Sample Based Questions

[herodotus]

Just to be clear.

If the bassline is part of a written composition (like a string quartet by Bartok) it is as copyrighted as anything, because what was published was not (as in the case of most pop songs) just the words and melody, but the whole score.

The same applies to anything of which the orchestration was copyrighted and published.

[Sascha Franck]

Just to be clear.

If the bassline is part of a written composition (like a string quartet by Bartok) it is as copyrighted as anything, because what was published was not (as in the case of most pop songs) just the words and melody, but the whole score.

The same applies to anything of which the orchestration was copyrighted and published.

I don't think this is the entire truth.
See, you could write down tons of drum rhythms, and none of them would be copyrighted at all.
The same goes for any sort of rhythm guitar pattern, etc., regardless how carefully you composed them and wrote them down.

Really, there's a lot of grey matter here...

[Spe3D]

I know about copyright of samples - I know about copyright of music in the form of posting tracks etc, that's quite clear - but....

....But does this thread mean - if I pick up my bass guitar and pluck out a few notes over say eight bars I could be violating a copyright if someone, somewhere else also done the same thing - but - copywrited it? I mean some basic theory in music takes account of rythum, how do you make music without rythum and not possibly stumble onto a rythum someone else has done somewhere in music history

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

[Sascha Franck]

....But does this thread mean - if I pick up my bass guitar and pluck out a few notes over say eight bars I could be violating a copyright if someone, somewhere else also done the same thing - but - copywrited it? I mean some basic theory in music takes account of rythum, how do you make music without rythum and not possibly stumble onto a rythum someone else has done somewhere in music history

No, it doesn't mean that.
That's why it is tough to get things such as, say, basslines copyrighted.
These things are allways decided on in a case by case manner.

I'm not even sure if you would run into troubles if you re-recorded, say, the aformentioned "Satisfaction" guitar riff.

It doesn't make any difference whether you notated things out or not over here anymore either (while it does in classical music).

[torhan]

Thanks for the replys everyone, MattmaN yeah i make jungle music sometimes but i have not ever released any tracks on kvr ect because i have read before that its not ok to use breaks like the amen break but i always get confused with stuff like this as jungle music is basically a genre that always use breaks such as the amen and think breaks, i know alot of dnb and jungle artists are posting free tracks to listen to all the time though, is it ok to do this? im guessing that the problems are only when your trying to sell the music but thats probably something the record label would sort out?

I am 100% positive it's OK to use punctuation and paragraph breaks.

[Spe3D]

No, it doesn't mean that.
That's why it is tough to get things such as, say, basslines copyrighted.
These things are allways decided on in a case by case manner.

I'm not even sure if you would run into troubles if you re-recorded, say, the aformentioned "Satisfaction" guitar riff.

It doesn't make any difference whether you notated things out or not over here anymore either (while it does in classical music).

Good, cool. phew! thank you Sascha

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

[junebug]

I've been sampling drum breaks since 1991,and on almost every track I use chopped up kicks,snares,and hats.

USING these samples in your music tracks is not the problem. Making new beats out of old drumloops and SELLING them is illegal, and immoral however.

JUNEBUG

[Atomsplitter]

Thanks for the replys/discussion everyone. This is the general answers im getting from the discussion -

1 - Is it ok to cut up a drum loop in to single hits for a few different beats and then mix them together into a new beat add some eq ect and then sell or give the sample away for free?

No its not ok to do so.

2 - Is it ok to use other artists patterns for basslines ect and then just use your own bass or synth lead ect?

This depends on what you are using and how much is of the track is copied.

3 - With magazines and sample CD's that say the samples are royalty free does this mean they can be used for anything such as games, website sounds or effects/product demos or does the term royalty free just apply to making tracks/songs and selling them?

It seems that when a magazine labels something as royalty free they are putting a false label on it as its not really royalty free and is limited to making music.

i have read before that its not ok to use breaks like the amen break but i always get confused with stuff like this as jungle music is basically a genre that always use breaks such as the amen and think breaks, i know alot of dnb and jungle artists are posting free tracks to listen to all the time though, is it ok to do this?

Im still confused about the answer to this question, i know its probably fine to post tracks using the amen break on jungle and dnb sites like DOA but is it the same with KVR? whats the view on using samples from other peoples tracks or remixes just for people to listen to? im guessing its ok and only is a problem when you want to sell the track but this would be something the record label deals with right?

Thanks again

[MattmaN]

As long as the samples are cleared it's not illegal.
I see no problem with it since it's basicly the fabric whole music genres such as hiphop,downtempo,and jungle.
If we don't mind doing without these genres then lets quit sampling altogether.
To keep these genres alive breaking copywrite is in some cases nesisary.
All the classic producers in these genres are also immoral too then.
I have been able to create my own samples,and even made a pretty athentic track using nothing but free sf2's,but in some cases I just want to sample,and create tracks with nothing but vinyl samples.
It's a genre of music I've chosen to take part in,and in some cases bing apart of certain genres means to take part in things that are illegal.
So if you don't want to be apart of the underworld stay away from sample based hiphop,downtempo,and D&B since they foster crime(toung in cheek).

[james0tucson]

All this depends largely on where you are at the time you do it.
The world is a very big place, with all kinds of different laws and different community standards.