I am often asked how to get permission to publish hymn arrangements (LDS hymns).  The Church encourages us to use our talents, both commercially and as a service, and makes the permission-getting process fairly easy.

1. To apply for permission, you need to have a completed arrangement available to send as either sheet music (PDF) or an audio file (MP3).

2. When you’re ready, you can download the permission form via the Church’s official website: lds.org.  Find and click the link at the bottom of the page titled “Rights and Use Information.”

3. On the “Rights and Use Information” page, find and click the link near the bottom of the page titled “Copyright Request Form.”  This is a Microsoft Word document that you fill out and email to cor-intellectualproperty@ldschurch.org.  (Be sure to attach your PDF or MP3 file to the email as well as the Copyright Request Form.)

4. In about 4-6 weeks, the Church’s intellectual property department will respond with a letter indicating the status of the copyright permission.  If the arrangement is appropriate, and copyright permission is granted (from the Church’s point of view), there are several possible next steps.  Often the music and text are copyrighted separately, especially for poems later set to music.  Thus:

a. If the Church owns the copyright for the music and text, they will often give permission to use free of charge or for a very nominal royalty fee (as little as $.01 per copy).

b. If other authors, composers, or organizations own a copyright, either jointly, with the Church, or separately, you will need to also get their permission to copy.  (You will need copyright permission from EACH copyright holder and may need to pay a royalty fee to EACH copyright holder for each copy sold or distributed.)  The Church usually provides name and contact information for the copyright holders.

c. Any work, or part of a work, that is considered “public domain“ can be freely used by any composer or arranger without copyright permission.

Many of the hymns fall into this last category, but some have new arrangements (harmony/melody) or additional (or altered) verses that thereby create a copyright for the author, composer, church, or other organization.  Just because a hymn is “old,” doesn’t mean it is in the public domain.  The safest course is to check with Church for copyright status on any hymn.  This copyright permission service is provided free for any inquiry, even commercial endeavors.

In my experience, most copyright holders are very sympathetic and encouraging, especially to new artists.  They will usually ask for a very reasonable royalty payment (often just enough to guarantee that others will know they still hold the copyright) and be genuinely interested in your success.  Be sure to keep a record of your written permissions on hand; copy centers and church librarians will not (and should not) copy your arrangement without a copy of the written permission.

5. Once you have written permission from each of the possible copyright holders, you can then sell or distribute copies of your arrangement according to the terms of license.  (Incidentally, royalty payments are usually tracked and paid each quarter unless sales are very small, in which case most copyright holders will accept an annual payment.)

Generally, you will need to include credit for the artists (i.e., “‘Where Can I Turn For Peace?’  by Emma Lou Thayne and Joleen G. Meredith © by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. Used by Permission.”) as well as a standard disclaimer (“This product is neither sponsored nor endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”) on each copy.

That’s it.  Good luck with your arrangements!