Any legal issues involved in covering songs?

[UKHypnotist]

we are the hits. You can upload covers already licensed get paid directly by them and bypass youtube. You get a claim from We are The hits but they license it for you. Also it's not a master recording right. That's for using the original song recording.

Are you forgetting that @Cyath needs to be accepted as a direct YouTube Partner before she can join a network? And since YouTube has decided that covers are "reused content" under the AdSense Content Quality Guidelines adopted last November, there is very little chance she will be accepted as a direct Partner channel. WATH also seems to have linked up with the FREEDOM Network in recent times...

For the licensing argument, I will simply link an article explaining the different license types below.

What is a master license? - Easy Song Licensing

Learn what a Master Music License is and how to get it.

www.easysonglicensing.com

 

[offbeatbryce]

Are you forgetting that @Cyath needs to be accepted as a direct YouTube Partner before she can join a network? And since YouTube has decided that covers are "reused content" under the AdSense Content Quality Guidelines adopted last November, there is very little chance she will be accepted as a direct Partner channel. WATH also seems to have linked up with the FREEDOM Network in recent times...

For the licensing argument, I will simply link an article explaining the different license types below.

What is a master license? - Easy Song Licensing

Learn what a Master Music License is and how to get it.

www.easysonglicensing.com

I don’t have youtube partnership and I’m with we are the hits. They separated from the other network. You can even email them if you want. I’ve been getting paid By them. They don’t even link your channel. It’s a separate network. They don’t operate as a true network. Read their faqs! I’ve been with them for a year if not more and even after youtube removed their partnership for anyone I asked we are the hits and was told I can still use them. In fact lots of my friends are using them there is a whole music group I’m in and the owner is a youtuber and he talks About this as well. The confusion lies in that freedom allows its users to access to we are the hits without going directly to them but we are the hits pays freedom. You can still join separately.

 

[offbeatbryce]

 

[Tito Tims Videos]

Here is a video just published a few hours ago by the Creator's Insider channel addressing covers (official YouTube channel)

At the end of the vid they do say that they are making a 'cover share' option so cover artists, and copyright holders can share revenue. We will have to see how that works out... but for now...

Short summary - if it is not your own music, do not use it (unless public domain).
humming, reading lyrics, covers, karaoke... don't do it.

 

[Dave Pollack]

You can absolutely do cover songs - just don't play them like the original! Being a jazz musician, I am very accustomed to reharmonizing and writing new arrangements to old standards. Changing the chord progression, key and time signatures, melody, rhythm, phrasing, etc. is common practice, and so is having the majority of the song the solo (improvisation) section. Try it out!