[78-L] The Lost Chord was Re: Obscene Jim Reeves record

[Cary Ginell]

No. You can't copyright a chord, a note, or even most chord progressions. There are certain instances where a brief musical phrase is distinct enough that it can be attributed to one composition, such as Ellington's "C Jam Blues," which basically has a two note melody, but there aren't many like this.

Cary Ginell

> From: stevenc at interlinks.net
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:11:39 -0400
> Subject: Re: [78-L] The Lost Chord was Re:  Obscene Jim Reeves record
> 
> From: "Steve Shapiro" <steveshapiro1 at juno.com>
> >
> > This is even more than I am prepared to pay for the Lost Chord.  Not the 
> > song, just the chord itself.  Once I find it, I'll copyright it and 
> > license it for the next 17 years./steve
> >
> Interesting point here...! Could someone copyright a chord...or a note...
> and then claim that anyone else who subsequently recorded
> that same chord/note was infringing their copyright and thereby
> owed them royalties?
> 
> Steven C. Barr 
> 
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