Copyright. It's a sticky subject and one not often taught in school. What does the law say? How does it affect what we do as musicians, freelancers, artists, and small business owners? Here's what you need to know:

First, what is copyright law and why does it exist?

The purpose of copyright law is “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries” (Article I, Section 8, clause 8, The United States Constitution). Copyright law protects anything with intellectual property rights. This includes poetry, books, photographs, art, hymn texts, song lyrics, music, and more.