Frequently Asked Questions
Please note: Is your question not listed here? Please contact the customer service .
1. Which works are protected by copyright?
Almost all modern choral works are protected by copyright. Copying these works is therefore punishable under the Copyright Act. Penalties and fines are not small, so make sure you work with purchased sheet music. Many a choir has become financially fatal and had to be disbanded. Everything you wanted to know about Copyright
2. Our choir is part of a church community affiliated with CCLI. Do we still need to buy sheet music?
Yes. CCLI only regulates the use of texts of copyrighted works. For example, printing texts on overhead sheets or in liturgies. Sheet music - the "notes" - is explicitly excluded from this. Click here for more information about CCLI
3. If we buy sheet music, is BUMA also arranged?
No. By buying sheet music you comply with the so-called Printing Rights. This is one of the sources of income for authors and music publishers. BUMA concerns the public performance of copyrighted works; e.g. performances, concerts and performances. Many choirs are affiliated with our Collective BUMA scheme .
4. What does Stemra do?
Stemra concerns the so-called Reproduction right. This comes into play when you release a CD or MC, for example. To this end, you submit an "Application for self-production" to Stemra. (Stemra is the organisation that collects and distributes the reproduction rights among the rightful authors and publishers.) Depending on the repertoire, playing time and number of works recorded, you owe Stemra an amount per CD. Frequently asked questions to BUMA/Stemra
5. If our conductor makes arrangements himself, you may copy them, right?
No. This is a common misconception. Your conductor makes an arrangement of a copyrighted work. If this arrangement is reproduced and distributed to the choir, you must pay royalties for it. This is separate from the arranger's fee.
Small Stone Media manages the rights of much Christian music and is often willing to grant permission for your own arrangements, provided that the rights (payment) are properly arranged. Therefore, please contact the customer service , before you start arranging. Sometimes there are really good arrangements already available that you don't know about, so the arrangement may not even be necessary.
In principle, we do not provide these types of arrangements to third parties, unless the arranger explicitly gives permission for us to help other choirs with them. The arranger does not receive any compensation for this. The income goes to the original author.
6. I bought a great music book. Now I want to sing a few songs from it with my choir. Can I just copy them from the book?
No. If you want to sing one or more works from a music book, you can order the required number of legal copies. The purchase of the music book is separate from this. For this, please contact the customer service
7. We bought orchestra tapes from you and now we are going to record a CD with those tapes. Is that allowed?
If the license for use has been paid: Yes. In the case of a CD production, there is reproduction. Per used orchestral tape, an amount per CD must be paid for the use of the orchestral tape. You can apply for a license via the customer service
8. Can I copy a music score?
Everyone may make (or have made) a few copies of pieces from someone else's protected work - except for computer programs - without permission and free of charge, within the framework of 'own practice, study or use'. Copying entire works is therefore not allowed. Unless it concerns short pieces or sold-out books. Incidentally, the copies made may not be given, sold, lent or donated to someone else.
9. Can I record music on Video, DVD, CDR, HD, etc?
In itself, anyone may - without permission and free of charge - make image or sound recordings of copyrighted works, such as music, for private use or personal study purposes. The condition is that the private user also makes the recording themselves. According to the law, this may not be done on behalf of/for someone else. The recording or copy for personal use or study may not be given away, lent out or sold. That would be in conflict with the Copyright Act and therefore punishable.
10. Do bands and choirs that perform also have to pay Buma?
No, that is not the case. Unless they are the organizer themselves. The compensation to Buma is always paid by the organizer: the broadcaster, the church, the café owner, etc. They enter into a contract with Buma for this.
11. I want to release a CD myself. What do I need to arrange?
Always take contact Stemra . Do you want to put songs on the CD by someone who is affiliated with Stemra (or a sister organization)? Then you have to pay a fee for that. Are you affiliated with Stemra yourself and do you want to release your own repertoire on CD? Then you also have to pay a fee (+ VAT) to Stemra. However, you will get that money back via a settlement (minus 12.5% administration costs and the VAT you paid).
12. We want to place sound fragments on our website. Is that allowed?
For copyrighted sound fragments on your website, you must arrange the copyrights with Stemra.
In 2010 it is still allowed to place so-called embedded files on your website. This means that you upload a self-made film or music fragment to e.g. YouTube and that you make a link to the film in question on your own website. In that case you do not owe any copyright, because the film is not on your own website.
Recordings of your own choir, containing copyright-free music, may be placed on the website without any royalties being due.
For more information, please visit the website of Buma-Stemtra
13. Can we make PDF files of our music and put them on the internet?
Creating a PDF file of a publisher's publication is not permitted. This is also a form of duplication that is prohibited by copyright law. An exception is when you have purchased a PDF with a Print License from us.
If you want to place a PDF file on the website of a work written by yourself (text and music), then you are the author and of course this is allowed.
14. Can we digitize (save as PDF) all the music we have purchased?
You may create a PDF for your archive and save it. The condition is that you have purchased a copy for all members. You may not make prints of the PDF file to avoid having to purchase music via the music store. You may also not place the PDF file publicly on your choir's website!
