Legality of producing a product based on someone else's intellectual property

[Jopo1]

One assumes it has the same chord sequence. Copyright tends to be with the melody line and chord sequence. Some chord sequences are not that unique, but if it is to be sold and marketed with the original exercises it is a difficult argument to say that it is not based upon the original intellectual property. It is much like an arrangement or say a jazz solo along with the original track.

In the end it is probably worth agreeing some form of royalty if only to avoid an expensive legal row.

The original piano exercises are single line only and don't have a specified chord sequence. I have determined myself which chords to use to accompany each exercise. I understand from a music publisher friend that chord seuqences can't be protected under IP, otherwise we'd have pretty much only a dozen pop songs!

I think I am on shaky ground, yes

Jopo1

[UncleEbenezer]

Are we in the territory I would be in if (as an occasional composer) I were to publish a setting of "happy birthday" (reportedly still in copyright) - perhaps harmonised for choir and orchestra, piano, or organ? Not that I'm tempted to do any such thing!