Société des Editeurs de Musique / Music Publishers
Copying sheet music and lyrics is only possible with the owner's consent, more specifically the copyright owner(s) or "the rightholders".
Copies made without consent are liable to criminal and civil action. This is known as "piracy" or "counterfeiting", in the same way as fake designer clothing or watches.
Activities such as lending out or hiring out sheet music, putting a song text on a website or in a club newsletter is also only allowed if the copyright owner has given his or her consent.
Each illegal copy goes at the expense of the composer's, song writer's and music publisher's income. Large-scale copying results in an impoverishment of the cultural landscape: the publisher is not able to invest in high-quality publications, the composer is not paid (and motivated) for his or her hours and hours of hard work and music shops disappear by the dozen.
On the other hand, musicians or music teachers sometimes need to make a "copy" of a piece of sheet music or a song text. From now on this is possible through SEMU within the consent conditions (of the "licence") of course. Users can make all the necessary arrangements at one counter now!
The paid fees are distributed among the music publishers, who, in turn, give a share to the composer and song writer. And music shops do well out of this too because everyone knows where they stand. The application of the licence is strictly enforced by the administrators.
And finally, this is a feasible and practical solution for all culture participants: music education, choirs, orchestras, brass bands, composers, song writers and publishers. There are no excuses anymore for "making a quick copy".
And of course this arrangement respects both the needs of the user and the copyright owners' property.