1. Which works are protected by copyright?
Almost all modern choral works are protected by copyright. Copying these works is therefore punishable under the Copyright Act. Penalties and fines are not small, so make sure you work with purchased sheet music. Many a choir has become financially fatal and had to be disbanded. Everything you wanted to know about Copyright
2. Our choir is part of a church community affiliated with CCLI. Do we still need to buy sheet music?
Yes. CCLI only regulates the use of texts of copyrighted works. For example, printing texts on overhead sheets or in liturgies. Sheet music - the "notes" - is explicitly excluded from this. Click here for more information about CCLI
3. If we buy sheet music, is BUMA also arranged?
No. By buying sheet music you comply with the so-called Printing Rights. This is one of the sources of income for authors and music publishers. BUMA concerns the public performance of copyrighted works; e.g. performances, concerts and performances. Many choirs are affiliated with our Collective BUMA scheme .
4. What does Stemra do?
Stemra concerns the so-called Reproduction right. This comes into play when you release a CD or MC, for example. To this end, you submit an "Application for self-production" to Stemra. (Stemra is the organisation that collects and distributes the reproduction rights among the rightful authors and publishers.) Depending on the repertoire, playing time and number of works recorded, you owe Stemra an amount per CD. Frequently asked questions to BUMA/Stemra
5. If our conductor makes arrangements himself, you may copy them, right?
No. This is a common misconception. Your conductor makes an arrangement of a copyrighted work. If this arrangement is reproduced and distributed to the choir, you must pay royalties for it. This is separate from the arranger's fee.
Small Stone Media manages the rights of much Christian music and is often willing to grant permission for your own arrangements, provided that the rights (payment) are properly arranged. Therefore, please contact the customer service , before you start arranging. Sometimes there are really good arrangements already available that you don't know about, so the arrangement may not even be necessary.
In principle, we do not provide these types of arrangements to third parties, unless the arranger explicitly gives permission for us to help other choirs with them. The arranger does not receive any compensation for this. The income goes to the original author.
6. I bought a great music book. Now I want to sing a few songs from it with my choir. Can I just copy them from the book?
No. If you want to sing one or more works from a music book, you can order the required number of legal copies. The purchase of the music book is separate from this. For this, please contact the customer service
7. We bought orchestra tapes from you and now we are going to record a CD with those tapes. Is that allowed?
If the license for use has been paid: Yes. In the case of a CD production, there is reproduction. Per used orchestral tape, an amount per CD must be paid for the use of the orchestral tape. You can apply for a license via the customer service
8. Can I copy a music score?
Everyone may make (or have made) a few copies of pieces from someone else's protected work - except for computer programs - without permission and free of charge, within the framework of 'own practice, study or use'. Copying entire works is therefore not allowed. Unless it concerns short pieces or sold-out books. Incidentally, the copies made may not be given, sold, lent or donated to someone else.
9. Can I record music on Video, DVD, CDR, HD, etc?
In itself, anyone may - without permission and free of charge - make image or sound recordings of copyrighted works, such as music, for private use or personal study purposes. The condition is that the private user also makes the recording themselves. According to the law, this may not be done on behalf of/for someone else. The recording or copy for personal use or study may not be given away, lent out or sold. That would be in conflict with the Copyright Act and therefore punishable.
10. Do bands and choirs that perform also have to pay Buma?
No, that is not the case. Unless they are the organizer themselves. The compensation to Buma is always paid by the organizer: the broadcaster, the church, the café owner, etc. They enter into a contract with Buma for this.
11. I want to release a CD myself. What do I need to arrange?
Always take contact Stemra . Do you want to put songs on the CD by someone who is affiliated with Stemra (or a sister organization)? Then you have to pay a fee for that. Are you affiliated with Stemra yourself and do you want to release your own repertoire on CD? Then you also have to pay a fee (+ VAT) to Stemra. However, you will get that money back via a settlement (minus 12.5% administration costs and the VAT you paid).
12. We want to place sound fragments on our website. Is that allowed?
For copyrighted sound fragments on your website, you must arrange the copyrights with Stemra.
In 2010 it is still allowed to place so-called embedded files on your website. This means that you upload a self-made film or music fragment to e.g. YouTube and that you make a link to the film in question on your own website. In that case you do not owe any copyright, because the film is not on your own website.
Recordings of your own choir, containing copyright-free music, may be placed on the website without any royalties being due.
For more information, please visit the website of Buma-Stemtra
13. Can we make PDF files of our music and put them on the internet?
Creating a PDF file of a publisher's publication is not permitted. This is also a form of duplication that is prohibited by copyright law. An exception is when you have purchased a PDF with a Print License from us.
If you want to place a PDF file on the website of a work written by yourself (text and music), then you are the author and of course this is allowed.
14. Can we digitize (save as PDF) all the music we have purchased?
You may create a PDF for your archive and save it. The condition is that you have purchased a copy for all members. You may not make prints of the PDF file to avoid having to purchase music via the music store. You may also not place the PDF file publicly on your choir's website!