How to get music copyrighted.

[musicmaker18]

I am in the process of getting all my works on paper.  After I am finished, I would like to get them copyrighted.  My reason is I plan to perform in front of people and I don't want others to steal my material.  I have had that done to me before and I haven't performed since because I was afraid it would happen again.  Any ideas?

[allchopin]

Wow, someone blatently stole your music? Please tell about this.
Anyway, try loc.gov

[musicmaker18]

Wow, someone blatently stole your music? Please tell about this.
Anyway, try loc.gov

In high school, I had a friend who was a composer like myself.  He all the time bragged that he could compose in a very hard key, the key of B.  So I made one up in that very key and showed it to him.  After I showed it to him, he asked me to play it again and I did.  Since we both had the same music teacher, my lesson was after his, he just so happen to still be there when it came for my lesson.  And once I sat at the piano to practice, guess what he asked me to play for him again.  It never crossed my mind that he would take my material.  I simply thought that he was admiring my music.  A couple of months later, there was a kind of a talent show where many people could perform.  I participated in it, but I played a newer composition.  When it came to his turn, he dedicated it to his grandmother, even going as far as naming the song after her.  As he began to play, I thought it was one of his, then it started to sound familiar.  Although he created a different lead in, it was my song!  I couldn't believe it!  I kept my mouth shut only because he dedicated it to his grandmother and I thought, how would I feel if a song was dedicated to me just to find out it wasn't.  Now I don't want anything to do with him!  I am even afraid that if he knew I was taking music theory, he would take music theory too just to try to out do me!