Music and Copyright Laws
Article submitted by Debora Grice

Music at your Wedding

Copying music onto an iPod type device or burning custom cds is a great way to save money at your reception. BUT you should know that copying music for anything outside of your own personal listening does require a licence.

A SINGLE EVENT LICENCE is available from AVLA.

AVLA is a collective of the record labels and artists who own the copyright on their sound recordings. Buying a licence will allow you to make copies of their copyrighted sound recordings for your event. This has no relation to the SOCAN fees which are usually billed to you by the hall or venue.

What happens if you don't bother? AVLA has inspectors regularly visiting banquet halls and other liquor licensed establishments. Since illegal copying is a violation of the copyright laws, they have the right on behalf of the record labels to litigate for damages.

* DJs also require a licence from AVLA if they are burning their own custom cds or have music in a laptop. Make sure your dj is licensed and you will have one less worry on the day of your big event.

CD-Rs as Party Favours

You are heading down the wrong path if you have chosen to create compilations of favourite songs as wedding favours. Burning discs for anything other than your personal use is illegal, even if the discs are conceived as gifts. Basically, it infringes the rights of those involved in making the recordings.  While anyone would agree that music is an integral part of any special day, save the CD compilations for private use.