I think Dean Smith started this thread with his post of 01.11.16.
His reference to Carl Lambie and the post that followed about calliope
leads me to thinking he is considering producing an A-roll from a MIDI
file.

I think a lot us have dabbled in making paper rolls and MIDI files to
play on our instruments mostly for our own enjoyment.  We occasionally
play them in public, sometimes perhaps for hire.

I wonder if the experts or experienced could lead us through a couple
of cases and explain what needs to be done to respect the work of
others and comply from a legal stand point.  Consider

(a) Take a song under copyright protection ("Sleigh Ride"), and
(b) Take a public Domain song ("The Billboard"):

  1. Using my own arrangement;
  2. Using another's arrangement;
  3. To play these in public not for hire;
  4. To play these in public for hire;
  5. To sell a roll or midi file of these;
  6. The obligation of buyers of these rolls or files
     playing them for hire.

If we made a 10-tune A-roll, all of these criteria could apply to the
same roll.

What if we made and sold a sound recording of the roll?  What if
the sound recording were played on the radio/TV or in a shopping mall?

Jon Guy