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Question regarding music at funeral
One of my friends died at the weekend and the family asked me to make a CD with tunes that he liked, including some original compositions. They went to the funeral directors today and the funeral director stated that making CDs for a funeral is now illegal, and that only they have the authority to do it.
I can't believe it, if some moron has put this into law, because it's not like everyone is going to be torrenting the CD or we'll be having a performance for paying guests.
Can someone please tell me whether this is indeed true, or is it a money making exercise by the funeral directors?
I can't believe it, if some moron has put this into law, because it's not like everyone is going to be torrenting the CD or we'll be having a performance for paying guests.
Can someone please tell me whether this is indeed true, or is it a money making exercise by the funeral directors?
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http://www.singersforfunerals.co.uk/funeral-music.html
It would appear, as long as copyright restrictions are observed, you can play what you like. It's possible that the 'mix' CD aspect is what was causing the issue. Maybe these links, or others like them, will guide you.
May be under prs rules they are right. Ripping cds to produce a compilation and broadcasting it publicly is probably a breach of copyright, and its their funeral if you like. (Pardon the pun)
i think this will be the case..
sorry for you loss OP..surely one or two songs will do though??
being a sensitive issue i would not make a song and dance over it..just go with the flow.
pardon the pun
I think what does it more is the fact that there are a couple of original compositions (not available to buy) and I don't think the PRS are even aware these tunes exist let alone manage their rights. From what I understood, crematoriums and churches were actually registered with the PRS so they could actually play music "publicly", but even if they're not I can't believe the PRS are so petty.
As the ball has started rolling now the family aren't going to kick up a fuss, but it's got me really curious as to whether there is a law against it or not. I'm just wondering whether it's to do with that court ruling the other week that said ripping CDs was illegal again.
I'd go with the BIB.
Anyway, I've just had a look at the PRS (Performing Rights for Music) website and here's what it says.
And for church funerals, this would cover it
http://www.prsformusic.com/users/businessesandliveevents/pages/prsformusicchargingpolicies.aspx#9
When my dad died a few years back, if I recall correctly, it was the celebrant and not the funeral directors who I dealt with as regards music, handing the CD(s) over a few days before the funeral.
To make life easier for those who were in charge of the service I just copied both songs onto a single CD. This may or may not have been legal, the rules on this appear to be keep changing, but the CD I produced was certainly used at the service. Nothing was said.
Whether or not that formed part of what we were paying him, I really didn't care. They got the music, in one case something quite obscure and we didn't have to worry at all.
I wonder whether this is because of the court case where the music industry took the government to court because the government wanted to make copying music to blank CDs legal as long as a levy was paid on the sale of blank media. The government lost the case.
As I understand it, that doesn't mean making CDs to play at a funeral is illegal, but the funeral directors may have decided to ban it in case they are sued by the music industry. However that should only apply to commercially released music so if they are original compositions and composer owns the rights there should be no problem.
As it's the Undertaker who is mostly ultimately responsible for things going to plan at the funeral, he will want to have as much control as he can. That includes asking you what music you want, and then producing it himself. He then knows that it will work.
That's how it was for us. There were enough things to worry about without having the get the right CDs to the right place at the right time and getting them back again. I just emailed our selection to the funeral director and he sorted out the rest. Even if they did charge for the service (I never saw an itemised breakdown of the costs), I wouldn't have cared.
It took us ages to come up with a final three choice and changed our minds loads of times but we spent a very emotional afternoon going through my dad's music collection and playing his favourite songs.
The discs I'd made I'd tested on a number of different CD players beforehand, and, just in case, I had the original discs with me, anyway. But, fortunately, they weren't needed.
I would suggest the funeral director just wants to charge you more money for doing it
I seriously doubt there's any such legislation, and if there was why would funeral directors be exempt from it?.
The quotes from the PRS site above seem to cover anything for a standard service.
Maybe the organiser does want overall control but I can't see why you can't make your own CD or mix CD and give it to him in advance to confirm that it plays correctly.
Can understand someone turning up with a home made CD, but as long as it works then what is the problem
I want "Plant you now, dig you later" from the Broadway musical Pal Joey played at my funeral. Just for fun really.
I have an original CD (US import) as I can bet that no-one will be able to find it
Charging to download three tracks for legal reasons?
What's that - £2.97 added to the cost of a funeral?
I don't think so.
I agree. .it's quite horrible. .and anyway they would gain sales. .My friend had Stone Roses played at his funeral..I went out and bought the cd at the time..so I could remember. .so same would maybe apply in this day..
Sorry for your loss op. .meh should be allowed to play what you like for a good send off
That what they get paid a large sum of money for.
You think they would only charge £2.97 for doing the music?
It's yet another example of any trace of joy being sucked from society. Bloody sad.
When my mum passed in 2012 the funeral director told us the same.
We had to give him a list of the songs we wanted and that was it. He sorted the rest.