Copyright & DMCA

Effective: April 1, 2026

The short version

Tonico hosts chord charts — the chords, sections, and notes that musicians write. We don't host audio, sheet music, or tablature. Users may include lyrics in their charts at their own responsibility.

We respect copyright. If you believe someone published content that infringes your rights, you can send us a formal takedown request and we'll act on it. If your content was removed and you think that was a mistake, you can file a counter-notice.

Repeat copyright violations result in account termination.

This summary is here to be helpful, but the full policy below is what actually governs copyright claims and takedowns. Please read it.

1. Our Position on Copyright

Tonico respects the intellectual property rights of all creators. We are committed to responding promptly to any claims of copyright infringement in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other applicable laws.

We believe in a fair and open ecosystem where musicians can share their chord arrangements while respecting the rights of original composers and publishers.

2. What Tonico Hosts

Chord charts on Tonico are user-created works that typically consist of:

Chord names and progressions (e.g., Am, G, F, C)
Section labels (e.g., Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge)
Key signatures and key changes
Performance annotations, symbols, and text notes
Lyrics, which may range from brief cues to full song transcriptions, added at the user's sole discretion
Optional reference links to external platforms (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Tidal, Deezer), provided by the user as references to publicly available content on those platforms

Tonico does not host audio recordings, sheet music, or guitar/instrument tablature. Tonico does not validate, moderate, or claim any rights over the external platform links provided by users — those links point to content hosted on third-party services, governed by their own terms and copyright policies.

Users are solely responsible for ensuring they have the necessary rights to any content they publish, including lyrics and any other copyrighted material included in their charts.

3. Filing a Takedown Request

If you believe that content on Tonico infringes your copyright, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice to our designated agent. Your notice must include:

Identification of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed (e.g., title, registration number, or a link to the original work).
Identification of the infringing material on Tonico, including the specific URL(s) of the chart(s) in question.
Your contact information: name, address, telephone number, and email address.
A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
Your physical or electronic signature (or the signature of a person authorized to act on your behalf).

Send your takedown notice to: dmca@tonico.app

4. Counter-Notification

If you believe your content was removed in error or that you have the right to publish it, you may submit a counter-notification. Your counter-notification must include:

Identification of the material that was removed and the URL where it appeared before removal.
A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification.
Your name, address, and telephone number, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal court in your district and that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original takedown notice.
Your physical or electronic signature.

Upon receiving a valid counter-notification, we will forward it to the original complainant. If the complainant does not file a court action within 10 business days, we will restore the removed content.

5. Repeat Infringers

In accordance with the DMCA, Tonico maintains a policy of terminating the accounts of users who are found to be repeat infringers. We define a repeat infringer as any user who has received two or more valid takedown notices. We reserve the right to terminate any account at our sole discretion if we believe the user is repeatedly or egregiously infringing copyright.

6. Contact

For all copyright-related inquiries, including takedown requests and counter-notifications, contact our designated DMCA agent at:

dmca@tonico.app