Copyright with Samro

Manfred-Klose

Has any one in this forum ever made use of copyright with samro.
I just want to copyright my songs, but the samro thing is a bit complicated, you must be accepted at samro to register songs? is this true?

i found a link on this forum for something similar:
http://www.guitarforum.co.za/index.php?topic=42.0

AlanRatcliffe

Yes, you must be a member of SAMRO to register your songs. They function primarily as collectors of your performance royalties and mechanical royalties - in other words, making sure you get paid if your song is played on the radio or used in a film or if others record a cover version of it.

If you just want copyright to make sure no-one can steal your songs, use the old trick of sending yourself a copy (either as written music or a recording) as a sealed and registered mail (do not open unless you end up in court). If you plan to do it on a regular basis, it's probably going to be cheaper in the long run to sign up with SAMRO.

Colin Shapiro (in the link you posted) is the expert on this kind of thing. I know he (and many others) had major problems with SAMRO's competition, SARREL (who were taking up to 60 or 70% of royalties to cover their "running costs"), which is why he started CASA.

Manfred-Klose

Thanks i'll try and contact colin, maby he can give some advice.

glug

you can also contact Shaun. 0117848624. He doesn't work at samro but can give you lots of info about samro.
He is a composer and used to have a contract with Gallo. Now his making music for a dstv channel

Graeme

You don't need to be a member of SAMRO to register songs with them.
You become a member when your songs are generating royalties (not sure how much, but I think basically enough to warrant the maintenance of your account with them).

It's a good idea to start submitting immediately. The process is very simple and the SAMRO staff are generally very helpful.

According to South African law, you automatically own the copyright to any work you have created as soon as it is in a hard format (on CD, written down on paper,etc). The idea of posting it to yourself, or registering it with SAMRO, just helps to date the work in case someone "steals" it from you, you can prove that you wrote it before them.

Manfred-Klose

Thanks that is probably the oldest trick in the book, but the way the SA post service is going now(Lost,stolen post), i would have to make use of Postnet to send mail to myself.

I never had a problem with postnet before, if anyone had experienced problems, now is the time to come clean.

Renesongs

What happened to GFSA - Sorry SAMRO we won't make any more disparaging remarks about you - just don't shut our site down ☹ ? ☹

Wessel

Wow the end is near ,Did you have a gaint loadshedding session where the server is located

Reef

SAMRO cut the server because we didn't pay them royalties for the right to use our Dense Wall of Guitars theme song.

Renesongs

Wow the end is near

No this is only the beginning, we still have a long way to go until we reach Zimbabwe levels - but don't worry the government is working as fast as they can to get there.

NorioDS

Sorry about that guys. I've posted in the Site Feedback section. Please check it out.

Manfred-Klose

I almsot went out of oxigen!!! seriously!!

Riaan

Sorry SAMRO we won't make any more disparaging remarks about you - just don't shut our site down

Hehe...just because we're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get us... ?

Manfred-Klose

I think the special aggents is already at work, so if you dont hear anything of me in the next few days, SAMRO got me!!!

ColinS

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Yes, you must be a member of SAMRO to register your songs.
<snip>

Colin Shapiro (in the link you posted) is the expert on this kind of thing. I know he (and many others) had major problems with SAMRO's competition, SARREL (who were taking up to 60 or 70% of royalties to cover their "running costs"), which is why he started CASA.

I'd like to clear up a few things....

First, you DON'T have to be a member of SAMRO to simply register your songs. They do this as a free service for everyone, members or not.

Second - re the formation of CASA.
Many composers approached SAMRO several years ago, asking if there was an independent composers guild or organisation that could assist and inform composers. SAMRO set up a meeting and a working committee was formed. Later, I was called to join, as I had been the secretary of the old Composers Guild during the 90's. The working committee was narrowed down to an Exco and I was voted on as Chairman, a position I still hold.

CASA has nothing to do with SARRAL at all. In my personal capacity, I have an action in the High Court to liquidate SARRAL, but CASA is not involved in any way.

Regards
Colin Shapiro

Gray

Hey Colin,

First, you DON'T have to be a member of SAMRO to simply register your songs. They do this as a free service for everyone, members or not.

So if I wasn't a member of SAMRO and registered songs with them and then those songs were played I wouldn't be paying any of the royalties I recieve to SAMRO?

ColinS

Gray wrote: So if I wasn't a member of SAMRO and registered songs with them and then those songs were played I wouldn't be paying any of the royalties I recieve to SAMRO?

Not quite sure what you mean....
Registering songs with them as a non-member is only a proof of ownership.
If you are a member, then if your registered works are used, SAMRO will pay all the relevant royalties.

Why would YOU be paying royalties to SAMRO?

Gray

Colin to be honest with you im not so clued up on this whole SAMRO issue.

From what I understand SAMRO, if you're registered, functions as a body that collects your royalities for you. Whenever your material is used. Now I don't believe that they do this for free or am I wrong in thinking this?

AlanRatcliffe

I'd like to clear up a few things....

:-[ Thanks for clearing that up Colin. Nice to have someone around here who actually does know this stuff, which is not my field of expertise (as you may have gathered by now... ?).

ColinS

Gray wrote: From what I understand SAMRO, if you're registered, functions as a body that collects your royalities for you. Whenever your material is used. Now I don't believe that they do this for free or am I wrong in thinking this?

In a nutshell:
SAMRO collects all your royalties on your behalf. When you join as a member, you sign a deed of assignment which authorises them to do this.

SAMRO deducts its running costs from the royalties it collects and distributes the balance. The average deduction is 22-24% - which is on par or lower than the international average. If you consider the fact that it would be pretty much impossible for thousands of individual composers to try to track down the usage of all the works and then get money from the users, then it's clear that SAMRO provides a vital service at a reasonable rate.

Regards - Colin