Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses at length the US copyright code and how it applies to the music industry and recording artists. Topics covered include: the nuts and bolts of what copyright is; the five exclusive rights granted to copyright holders; how features like fair use and the compulsory mechanical license provision work; what “work for hire” means; what to fight for in your recording deal; and how to organize your band’s business to protect your individual and group rights.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the “work for hire” provision of US copyright law, and how it affects – and does not affect – sound recordings made under a recording contract.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the two things you must insist that your record deal contain: a release commitment, and a marketing/promotion budget.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, describes the major points to be found in a recording contract and what they actually mean for you, the artist, such as: the term of the contract; what your royalty checks will actually contain; and what decisions are taken out of your hands when you sign on the dotted line.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, defines the terms “intellectual property” and “copyright,” and discusses the content of her course on these subjects at Berklee. She also offers additional resources for people who are interested in learning about the subject.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains the five “exclusive rights” that the law grants to a copyright holder, as well as some of the exceptions and additions that apply to music, such as the compulsory mechanical license and minimum statutory rate clauses.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains the Compulsory Mechanical License provision of US Copyright law, how it works in theory, how it actually works in practice, and what the provision means to recording artists in dollars and cents.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains how copyright term (that is, the duration for which a work remains under exclusive ownership) works, and sketches out some “fair use” exceptions to the five exclusive rights granted to copyright owners under law.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains how the “derivative works” clause of copyright law works in practice by examining the career of “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains the “right of public performance” clause of US copyright code, how performance rights organizations collect copyright fees from venues and radio stations, and how payments from these organizations make their way to the copyright holder.

Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses what a band agreement is, and why signing a band agreement that sketches out how your group will handle its business, is a good idea for any group which is thinking about getting serious about their commitment to a career in music.