When it doesn't fit anywhere else
 #172067  by Jon S.
 
Here's what harryfox.com says in it FAQ about mechanical licenses for songs in the public domain (https://www.harryfox.com/#/faq):

Q: Do I need a mechanical license if a song is in the public domain? How do I know if a song is in public domain?

Songs in the public domain do not require a mechanical license, however HFA cannot advise on public domain inquiries because our database cannot confirm such information. Your title could still require a mechanical license depending on the arrangement you plan to use. We encourage you to research these titles in the following databases for further information:

[DATABASE URLS OMITTED BECAUSE RUKIND ONLY ALLOWS 5 URLS PER POST]

a) If a song was copyrighted before the year 1923, it is in the public domain and a mechanical license is not required for its use. For further information, you may wish to contact the United States Copyright Office at (202) 707-6850 or www.copyright.gov. You may also wish to research your song using www.pdinfo.com. Please note that neither of these websites are maintained by HFA, and we cannot be held responsible for their content.

b) If the song you wish to use is in the public domain, but you will be using a specific arrangement of that song that is still under copyright, you will need a mechanical license.

And here's a brief description of the process for obtaining a mechanical license:

https://help.reverbnation.com/hc/en-us/ ... l-license-

And back to the harryfox.com site's FAQ:

Q: How do I Get a Mechanical License?

Depending on your situation, you may be eligible to obtain a limited quantity mechanical license through HFA’s Songfile®, which would permit you to reproduce and distribute a limited number of copies of the musical work and for which you would pay the total royalty amount in advance and would not be required to account to HFA thereafter. Otherwise, you will need to set up an HFA Licensee account, which entitles you to obtain licenses for songs owned or administered by the publishers of the 100,000 catalogs affiliated with HFA and account to HFA on a quarterly basis. The following represent common situations and how HFA can assist you:

I am an individual or organization (e.g., school, church, small record label) seeking to license a limited quantity (of no more than 2,500 copies or 10,000 streams) of a physical or digital format (i.e., permanent digital downloads, ringtones, interactive streams) for a one off project.
You likely are eligible for limited quantity licenses from Songfile®. For more information, please visit www.songfile.com.

I am a record label seeking licenses on an on-going basis of a physical or digital format (i.e., permanent digital downloads, ringtones) and will likely manufacture more than 2,500 copies or will require the ability to stream for an unlimited number of plays.
You need to set up an HFA Licensee account here.
I need to license music for importation into the U.S. for product manufactured outside of the U.S.

You should contact HFA’s Rumblefish in order to evaluate potential services here.
I need to license music for another distribution model.

You should contact HFA’s Rumblefish in order to evaluate potential services here.