Licensing
Interested in using ABRSM music, syllabuses or our logo?
Our publications, sheet music, audio recordings, syllabuses and logo are all protected by copyright law and you may need permission to use our copyright assets, which include our:
- Newly-commissioned musical works
- Arrangements and editions – including those featuring music by public domain composers.
- Music settings – for anything printed within the last 25 years
- Master recordings
- Music theory publications
- Logos
- All parts of our syllabuses – displaying our repertoire lists as well as using any part of our syllabuses in a product or service.
Copyright law allows creators to own and protect their music (their intellectual property or IP) and then control how it is used. By seeking appropriate permissions from rightsowners to use their content, you’ll ensure amazing music can continue to be written, accessed and enjoyed.
In the UK, copyright lasts for 70 years from the end of the year in which the composer/songwriter or author dies. Works which are no longer in copyright are referred to as being ‘public domain’ and permission to use is not required. Any new arrangement and edition of public domain works will, however, be protected by copyright law.
All ABRSM’s sheet music displays a copyright acknowledgement at the bottom of the first page of each piece or song. Look for the © copyright symbol followed by the rightsowner name and credit details. If the music references someone other than ABRSM, this work does not belong to us.
Always contact the rightsowner(s) if you are unsure if a work or product is protected.
Permission to use protected music may be given through a licence, which will outline specific and general terms and any fee you may need to pay. You will still need to ask for permission even if your use of music isn’t for profit.
The way you use music will determine your licensing pathway. You may need to contact more than one licensor – use the tags above to find out which one could apply to you.
There are exceptions to copyright which mean permission may not always be necessary. You can read more in the section on 'Copyright exceptions and fair dealing' below.
Your local music rights organisation is a good source of further licensing information. In the UK this is PRS for Music but there is an equivalent organisation in almost every country and you can find details of these on the PRS website here.
If you are looking for more information about music licensing, we recommend the following websites:
UK copyright law specifies a number of exceptions that allow limited use of copyright works without needing permission from the rightsowner. Fair dealing principles can further extend what is permitted.
You can find information about exceptions to copyright at: www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright
You can find information about fair dealing at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-copyright-law
If you are unsure whether you need permission, always ask the rightsowner(s) before going ahead with your project.
In the UK, the following organisations run collective licensing schemes, which provide generous licensing solutions to using copyright music in schools:
- Printed Music Licensing Ltd (PMLL) - for copying printed music
- The Centre for Education and Finance Management (CEFM) - for the performance of music (live and recorded)
Private music teachers are unlikely to be able to access these schemes but fair dealing principles may extend what is permitted without the need for a licence.
Generally speaking, your use must:
- be for the purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching or private research;
- be ‘fair and reasonable’ - it is recommended you use only what is absolutely necessary. 5% of a work is generally regarded as fair and reasonable. The reproduction in any medium of a complete musical work would require permission;
- give appropriate acknowledgement – composer, title, rightsowner;
- and not cause the rightsowner to lose revenue.
You can read more about fair dealing at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-copyright-law
Print reproduction includes:
- Reproducing a musical work in a publication, course pack, article, dissertation or thesis
- Digitally displaying ABRSM sheet music and music theory publications – such as, on YouTube, websites and in apps
- Photocopying music
- Making accessible copies of music, such as Braille
Where you see © copyright ABRSM, our permission is necessary, subject to copyright law exceptions and applicable collective licensing schemes.
Some of the music we use in our publications (including excerpts in our Music Theory books and resources) does not belong to us. To reproduce music owned by someone other than ABRSM (even though it appears in our books), you must contact them for permission.
A rightsowner may only control print rights in specific countries and you may need to contact more than one licensor in some instances.
Teachers and learners
To support teachers and learners, we allow the digital display of our sheet music and theory publications in live online one-to-one lessons. You must not record these lessons for on-demand access and we expect both the teacher and the student to own copies of the music being used.
If your use extends beyond this concession or any other accessible collective licensing scheme, you may require our permission. Use the form at the bottom of the page to send us your request.
Photocopying music
ABRSM is a signatory to the MPA Code of Fair Practice.
- If you live in the UK - we allow performers to make a copy of their music in the common situations listed below.
- If you live outside the UK - please send us your request using the form at the bottom of this page.
To avoid a difficult page turn in a performance
- Mark each copy with: 'Copy made with permission'.
- Copying whole movements or whole works is forbidden.
As an emergency copy if you have lost or damaged your music and it’s too late to buy or hire a replacement before a performance
- Mark each copy with: 'Emergency copy. Destroy after use'.
