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Music & Sound FX / Expired Copyright Music - can I use it in my game?

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Super Nova
19
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Joined: 14th Jun 2005
Location: Earth
Posted: 21st May 2008 21:33
As the thread title asks, can I use music that has its copyright expired in a game? Could I sell the game? Ive looked through the countless copyright threads, but couldnt find an answer to expired copyrights, any answers will be great.

"What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, that is the illusion."
Rudolpho
18
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Joined: 28th Dec 2005
Location: Sweden
Posted: 21st May 2008 23:32
I suppose, but I'm most certain that the author wouldn't like it.

"I kören hörs de brummande busarna Björnligan och Gondolen"
Nemesis_0_
20
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Joined: 26th Dec 2003
Location: Canada
Posted: 21st May 2008 23:51
Unless it\\\'s public domain, the composer could sue the crap out of u... why would u wanna steal someone elses work neways? have u no morals?

*NOOB SLAP*

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Blobby 101
18
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Joined: 17th Jun 2006
Location: England, UK
Posted: 22nd May 2008 00:02
well, if the copyright has expired, and no new copyright has been taken out, then it's copyright free and yes, you could use it, but be prepared to remove it the second the music gets new copyright, because then you could get sued for copyright violation.

Your signature has been erased by a mod - 340 KB is a little big don't you think?
Super Nova
19
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Joined: 14th Jun 2005
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Posted: 23rd May 2008 05:17
So anyone can renew a copyright of someone elses work as long as it has its copyright expired? I would never even consider doing that, but I dont really see any other way old music could be under a new copyright.
Anyway, there is some old civil war music that I would like to add to a game of mine and I know all music from that era is no longer under the original authors copyright, so who would/could sue me?

"What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, that is the illusion."
Rudolpho
18
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Joined: 28th Dec 2005
Location: Sweden
Posted: 23rd May 2008 09:33
I'm pretty sure you could put things like the national anthem or Bach in some of your own productions. You should of course make it clear who has composed the music and not make any direct profit from it though.
Look at my thread "Gammal Fäbodpsalm" on this board; I have recorded it but I definitively don't claim to have written it. I also have put the composers name in the artist tag of the file.
This is most probably ok, seeing as this is a well known religious song that has been around for ages.
There is even a guy who have made profits from remixing this song, so that seems to be ok too, but I wouldn't do that.

"I kören hörs de brummande busarna Björnligan och Gondolen"
Blobby 101
18
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Joined: 17th Jun 2006
Location: England, UK
Posted: 23rd May 2008 18:36
Quote: "I dont really see any other way old music could be under a new copyright. "

i was thinking of music where the copyright has expired but the artist it still alive, then i remembered that the copyright expires 70 years after the artist dies

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Jeku
Moderator
21
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Joined: 4th Jul 2003
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 31st May 2008 23:10
Even if the songs are public domain, like Beethoven or Bach, you'd be infringing anyways because the orchestra who played the song could sue you. It's tricky.


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