[expabsPapsgag]

I have played guitar for many years now. I hate tabs, because they are always wrong, and I can't read them very well. It's easier for me to just listen to the song as it's playing and pick out the notes.

Which begs the question - if you are a player of musical instruments, are you legally not allowed to play a song (even if you did not use "stolen" tabs) that you don't own the rights to?

For example, if I'm at a party with some friends and I pick up a guitar and start playing some song that I heard on the radio, I guess I've "stolen" the licensed and copywrited property of the record company/artist/whomever. This seems to be what this is implying.

I guess I had always had the conception that "stealing music" was more about stealing the performance - the recording - the actual product that was produced by the artist, but that the "instructions" for how to make the music were only protected if they were used commercially to make money.

I guess the web sites hosting tabs and such are making money from property not their own, but what are the implications of going after tablature?

If I hear a song somewhere and, simply by ear, start playing it for non-commercial purposes, have I broken the law? Have I stolen the music?

I posted a link to a recording of myself playing a song actually on this site - It is a classical guitar song that is performed by many in colleges and schools, as well as commercially by professional classical guitarists. I learned the song by ear. Have I broken the law here, and should I take down this recording?

What about the kid at the school talent show who plays his rendition of some commercial song. What about bands in bars who play "cover tunes". Are they all breaking the law as well, stealing that music content from the artists who wrote it? In some cases, cover bands get paid (not much, but still) to perform in bars.

I'm very curious as to peoples' thoughts here.