If I create music using the registered version of NoteWorthy Composer, can I use the music in commercial products to earn money?
Of course, as long as its your own composition.
I believe that the original question concerned whether or not NoteWorthy Software (or someone else) has a royalty interest in any work created with the program. To my knowledge, no (although I don't speak for them - you have to read the license terms yourself).
I can think of one software provided (not in music) that does demand a royalty interest in works created with that software.
If I write my opus using a pencil and score paper, neither the pencil manufacturer nor the paper maker have any right to my work. I can't see why that would differ just because I use a different technology.
I believe the case that is being referred to involves a high-level programming language (which one eludes my memory at the moment). The programs are compiled as either in-line insertions or out-of-line calls to library routines. Thus the action of the resulting program is "yours", but the fragments it is made up of still belong to the application developer.
In musical terms think of it as sampling, where the individual bits of "borrowed" music are easily identifiable. Note that I have never knowingly listened to so-called sampled music, but from newspaper articles I understand that the original artists (or more likely the companies which own the rights) can and have demanded payments. I'm sure others can expand on this.
You retain all of your copyrights to any music that you create with the full version of NoteWorthy Composer (http://www.noteworthysoftware.com/composer/).
Most of what I have written (all but 2 small pieces) I wrote on the evaluation propgram though now I do own the full version, does that mean I still have all the rights to it?
Sorry Christian, I don't know the answer to your question. I just want to thank the rest of you all for clearing up the issue on copyright for me. Thanks!
Well, I can assure you it's quite simple.
There are only two parties who can claim copyright. That is you and Noteworthy. Noteworthy won't, so it's yours.
You can make it as hard as you wish, and it makes interesting forum reading, but your music is yours.
Just to be sure, after you purchase, simply save any work that you did in the evaluation version using the full version. Now, the program will fully recognize your ownership.