- Buy a replacement as soon as possible and destroy the copy.
To provide a copy of a piece of music for an examiner or adjudicator
- Mark each copy with: 'Adjudicator/Examiner copy'.
- Ensure each copy is kept and destroyed by the adjudicator or examiner immediately after the event.
Making accessible copies
People living in the UK with a disability (or an authorised body acting on their behalf) can make one copy of an ABRSM publication for accessibility reasons without asking for permission. For example, if you want to create a Braille version of a piece of music.
If you live outside the UK, send us your request using the form at the bottom of this page.
Performing music in a public space or venue
In the UK, if you perform copyright music in a public space it is the responsibility of the venue or establishment to obtain a performing rights licence. These licences are collectively managed by PRS for Music or the Centre for Education and Management on their behalf for certain musical performances in schools.
Outside the UK please contact your local collective rights organisation to ask about collective licensing in your country.
Providing live online instrumental or singing lessons or hosting a live webinar featuring performances of copyright music
Digital platforms such as Skype, Zoom or MS Teams will ensure the live communication of copyright repertoire from their service is correctly licensed.
If you are hosting a live webinar and are displaying our music on-screen you may need our permission. Please check the print and audio sections on this page.
If you are unsure about your licensing obligations or need advice, please contact PRS for Music if you live in the UK or your local music rights organisation if you live outside of the UK.
If you use music in a film, you may need a synchronisation licence from the rightsowner.
Common examples include:
- Filmed performances and tutorials uploaded to YouTube or Facebook, a website or a teaching platform such as Moodle
- Broadcasting pre-recorded filmed performances in a live webinar
- Producing an interactive sheet music app with audio-visual content
You can send us a request using the form at the bottom of this page.
Providing a link in your product to publicly available audio-visual content hosted on another reputable platform may provide a simple alternative to licensing. However, always check the terms and conditions of the platform and/or content provider before going ahead.
If copyright music is being made available from your own servers or from an open source platform (such as Moodle), you should contact your local performing rights society to discuss an appropriate online licence:
- PRS for Music if you live in the UK
- your local music rights organisation if you live outside the UK
Changing (arranging) copyright music requires permission.
Examples include:
- Transcribing a work written for a certain instrument for another
- Translating the publication into another language
If you are a teacher in a UK school, higher education institution or music hub/service, this activity may already be covered by a collective licence. Where this does not apply, you must ask permission from the rightsowner acknowledged at the bottom of the first page of each piece of music we publish. This may or may not be ABRSM.
You can use the form at the bottom of this page to ask for our permission.
We produce and distribute professional audio recordings of our syllabus repertoire. You can buy audio downloads from our online shop.
If you want to reproduce these recordings (for example in filmed tutorials uploaded to YouTube or your website) please make a request using the form at the bottom of this page.
If you make your own recordings of protected repertoire and make these available to the public (for example as a CD) you may need permission. You should contact:
- PRS for Music if you live in the UK
- Or your local music rights organisation if you live outside the UK
All parts of our instrumental, singing and Music Theory exam syllabuses are protected by copyright law and you need our permission to reproduce them. This includes displaying our repertoire lists or using any of our syllabus components in a product or service.
Our syllabus components include:
- Aural tests - the tests, the way the tests are grouped together by grade and the wording examiners use to ask the questions.
- Scales and arpeggios - the reproduction of the scales and arpeggios as they are grouped in our graded exam syllabuses.
- Repertoires lists - any reproduction of our lists, including works that are in the public domain or do not belong to us.
- Sight-reading - you must have our permission to reproduce published examples of our sight-reading tests.
- Music Theory - you must have our permission to reproduce the graded components of our Music Theory exam syllabuses and any question wording that appears in our sample exam papers. We do not provide permission for third-parties to reproduce our sample Music Theory exam papers in any format.
Examples of where syllabus permission is necessary are:
- A website or app providing audio-downloads or streams of accompaniment parts for pieces in our syllabus repertoire lists.
- Filmed performances of syllabus repertoire lists uploaded to a YouTube channel.
- An app or printed publication providing a practice tool for syllabus components, such as graded scales and arpeggios, and aural tests.
- A website, app or printed publication listing and using the graded component parts of our Music Theory syllabus to help learners prepare for one of our Music Theory exams.
You may also need other additional direct or collective licences from rightsowners, who may or may not be ABRSM. Please make a request using the form at the bottom of this page and we will be happy to advise.
Send us your request using the below form. Include all relevant information to help us process your request as quickly as possible.
