright administration of LicenSingOnline and its participating publishers. To reproduce material held by other, non-participating publishers, you must obtain permission directly from the publisher. The copyright acknowledgment (usually found at the bottom of the piece or in an index at the back of the book) will tell you who holds the rights for text and tune. It is this information that you should check against the member copyright holder list, not the name of the book's publisher. How do I know if a song is in the Public Domain?If there is no claim to copyright listed for a song in a published work, it is probably in the Public Domain. Also, sometimes the copyright line states that the piece is Public Domain. To be sure, contact LicenSingOnline or the publisher of the book in which you found the music. You can also search for the song in the records of the U.S. Copyright Office. May I reproduce choral music?No. Your LicenSingOnline license only covers reproduction and use of music for the assembly or congregation. Choral parts, instrumental parts, and accompaniments may not be reproduced in any form. To order octavos, choral parts or accompaniment parts, contact the publishers. Can I copy a verse or a line from a song to write in calligraphy, or do I have to get permission from the publisher?Copyright law protects lyrics of a musical work. Permission must be secured from the copyright owner/publisher to use the lyrics for any purpose, including calligraphy. Can I reprint the words of a song copyrighted by a LicenSingOnline publisher in a wedding or funeral program?Certainly, but you must first secure permission to do so. Please contact your LicenSingOnline agent for details. Do we need permission to project songs on an overhead for Sunday liturgies?Yes, you need to have permission to project music using an overhead. Your LicenSingOnline license provides that permission. Can I make my own arrangement of a copyrighted song?You cannot make arrangements of copyrighted works without permission from the copyright holder/publisher. I am a church organist. Is it permissible for me to duplicate pages from music that I have purchased from a LicenSingOnline publisher so that I do not have to worry about turning the pages during the service?Yes, LicenSingOnline does allow for photocopying one (1) copy for that purpose. What information needs to be included in the copyright line in my reprint?All music available through LicenSingOnline should already have a copyright line. Only in rare cases should you have to create or enter your own copyright line. However, it should always include the following elements: copyright symbol ©, year of copyright, name of copyright owner, "All rights reserved," "Used with permission" and your LicenSingOnline license number. Can I access printed music via LicenSingOnline?LicenSingOnline does not provide print music, only permissions to use and reprint it. You can order print music directly from our participating publishers. Is it necessary to mail in a copy of the worship aid we created?No. Is the license fee based on number of copies made or number of people in a faith community?The fee for annual licenses is always based on the average total weekly worship attendance at your church. Since special licenses (1 Week License, 2 Week License, etc.) are time based, the fee is not based on attendance but on the license term. I create worship booklets for the various seasons of the year for my community. How do I report these?Simply report the songs you use each week, no matter how long or often you use these booklets. When and how frequently should I report my usage?You can report usage any time and as often as you prefer. It is probably best to report usage at least weekly. You must submit a usage report at least monthly. What are the acceptable ways I can reproduce music covered by LicenSingOnline?You may make copies of music for use in transparencies, worship booklets, song sheets, orders of service, programs, for projection, and custom songbooks of 25 titles or less. Does LicenSingOnline allow the recording of music?No, with one exception. Recordings may be made for the purpose of bringing audio or video tapes of worship services to the homebound. I want to use songs with 'New Dawn Music' or 'NALR' in the copyright line. Are these licensed by LicenSingOnline?OCP owns and administers all music with New Dawn and NALR (North American Liturgy Resources) copyrights. Yes, reprint permission for these copyrights is available from LicenSingOnline. |
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