Recording Singers - the LEGAL way

[pelletmon]

I have been doing it at my shows for over a year now.Execpt for one difference.Instead of doing cd's,I do DVD's.I set up a camera system at the club where I gig 4 nights a week.I take the audio signal out of the mixer( I would not recomend using the "on board camera mic" then take the vidio sig from the camera and bring it all into a dvd burner.I make anouncements throughout the night that if anyone would like to make a dvd of the're performance,pick 2 songs to sing(we will cue em up back to back) bring the slip to us (with 10$)and we will get you right up.I also make a point of telling folks( in a nice way) that if the buy one, as a bonus they will also get to move right to the front of the waiting list.It works as a great selling point. I get people who don't even care about the dvd.They just buy one so they can sing 2 songs back to back and sing em now.As far as the legal issues,I see myself as a photographer,filming someone for a fee.At my wedding I hired a local photographer.During the ceromony the church singer sang ava maria and he filmed it .I don't think anyone ever got sued.I am wondering though in a court of law if a "home movie"would fall under a different pretence than a coppied cd in this type of situtation.Something to consider?

[bryant]

Someone has to choose to take the time and expense to Sue.

Then they in fact could have sued if they wanted. I'm assuming most ppl at your wedding we're your friends however.

I read these posts and I think we are all trying to play lawyer here. The only real way to find out if what whoever is doing is illegal is to do, wait and see if someone sues, hire a better and more expensive lawyer, perhaps even go broke, then pray.

[pelletmon]

Your probably right Bryant.But one thing Im not gonna do is loose any sleep over it.I have enough other issues for that! P.S. How are things in Winslow? Im from Topsham (Brunswick area).