Quotations / References from Popular Songs

[Musicologo]

My friends,

How this works, concerning rights?

Is it possible for me to compose a musical/opera/symphony whatever quoting motifs from popular songs? If so, what is the limit? Do I have to pay rights?

Let's say I want to use 4 measures from the vocal line of Lady Gaga as a motiv to make then a fugue and work it around in themes and variations... or Michael Jackson...

Is it any difference between that and quoting Mozart, Chopin or whatever that has already died +70 years ago?

I would love, concerning humor and reference, to make a work using those resources. A kind of collage of themes and variations where people would recognize this bits of popular songs in it. But I want to make sure I don't break any law and what is necessary to do that. Many thanks!

[llatham]

My friends,

How this works, concerning rights?

Is it possible for me to compose a musical/opera/symphony whatever quoting motifs from popular songs? If so, what is the limit? Do I have to pay rights?

Let's say I want to use 4 measures from the vocal line of Lady Gaga as a motiv to make then a fugue and work it around in themes and variations... or Michael Jackson...

Is it any difference between that and quoting Mozart, Chopin or whatever that has already died +70 years ago?

I would love, concerning humor and reference, to make a work using those resources. A kind of collage of themes and variations where people would recognize this bits of popular songs in it. But I want to make sure I don't break any law and what is necessary to do that. Many thanks!

You have to get permission to use anything under copyright. You may still have to pay a fee to use it.

You can quote Mozart. If you quote a Lady GaGa song without getting permission, you can expect to be sued.

And you have to be careful, some copyrights can be "renewed" by the estates of a person, so even if they've been gone for 75 years, the copyright may be owned by some company or the family.

You know why they can't (or aren't supposed to) sing "Happy Birthday To You" at chain restaurants? It's under copyright. Oddly enough, the MUSIC is out of copyright (existed originally as "Good Morning to You" but the LYRICS are still under copyright (are it may have just expired or is really close to expiring). Oddly, the people who hold the copyright to HBTY didn't get sued when they stole the melody from GMTY...but darn if they don't want you singing HBTY

You have to be careful with that kind of stuff - the Australian band Men at Work just got sued for using what they considered a "traditional" Australian tune - because school-children everywhere sing it - but it was still under copyright protection.

I would avoid quoting anything after 1900 unless you check.

Best,
Steve

[tapper mike]

I hear more classical lines in contemporary pop then one can shake a stick at.

Is there no integrity left in song writing?

[pensaku]

I hear more classical lines in contemporary pop then one can shake a stick at.

Is there no integrity left in song writing?

Nowadays, playing well is more important than composed music itself...
Completely new song just makes you sleepy and you don't want that from a music.

And that's what many pop music composers nowadays agrees...

They can totally write a completely unique new song, new genre, new style, they just don't do it. Writing a completely unique piece is easier than you think.

[tapper mike]

Completely new song just makes you sleepy and you don't want that from a music.

I have to disagree there. Emotive impact is part of the writing process. If you are sleepy then that is what you will bring to the music. There is quite a bit of original metal that is not sleepy nor was it concieved that way.

[pensaku]

Completely new song just makes you sleepy and you don't want that from a music.

I have to disagree there. Emotive impact is part of the writing process. If you are sleepy then that is what you will bring to the music. There is quite a bit of original metal that is not sleepy nor was it concieved that way.

Yep I used to think like you.....

Nowadays, I just want an easy music....

When I heard metal for the first time I didn't understand it and I really thought if I was in front of a school teacher for the whole new lesson.... it felf like learning a new thing that I didn't want..

Now I love metal music and I admire its originality. Some people would've understood metal music by hearing it at once, but I wasn't.


My point is, it's about learning process. Some people know something but not the others. People don't want to learn a new thing when they are not in the mood and if it's too far apart from their knowledge it's really hard to learn so.... that's what every composers or musicians think about nowadays...


But, I know your point of view and it's valid.