{"id":2536,"date":"2018-12-18T12:27:49","date_gmt":"2018-12-18T12:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dekuzu.com\/en\/?p=2536"},"modified":"2020-02-27T10:04:37","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T10:04:37","slug":"third-edition-of-usa-copyright-office-compendium-what-is-a-sound-recording","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dekuzu.com\/en\/2018\/12\/third-edition-of-usa-copyright-office-compendium-what-is-a-sound-recording.html","title":{"rendered":"Third edition of USA copyright office compendium \u2013 what is a sound recording?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sound recordings are \u201cworks that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds, but not including sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work, regardless of the nature of the material objects, such as disks, tapes or other phonorecords, in which they are embodied.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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A series of musical, spoken, or other sounds requires a temporal succession of sounds rather than a single sound expressed horizontally or simultaneous sounds expressed vertically, such as in a chord.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sound recording and the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in that recording are separate works. The copyright in a sound recording covers the recording itself, but does not cover the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in that recording (or vice versa).<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a legal distinction between a sound recording and the soundtrack for a motion picture or other audiovisual work. The statutory definition for a sound recording specifically states that this category does not include the \u201csounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, when an applicant intends to register the sounds in a motion picture or other audiovisual work, the applicant must state \u201csounds,\u201d \u201csoundtrack,\u201d or \u201csounds accompanying a motion picture\/audiovisual work,\u201d rather than \u201csound recording.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A sound recording may be submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office in an electronic format by uploading the work to the Office\u2019s electronic registration system. Electronic formats include but are not limited to digital audio files (e.g., .wav, .mp3, .wma). A digital audio file that is uploaded to the Office\u2019s server in support of an online application is a phonorecord for registration purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sound recording also may be submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office in a hard copy format, either by mail, by courier, or in person. Hard copy formats include but are not limited to:<\/span><\/p>\n