SurgeXT - any restrictions on the use of sounds generated ?

[david700]

Regarding SurgeXT, I want to understand and would like to see in writing any restrictions on the use of any sounds generated using the synthesizer. I have searched for any kind of licence, terms of use, EULA, statements in the user manual etc on the Surge website and Surge github but have not found anything. I can only see licence conditions for the actual software and nothing about any copyright or royalty issues on the sounds generated.

I would be grateful if anyone point me to anything that clarifies what restrictions (if any) there are.

If there is nothing written, does that mean that there are no restrictions on what use can be made of sounds generated ?

[tshear23]

Why would there be any restrictions? What would be the point of creating an instrument people couldn't freely use to make music?

[whyterabbyt]

but have not found anything. I can only see licence conditions for the actual software and nothing about any copyright or royalty issues on the sounds generated.

Copyright applies to recordings, not generated sounds.

[zvenx]

Maybe you can find stuff in here:
https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/about/

https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html

rsp

[emef]

you're not allowed to use Surge XT to start a Global Thermonuclear War, but apart from that there's no restrictions

[egbert101]

Odd question. It's an instrument for making music.

[zvenx]

Maybe because it is free, sounds so good, they wonder if it comes with a catch.
rsp

[liquidsound]

The only restriction is in the skill in creating and/or using those sounds in a successful manner.

[funky lime]

Odd question. It's an instrument for making music.

Some synths' EULA (e.g. Native Instruments, Arturia) prohibit you from legally creating sample libraries with them, for instance.

[egbert101]

Odd question. It's an instrument for making music.

Some synths' EULA (e.g. Native Instruments, Arturia) prohibit you from legally creating sample libraries with them, for instance.

Well, that's different to making music and selling music. Technically I think it should be legal if you are sampling the samples, but not if you're copying the samples directly. It's getting into legal grey areas.

[Gam456]

Odd question. It's an instrument for making music.

Synths like Avenger don't allow you to use samples or sequences in their own presets

[Ah_Dziz]

You (OP) should read up on how copyright law works. Written music and recordings are handled directly by these laws. Outside of sample based synthesizers there's absolutely no legal basis for attempting to stop someone from using a synthesized sound for any purpose.

[Ah_Dziz]

Odd question. It's an instrument for making music.

Some synths' EULA (e.g. Native Instruments, Arturia) prohibit you from legally creating sample libraries with them, for instance.

This is only even kind of legal if the synth is using samples. You can "agree" to damn near anything, but enforcing that "agreement" is a different matter. Using a loop library to make a "new loop library" gets into very shaky legal ground, but at that point you are using "musical compositions" to make new "musical compositions" that one could then license to others. This is what's called a "derivative work". It's all pretty well established, legally.

[miloszz]

Some synths' EULA (e.g. Native Instruments, Arturia) prohibit you from legally creating sample libraries with them, for instance.

This is only potentially applicable if you use a sample-based VST and repackage the samples for sale. You can't take a Kontakt piano, play it note for note and velocity layer for velocity layer and then sell your own sample instrument.

[david700]

Ok, thanks everyone for your responses. I wanted to make sure that I had not missed anything that might have been written somewhere that would impose any limitations. As mentioned in the responses, some synths do impose limitations and I wanted to double check that SurgeXT does not.