Why not use public domain music. There is a lot of music out there that is too old to be under copyright. Granted these offerings are not current, and hip, but at least they are free. Besides old music composed by members of the public, there is also military music created by the military for their own use, but the public can also use it. This is also in the public domain. The military is part of the government, so the music created by the military belongs to the government, and here in the USA the government belongs to the people, so we own the military made music. You may have to pay a nominal cost for down loading a clip, or for a DVD, or for printed sheets of music, but you are paying for the medium used and the work used in providing it. I believe there are some sites that have our military music on them for downloading. You can also probably find books with military music in them at the library. The library can also help you find non-miltary old tunes that are now in the public domain.
Some old war pix used military music for their themes because it was free and fit the stories. I seem to remember one that used what I believe was the Coast Guard theme, and I really liked the tune. A number of movies and cartoons have used old classics because they are free and they fit the stories.
So there are alternatives to taking a risk on violating someone's copyright. And you don't need a lawyer for public domain music. If however, there is a copyrighted piece you like, you will have to pay the license fee.
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If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away.--Henry David Thoreau
28 Feb 2012, 1:57 pm
