I have a song from the early 1900s that apparently is now reverted to the public domain. I hope to use it in a short film I am producing. From this website http://www.pdinfo.com/pd-song-list/ it appears that this means the sheet music is "public domain", not any recordings, I assume. How can I confirm that it is OK for me to commission or record my own rendition of this song without violating any copyright? If there are any experts out there, I hope you can chime in. Thanks.
Composing : Public Domain usage rights-Any experts that can chime in? by Jacob James Henry
Public Domain usage rights-Any experts that can chime in?
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Yes Jacob. If the piece is public domain then it's cool. A recording or performance of the work may be off limits but your interpretation is permitted. "The term “public domain” refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it." See http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/
You confirm if a song is in the public domain by checking pdinfo.com. If the song is listed there as being in the public domain than you can commission or record your own rendition of this song without violating any copyright.
Thanks very much for the clarification, guys!