Frequently asked questions

Will songs be posted to this website or the app only?

We plan to post songs only on the Stanza mobile app. This website was developed to introduce our idea to the public.

How is the app sold?

We offer a monthly or yearly subscription in exchange for unlimited access to all songs on the Stanza mobile app.

What is a copyright?

Under international copyright law, any new song is automatically copyright protected. This gives the author/owner the full rights to the song. By law, anyone who wants to copy, distribute, publish, or modify the song needs to first get permission from the owner.

When is a song public domain?

International copyright law states that a work is copyright protected for 95 years after it was first published. It enters the public domain in the 96th year. Songs that are in the public domain are free to be used by anyone.

How does Stanza reimburse authors?

Stanza Music has gained permission to distribute every copyrighted song you see on the app. We track the digital uses and physical prints of each song and pay the copyright holders appropriately.

Why are some songs unavailable on Stanza?

Our goal is to have all the published shape-note Gospel sheet music available on Stanza. This is a massive goal and will take a lot of work to accomplish. These are the steps to make a song available on Stanza: we must contact the owner, negotiate permission, procure a good copy, upload it to our database, and finalize the contract.

Will new songs be published on Stanza?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Any publishing entity must set and enforce quality standards to avoid being overrun by poor-quality material. We plan to do the same, but it will take careful thought and prayer to determine what our standard should be. If you have suggestions about this, please contact us here.

How can I get my songs on Stanza?

If you have published songs, we would love to get permission for them. Please fill out this form and we will be in contact with you.

How can I use Stanza with a projector?

The best way currently is to install Stanza on a tablet and screen mirror from that to your projector. You can screen mirror from your phone as well. We are working on a “projector mode” that will let you use Stanza on your phone to display 2 systems of music on your projector and let you scroll up and down smoothly.

How can I cancel my Stanza subscription?

iOS: Open the Settings app, tap your name at the top, then select Subscriptions. From there, choose the subscription you want to cancel and tap Cancel Subscription.

Android: Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon, select Payments & Subscriptions, then tap Subscriptions. Find the subscription you want to cancel, select it, and follow the prompts to complete the cancellation.