Using Audio or Music on the Web and in Multimedia Presentations
Please be sure to read the page on Using Images, as much of basic Fair Use is explained on that page.
This page is designed to provide you with links that help you consider whether your use of someone else's work is legal. As always, I am not a lawyer, but everyone needs to learn to be an effective and ethical user of information. Like real property, images, music, and text belong to someone, unless otherwise noted. It is your responsiblity to respect the rights of others to determine what they will do with their creative works.
To start,
This site by BandFoundry at Draftlight puts all that info in easy-to-understand terms YOU can relate to! It explains clearly what you can and can't do to put music on a public web site. I STRONGLY recommend reading this page before going ANY further with your project if you plan to use music!!!
It includes a wonderful run-down of the reasons why you just can't include music on a web site. It is addressed to wedding photographers creating a web site for their clients, but the information is good and includes links to the main places you'd need to go to get permission to use music out on the web.
Another helpful site to read to understand WHY music is copyrighted is to read this by
Vincent Flanders.
Remember, if you only plan to use music in a presentation to your class, you can follow the multimedia project guidelines linked to on my Using Images site. Once you post any of your work online or in a place where the public is hearing it, you are subject to copyright law and must abide by it! For example, the senior project night is essentially a public performance, which means you need to consider that before planning an evening where you show a copyrighted video or play music in its entirety. (If you plan to use a video from a major studio in its entirety, please see Ms. Finlayson since the district may have a license that already covers that usage. Otherwise, you may need to seek permission in writing first!)
