Public Domain
Out of copyright or never protected — free to use
Related
Public domain means not protected by copyright or out of copyright: free to copy, adapt and use, usually without permission. In music, separate the composition from the recording: a nineteenth-century piece may be public domain while one modern recording of it is still protected.
Public domain varies by country: terms, registration and transitional rules differ; the same work may be free in one country and not in another. The usual mistake is to think "it is online, so it is public domain" — being online only means someone uploaded it, not that no rights exist. Check both layers and the jurisdiction before use.
Read deeper → copyright
Sources
- 公有领域的定义与录音的邻接权差异，参通行版权教材与 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Copyright"；本文为通识说明，不构成法律意见
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