You and several of your musician friends decide to start a band you want to call the Subprimes. You want to protect the band name and the new songs you've written so that other groups can't use them. Go to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Web site (www.uspto.gov) to find out how to get the protection you seek.

1. Do you need to apply for patents, copyrights, or trademarks, or some combination of these to protect your band name and songs?

2. When can you use the trademark symbols ™ and ®?

3. How can you secure a copyright for your songs?

4. What are the advantages of registering copyrights?