Music accompanies us every day
We listen to it while driving, it is played in stores, restaurants and bars. Sometimes it makes our time more pleasant, sometimes it gets in the way. When can we listen to it so that it is legal and not a nuisance to others?
Music in public places and copyright
As you know, music creators are entitled to copyright and the economic benefits that flow from it. On each music disc you will find a note that it is for private use only and public performance without permission is prohibited. If we would like to play it in public, we need to sign a license agreement with a collecting society. The case is different in the case of playing music via radio or television – the law provides for permitted distribution of works without payment.
The condition is that there is no economic benefit from sharing the works. Meeting it is extremely difficult – the onus is on the entrepreneur to show that the music does not contribute to profits, even indirectly. Inspectors usually find that music played in a restaurant, store or barber store attracts customers and therefore contributes to financial gain.
The court usually sides with the copyright management organization in such cases. However, if the music is played to cater to employees rather than customers (for example, it is listened to in the office on a portable speaker) it is perfectly legal.
If we want to make music legally available to our company’s customers, we can play songs by only one artist whose permission we obtain, use music with a creative common license that is not protected by organizations, or use songs whose copyrights have expired.
Music in the park and boulevards
If we are going with friends for a picnic at a nearby park and want to pass the time with music from the
portable speaker, no one will accuse us of gaining financial benefits from it, no
However, this means that our activities are legal. Many people associate the noise ban with curfew,
The truth, however, is that it applies regardless of the time of day;
Art. 51. § 1. Who by shouting, noise, alarm or other prank disturbs the peace, public order,
night’s rest or causes disorder in a public place, shall be punished by arrest, restriction of
freedom or a fine.
So it doesn’t matter whether we listen to music at 11 pm or 10 am – it’s the same
offense. Public listening to music is also prohibited by the Environmental Protection Law;
Art 156 (1) It is prohibited to use sound amplification systems or devices in publicly accessible areas of cities, built-up areas and areas designated for recreational and leisure purposes.
leisure.
We could face up to a 5,000 zloty fine for violating this ban.
Portable speakers – where can you go?
Portable music players are therefore safest to use on private property – in the garden, on an allotment, etc. They will also work great in the office (if the rest of the employees don’t mind and share our taste in music). This is a great solution for camping or vacations – rental apartments and rooms rarely have music playing equipment, and portable speakers offer much better sound quality than those on phones.
Vordon offers speakers that combine the function of radio and music player. We can connect them to the phone with a cable, modelswyposażone with Bluetooth function – connect them wirelessly. They are great for watching movies on a laptop, or listening to music in the car if you don’t have a good quality radio. Many models are equipped with a microSD card slot, so we can use them even if our smartphone’s battery dies.