Question

One of the ways that I can use material under Fair Use is: edit music for use in a presentation Schoolwork and Education blogging creating videos to upload

Answer 1

Short answer: any of those uses might qualify as fair use, but none is automatically fair use. Fair use is decided case-by-case using four factors — purpose (transformative/educational helps), nature of the work, amount used, and effect on the market — so the same action can be fair in one situation and infringement in another.

How the four factors typically apply to each example
- Editing music for a presentation: could be fair use if you use a short excerpt and transform it (e.g., analyze or comment on it) for a private classroom or nonprofit presentation. If you use the whole song as background for a public or commercial presentation, it’s much less likely to be fair use.
- Schoolwork and education: educational use weighs in favor of fair use, but it is not dispositive. Classroom copying or using brief clips for commentary/criticism or teaching often favors fair use; uploading full copyrighted works to the internet for a class or public access may not.
- Blogging: using short clips or quoting music for criticism, review, or commentary can be fair use. Republishing entire songs or videos with no transformative purpose is unlikely to be fair use.
- Creating videos to upload (e.g., YouTube): might be fair use if your use is transformative (commentary, remix, critique) and limited in amount, but monetization and full unaltered use of copyrighted music reduce the chance. Also expect Content ID claims and takedowns even if you believe it’s fair use.

Practical tips
- Transform the material: add commentary, critique, analysis, or make a clear new purpose — transformation helps.
- Use only what you need: shorter excerpts increase the chance of fair use.
- Avoid hurting the market: don’t post high-quality substitutes for the original work (full songs, music tracks).
- Don’t rely on “educational” or “nonprofit” alone — it’s only one factor.
- Consider alternatives: public domain, Creative Commons–licensed music (check the license terms), or paid/royalty-free libraries.
- If uploading to platforms (YouTube, Facebook), be prepared for automated claims even if your use might be fair use; you may need to dispute the claim or get permission.

If you want, tell me a specific use (which song, how long, how you’ll use it, where you’ll post it) and I’ll give a more tailored assessment and wording you could include in a takedown/claim dispute or a request for permission.