There are many many many good articles out there explaining the difference between the musical work copyright and the sound recording copyright. However, I suppose there is no harm in adding one more to drive the point home.

As mentioned in my previous article "10 Questions for a Music Lawyer", understanding the difference between these two copyrights is key to understanding the music business generally. For artists, it is also key in understanding how you make money!

I thought this would be a good place to start for my first Ocean Town Music article (of course, check out my Legal Guide for Musicians for something more comprehensive). I often run into artists or young industry professionals at music conferences who want to meet with a lawyer, but are not really sure what to ask. They know that meeting with a lawyer is a positive (and often necessary) step for their careers, but getting the conversation going is seemingly difficult if you don't know what to ask.

A simple conversation with a lawyer who has experience in the music business can assist in flagging potential issues and provide useful information and guidance as you navigate through this complex and dynamic terrain, whether as an artist or industry professional (or both). There is never any harm in booking a consultation with an entertainment lawyer (which is typically at no cost), even before a pressing or urgent issue arises.