Legality of scanning music

[MaestroMD]

I've been contemplating scanning all of my music (solos, books, etc.) into my computer as a backup. Is this legal assuming that all of it has been properly acquired (purchased)? My thoughts were to save it as a pdf and then store it on a CD/DVD or USB drive.

[fballatore]

I think that if it's for your own personal use as a backup and won't be shared with anyone, that it's perfectly OK to do that. But I'm not a copyright attorney. ;)

[jordanreed]

just don't go to some website and tell everyone your plan and it should be ok...

[MaestroMD]

just don't go to some website and tell everyone your plan and it should be ok...

I want to live my life right. I am not a dishonest person and if it is against the law, I don't want to do it. I am aware that some people think that it is ok to do whatever they want then plead ignorance. I am not that type of person.

[SaxMoose]

I'm pretty sure the copyright laws are focusing on distributing the material, if it's for your own personal use I think it'd be okay.

[gary]

One is allowed, by copyright law, to make one back-up copy. Get to it. :)

[ShedShark]

I want to live my life right. I am not a dishonest person and if it is against the law, I don't want to do it. I am aware that some people think that it is ok to do whatever they want then plead ignorance. I am not that type of person.


Brother, almost everything is illegal these days and it's getting worse. Just wait 'till you get busted for a 'thought crime'.

[DetroitDave]

just don't go to some website and tell everyone your plan and it should be ok...
... especially some internationally known site with thousands of musicians looking at it every week.

I think a complete listing all the music being copied is in order here.

Then each of us can volunteer to download the scanned-in copies to serve as super safe off-site storage backups. Y'know, if the fire is gonna get the hardcopy sheet music, it'll probably get the computer, too. Better to play it safe and let everyone help with the safe storage issue.

[breinermusic]

once you own the book/cd or whatever it is you are allowed to make copies for your own personal use. backups etc. or if you want to make a paper copy of a book/music and so that the book doesn't get destroyed taking it to/from rehearsals and gigs you're legally entitled to do so. no "pleading ignorance" about it. the thing is yours. make backups. make copies for when you need to use the stuff. that way the original books/cds will stay pristine down the line and you don't have to buy new ones in 2020 when they're $1500 each.

[DaveKessler]

in 2020 when they're $1500 each.

Afraid to think what gas must be costing in 2020 by these predictions!

[CardinalRule]

I'm a music librarian and it is legal for you to copy your sheet music or cds, etc. for your personal use; to archive it in your own "library" for example. When libraries buy a cd it is with the intent to loan it to people. Often a library--especially a music library-- will make a copy of this item and keep the original archived, loaning the facsimile. It's known as the "fair use" rule...