Common Uses

Copyright basics

Almost all printed material is subject to copyright protection. Copyright may exist independently in words, translations and adaptations of words, melody, harmonisation and arrangement of music, and in the printed image of a book (music and words).

The duration of copyright protection in the UK is for the lifetime of the creator (author, composer, translator, arranger, editor, etc.) plus 70 years. The copyright in the printed image lasts for 25 years after the date of publication. Even where a book contains a very old item, it is possible that there are new copyrights in the particular version of the music and words printed, as well as in the visual image (the typesetting of words and music).

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