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newbie - Canadian business: use this for On Hold music?

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:29 pm
by Brass
Hi. I just signed up. I'm in Canada, and I've been requested to get music on hold for our phone system. Is it legal for me to record a music recording excerpt from this website?
Otherwise, what's the least expensive means to obtain legal, on-hold music? In this case, the Boss wants a certain Rachmaninoff piece.
Thanks a lot.

Re: newbie - Canadian business: use this for On Hold music?

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 8:52 pm
by KGill
You mean you wish to use a sound file currently on IMSLP? Whether or not you can depends on the specific license that it is uploaded under (this is indicated in the 'Copyright' field on each file). Most Creative Commons-licensed files should be OK, but which file exactly are you thinking of?

Re: newbie - Canadian business: use this for On Hold music?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:36 pm
by Brass
Hi,
I LOVE when people are helpful! Rachmananinoff Symphony No. 2.

Re: newbie - Canadian business: use this for On Hold music?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:56 pm
by Brass
here's what I'm looking at: http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.2,_Op ... _Sergei%29
to quote: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives 3.0 - Non-PD EU

does non-commercial mean I can't use it for music on hold at my office?

Re: newbie - Canadian business: use this for On Hold music?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:13 pm
by KGill
The legal text for this license has this to say:
You may not exercise any of the rights granted to You in Section 3 above in any manner that is primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or private monetary compensation. The exchange of the Work for other copyrighted works by means of digital file-sharing or otherwise shall not be considered to be intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or private monetary compensation, provided there is no payment of any monetary compensation in connection with the exchange of copyrighted works.
So if people do not need to pay money ("commercial advantage or private monetary compensation") to hear the work as you are distributing it, then you should be in the clear. Is your phone service an open-to-general-public-usage kind of thing?