Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains how copyright term (that is, the duration for which a work remains under exclusive ownership) works, and sketches out some "fair use" exceptions to the five exclusive rights granted to copyright owners under law.

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Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses what a band agreement is, and why signing a band agreement that sketches out how your group will handle its business, is a good idea for any group which is thinking about getting serious about their commitment to a career in music.

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Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains how the "derivative works" clause of copyright law works in practice by examining the career of "Weird Al" Yankovic.

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Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, explains the five "exclusive rights" that the law grants to a copyright holder, as well as some of the exceptions and additions that apply to music, such as the compulsory mechanical license and minimum statutory rate clauses.

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Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, describes the major points to be found in a recording contract and what they actually mean for you, the artist, such as: the term of the contract; what your royalty checks will actually contain; and what decisions are taken out of your hands when you sign on the dotted line.

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Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the "work for hire" provision of US copyright law, and how it affects -- and does not affect -- sound recordings made under a recording contract.

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Maggie Lange, an attorney and Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the two things you must insist that your record deal contain: a release commitment, and a marketing/promotion budget.

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