question for cherie

**tim52160** · December 29th, 2006, 02:30 AM

i have a question that cheerie or anyone who makes music might help me with. i used to write songs , never did anything with them because A. i 've heard how musicians always get ripped of , but mostly for myself. but here is my question and a problem. how can you tell when you are writing a song , that someone hasnt allready wrote it and the words coming into your head is not you remembering some song that noone has sung in years ?i come up with some good to me sounding stuff but wonder if i am no just remembering someone elses words?i've never learned how to breath to know how to sing or the propeer procedure for writing a song,[chorus,bridge,etc] number of bars ,etc. just curious. i do know about mailing your self a copy and not opening it so you have your own proof it's yours.

**gus danger** · December 30th, 2006, 03:38 PM

Wow Tim. Tough one!

I remember Paul McCartney said he woke up with the melody for Yesterday in his head and worried for a long time that he must have heard it somewhere!

George Harrison lost the case when he was sued for "subconciously" stealing the melody for My Sweet Lord from the Chiffons hit He's So Fine!

John Fogerty was sued by the owners of his older songs for plagarizing himself. He actually sat in the witness box, with his guitar, showing the jury how a lot of his songs sound similar because it's his style. He won the case!

I never worry about it myself. I don't think I've "borrowed" anyone elses melodies and as long as it takes me to craft the lyrics, I know they are all mine!

I've heard, in the past, the same thing about mailing to yourself for "proof" that would stand up in court, that you owned the song before someone else had it copyrighted.
There must be other ways now, with the internet and all!

There I go ramblin' on!
Catch ya later!
[img]graemlins/music.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/snail.gif[/img]
Gus

**tim52160** · December 30th, 2006, 05:04 PM

thanks dude. i wondered if there was a site where you could run your words thru to check. but if it was run by a record company, you would have to worry about them stealing .

**Ampeg J** · January 21st, 2007, 06:54 AM

Oddly enough i rarely worry about that...

I write the bulk of my music on the Bass, even though i can play guitar also.

So as far as the melody goes, it tends to take shape as i go, i leave a lot of breathing room for it.

Now lyrics, well, you can be fairly certain with a google search if you are getting too close to copyrighted material.