Advice for changing someone else's score - Proper etiquette?
Hi Everyone,
I am so pleased I have found Musescore. I am helping with an ensemble that will be at a summer festival for young people. At present several young people have signed up that play different instruments.
I have found some pieces on Musescore that might be suitable with a bit of tweaking. So I have sent a comment to a composer and I am waiting for them to reply if it is okay to use their 4 part score. If they don't reply, what do I do?
I will change one of the violins to a flute. At the top of the piece would you put the composer/arranger's name? I haven't changed any notes, just the instrument that plays it.
Should I upload the changed score? I don't see any need.
Is there anything else that I need to do?
Thank you.
Regards
SarahJ
Comments
Look at the copyright on the score and abide by that first. If all rights reserved then you must ask permission. You can read about the other copyrights using the link on MuseScore.com.
If it is creative commons or public domain, then it is nice to talk to the composer prior to using it, but not necessary. This includes changing the instrumentation. In your score give credit to the composer and identify yourself as the arranger.
In reply to Look at the copyright on the by mike320
Thanks to both.
:)
In reply to Look at the copyright on the by mike320
Thank you for your reply. I have found this https://musescore.com/community-guidelines but I just want to clarify.
This is the music on Musescore https://musescore.com/user/7686116/scores/2733876
At the bottom it says None (All rights reserved).
I have left a request for the arranger/composer, asking to use the music. I have not heard from them yet. Do I have to wait until I hear from them? If I don't hear from them I can't use the rearranged piece.
What does 'None (All rights reserved) mean? Is there a link to a page which explains the differences. It is not very clear in the community guidelines.
I have now changed the violin part to a flute part and altered a few notes. I did want to send it out to the musicians today, but I am not clear if I can?
Thank you.
In reply to Thank you for your reply. I by Sarah Sim
That copyright label means the arranger (definitely not composer!) literally reserves *all* rights, which would include public performance. (The page breaking down the different license options is https://help.musescore.com/hc/en-us/articles/210386805-Copyright-license.) However, it's hard to see how the uploader could claim that there's anything about it that distinguishes it from the generic, copyright-free, melody; I personally would not hesitate to use it. If you want to be careful about getting written permission, I suggest sending an email (via https://musescore.com/user/7686116/contact) to increase the chance that she will see it, rather than just leaving a comment on the score page.
In reply to Thank you for your reply. I by Sarah Sim
I am still looking. I have found this on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_rights_reserved, Apparently it doesn't mean anything legally. I am not really confused.
In reply to I am still looking. I have by Sarah Sim
Interesting—according to that article, it doesn't mean anything legally only because the previous legal meaning of that phrase now applies to *everything by default.* But it also says that it is still used "to prevent ambiguity and clearly spell out the warning that their content cannot be copied freely."
Thank you for your responses. I have now sorted it out.
I have noticed the licence on the left. The default is for "personal use", if i change to anything else it brings up the other licence, where the arranger is happy for you to share. So i will use this in future.