Getting works published in the world of music is tricky... if you're a composer or artist there are many licenses (see the music copyright page for more information) and while you can make money off the sales of your works, often the creator doesn't see as much as the publishing company. For academics, questions of peer review, open access, and where to even submit can be boggling. Below is a collection of links, advice of composers and recording artists themselves, information on scholarly communication and the ins and outs of publishing in the music world.
There are six different license types, listed from most to least permissive here:
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use. CC BY includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-SA includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. CC BY-NC includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.
This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use. CC BY-ND includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
ND: No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. CC BY-NC-ND includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
ND: No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
CC0 (aka CC Zero) is a public dedication tool, which enables creators to give up their copyright and put their works into the worldwide public domain. CC0 enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, with no conditions.
Open access scholarship refers to work that is freely available to read and download online. Open access work is often licensed under a Creative Commons License, which allows authors to control how their work is used. Choosing to make your work open access allows scholars and interested parties around the world--regardless of institutional affiliation or support--to read and build upon your work.
You have several options when it comes to making your work open access. There are three common "forms" of open access. Click on each to learn more.
Choosing a Journal
Choosing a journal can be difficult - try to find a match based on the material of your article, your writing style, and the goals and aims of the Journal and your article. Research the Journal itself, what is its reputation and history? You can use Ulrrichsweb to look up information about most serials.
Make sure you know your Author's Rights upon publication and how you can distribute your work. Look up the journal's information for authors page or check JISC's Sherpa/Romeo tool to see what your options are.
Transformative Agreements / Read and Publish Agreements
Syracuse University Libraries have signed transformative agreements with academic publishers that broaden access to SU scholarship. Under the agreements, the costs to publish your work open access (APC charges) will be covered by the library. Explore the Read and Publish Agreements and APC Coverage Research Guide for more information.
