Piano Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A piano teacher photocopies copyrighted sheet music for 20 students to avoid purchasing individual copies. This is most likely:
- Protected by educational fair use
- Permitted under the first sale doctrine
- A copyright infringement (Correct answer)
- Allowed if no money changes hands
Correct answer: A copyright infringement
Mass copying of sheet music to avoid purchasing copies is not protected by fair use and constitutes copyright infringement.
Question 2: Under US law, copyright protection for a work begins at what point?
- Upon registration with the Copyright Office
- Upon payment of registration fees
- At the moment of creation and fixation (Correct answer)
- After publication
Correct answer: At the moment of creation and fixation
Copyright protection automatically attaches when an original work is created and fixed in a tangible medium.
Question 3: A composition published in the United States in 1924 is now:
- Still under copyright protection
- In the public domain (Correct answer)
- Protected under TRIPS agreement only
- Requiring special permission to perform
Correct answer: In the public domain
Works published in the US before January 1, 1928 are in the public domain as of 2026.
Question 4: What is a 'compulsory license' in music copyright law?
- A license that requires government approval
- A license that must be obtained before any performance
- A statutory right to use a work without negotiating with the owner by paying a set fee (Correct answer)
- A license issued only to nonprofit organizations
Correct answer: A statutory right to use a work without negotiating with the owner by paying a set fee
A compulsory license allows use of a copyrighted work without owner consent upon payment of a statutory royalty rate set by law.
Question 5: Which international treaty obligates member countries to protect copyright for life of author plus 50 years at minimum?
- TRIPS Agreement
- Berne Convention (Correct answer)
- Rome Convention
- WIPO Copyright Treaty
Correct answer: Berne Convention
The Berne Convention, established in 1886, sets the international baseline for copyright protection including minimum duration.
Question 6: What does 'work for hire' mean in the context of a pianist commissioned to compose music?
- The pianist retains all rights
- The commissioning party owns the copyright (Correct answer)
- Rights are split 50/50
- The work enters the public domain immediately
Correct answer: The commissioning party owns the copyright
Under work for hire doctrine, the employer or commissioning party is considered the legal author and owns the copyright.
Question 7: Which copyright notice element was required on published works before 1989 in the US?
- The © symbol alone
- © symbol, year of publication, and copyright owner's name (Correct answer)
- Only the word 'Copyright'
- The ISBN number
Correct answer: © symbol, year of publication, and copyright owner's name
Before the US joined the Berne Convention in 1989, published works required a notice with ©, the year, and the owner's name to maintain protection.
Piano Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance 4
A piano teacher photocopies copyrighted sheet music for 20 students to avoid purchasing individual copies.
This is most likely: