Reddit mentions of Musician's Business & Legal Guide (4th Edition)

Sorry to break it to you but this is how the music business works. Take a look at this book, it should give you a better view of the inner workings of the music business.

http://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Business-Legal-Guide-Edition/dp/0132281279/ref=pd_sim_b_8

Exactly. You can not copyright a drum beat, but you can copyright a performance of a drum beat (or anything else). Performance basically just means a recording.

Therefore, if I cover a song, I owe the composer of the song, but not the drummer who played on the original recording. And that is why you make much more money as a songwriter than as a session player.

If you're interested in these kinds of legal issues I'd recommend the following books:

• The Musician's Business and Legal Guide
  
• All You Need to Know about the Music Business