Can a rhythm be copyrighted?
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- KVRAF
- 13444 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
Rhythms can't be copyrighted. At least not in the EU - and I'm pretty much sure this is based on international conventions.
It won't help in case you write down the rhythm either.
You can however copyright compositions. Those could be compositions for, say, snare and cymbals.
But in that case there's gonna be some folks (in germany: GEMA) who will listen to your work (or look at the sheet) and decide whether it's a piece of compositional work or just another drumbeat.
Bottomline: A single, say, 4-bar drumpattern simply won't have the slightest chance to be copyrighted.
That'd just be the same as protecting the C maj chord.
Basically you can protect:
- Melodies
- Compositions
- Lyrics
And even with melodies it's sometimes tough... if you are having trouble with being accused of your melodies being stolen, all you need to do is to find some public domain samples (such as in a traditional song) where that melody has been used in the same (or similar) context.
There's just been a more or less recent case over here and the author couldn't be accused of melodic theft because there's been around 20 traditional folk songs using exactly the same melody structure.
Copyrighting rhythms is getting even more difficult. It's gotta be a rather complexed composition - so, just forget about single grooves.
As said, I am pretty much sure this is international law as well.
It won't help in case you write down the rhythm either.
You can however copyright compositions. Those could be compositions for, say, snare and cymbals.
But in that case there's gonna be some folks (in germany: GEMA) who will listen to your work (or look at the sheet) and decide whether it's a piece of compositional work or just another drumbeat.
Bottomline: A single, say, 4-bar drumpattern simply won't have the slightest chance to be copyrighted.
That'd just be the same as protecting the C maj chord.
Basically you can protect:
- Melodies
- Compositions
- Lyrics
And even with melodies it's sometimes tough... if you are having trouble with being accused of your melodies being stolen, all you need to do is to find some public domain samples (such as in a traditional song) where that melody has been used in the same (or similar) context.
There's just been a more or less recent case over here and the author couldn't be accused of melodic theft because there's been around 20 traditional folk songs using exactly the same melody structure.
Copyrighting rhythms is getting even more difficult. It's gotta be a rather complexed composition - so, just forget about single grooves.
As said, I am pretty much sure this is international law as well.
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
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- KVRAF
- 13444 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
Maybe that one too.C00kie wrote:Example being Schnapsy ??
But what happened was that Ralph Siegel (wellknown schlager composer, famous for his entries in the european song contest) tried to sue the composer for the score of "Schuh des Manitou" (a western persiflage movie) of stealing a melody he (Mr. Siegel) just composed for a western musical.
The lawyers of the film composer dude (sorry, too lazy to look up his name) however found around 18 public domain traditionals using exactly the same melody - so the lawsuit was moot instantly.
There's even some searchable lists for such cases. You would just enter some parameters, such as "melody in major, starting with a pickup on beat four using the fifth then going up a major 6th" (that would be something like "Brazil" so far).
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.