Does anyone know what the copyright/royalty issues might be for using recorded music in your freestyle? When I did my I1 freestyle, music was purchased from a karaoke music website. I do not want to do that this time, if I don’t have to, but would prefer to use some music that is recorded. Anyone know? Do we all have to purchase the karaoke version or have someone else record it, or can you use actual recorded music that you might, for example, purchase on iTunes?
I believe you can use recorded works as long as you aren’t making money off the freestyle.
You can use whatever you want. iTunes is fine. There is no royalty issue when dealing with freestyles.
From the USDF rules and guidelines:
Music Licensing USEF has contracts with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music, Inc.
(BMI) to license all USEF-recognized and endorsed competitions and events held in the United States effective 7/1/01.
These contracts grant non-exclusive licenses to USEF for its recognized and endorsed competitions and events to perform, present, or cause the live and recorded performance of all non-dramatic renditions of the separate musical compositions in the ASCAP and BMI repertories. These repertories include all copyrighted musical compositions written or published by ASCAP or BMI members or members of affiliated foreign performing rights societies. While some competitions feature music as part of the class, for example in dressage —freestyle to music, many use music for entertainment purposes. The licenses provide another valuable benefit to USEF-recognized and endorsed competitions.
short answer: No issues.
Long, overly picky answer: There is a possible issue if a professional freestyle designer, or music editor is getting PAID to re-record and edit the piece. However, USDF/USEF has covered this with the major record lables and has a formal agreement that it is OK to record and use any of their music for freestyles. So, as I understand it, there is a minor POSSIBLE issue if someone is being PAID to make your music and they are using something from a small private lable. But, anything that goes through I-tunes is major lable and is officially OK. Even then, I have never heard of anyone objecting or getting into trouble. (and it would be the professional music-editor’s job to know the rules and comply, not the dressage competitor)
Thank you all for this information. Very helpful!
