Free releases simply because you sampled too damn much

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beats me
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Free releases simply because you sampled too damn much

Post by beats me » Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:09 pm

I know some people release their music for free simply out of the spirit of they think it should be free, but I've come across some real gems that the artist probably could have charged for but it's also obvious that they probably sampled and looped A LOT of the content. There's a few tracks of mine I would never think of charging for, for just that reason even though the samples aren't blatant hit songs. Somebody knows them....somewhere.

So do you, or think others, release music for free because they don't want to deal with copywrite bullshit, much of which they wouldn't get permission to use or couldn't afford it anyway?

I know back in the day there were white label releases but I think we've reached a new level of bravery where the artist/remixer isn't trying to hide but also isn't charging and therefore feels they didn't earn any money off it and can't be sued...although it could be argued that their sampling and looping helped them gain popularity and money.

I've also noticed a lot of remixes on beatport, most of them crap but selling like hot cakes, that I don't see how they could have gotten permission to use these well known tracks. Makes me wonder.

weeddigger
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Post by weeddigger » Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:39 pm

I remember Henke posting something about a Russian site that sells his tunes without giving him $ cause they aren't really the ones posting the sale... ? Or something like that...

I have seen a lot of Beatport songs that sample a lot of different tunes, and like you, I think some have forgone the whole clearing sample thing, but, I don't think Beatport cares. Similar to the Ruskies... (the website Henk was talking about)...


...

Anyhow, whenever I'm ready to have masses hear my mess (music), I might just give away the first few tunes... Then again, maybe someone will help me sell them (a label)... I dunno...


A week or five ago there were some crazy threads going on about all music being free, but that's horse manure...

Anyhow, a bit OT, but I make barely enough to survive right now off a corporate america type shit job... I'd trade this shit job to be able to make tunes if I made as much money as now... (which isn't a lot...)
If you can imagine it, it can happen...

beats me
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Post by beats me » Fri Jan 02, 2009 9:03 pm

I would think beatport would and should care because in the digital age it isn't exactly hard to track what was sold. Sounds like they kind of pick and choose because they do respect regional sales restrictions but not coypywritten material? And like I said, these aren't rare b-side tracks either or well hidden and manipulated samples. They are straight up remixes. These are also tracks that are well exposed, not buried deep in the site because people just can't get enough of remixed classics no matter how shit the remix is.

Maybe they have some clause in their contract that says if you get caught selling unauthorized copywritten material then it's the label's and artist's legal problem, not theirs.

weeddigger
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Post by weeddigger » Fri Jan 02, 2009 9:11 pm

Well, maybe everyone just clears their samples?

I sometimes think they don't, but who's "they"?

I don't fucking know... Just anyone I hear who's got a new tune that's a redo of sorts...

For instance, in the top ten right now, there are at least three tunes that are re-makes/re-mixes of sorts... They use recognizable samples, but... I don't know the artists, not personally anyhow.

I guess it's a douche bag thing to just call them thieves right off the bat, but, then again...

:arrow:


They aren't sampling my tunes... And yeah, I've been sometimes drawn into the familiar sound, thinking to myself "i need this new version"...


...


Sometimes...



...


Now... I wish I had some salty Wendy's Fries... Mm... that with some Sprite and Vodka...
If you can imagine it, it can happen...

djgroovy
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Post by djgroovy » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:13 pm

How the hell could Beatport or any other store keep track of that, or even know if there are samples or if they are cleared, out of the thousands of tracks they release each month?
It's not their responsability - that is up to the labels and the artists.

Also keep in mind that just because the same sound appears on 2 diferent tracks, it doesn't automatically mean one sampled the other. Maybe they are both using the same preset on a instrument or they bought the same sample pack, etc.

dj_huck
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Post by dj_huck » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:55 pm

djgroovy wrote: Also keep in mind that just because the same sound appears on 2 diferent tracks, it doesn't automatically mean one sampled the other. Maybe they are both using the same preset on a instrument or they bought the same sample pack, etc.
a lot of the sampled material is vocal.
i do agree that there is no practical way to make sure every track beatport sells has clearance

beats me
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Post by beats me » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:58 pm

djgroovy wrote:How the hell could Beatport or any other store keep track of that, or even know if there are samples or if they are cleared, out of the thousands of tracks they release each month?
It's not their responsability - that is up to the labels and the artists.

Also keep in mind that just because the same sound appears on 2 diferent tracks, it doesn't automatically mean one sampled the other. Maybe they are both using the same preset on a instrument or they bought the same sample pack, etc.
I'm not talking about "kind of reminds me of" sounds and beatport tracking those. I'm talking about blatant use of things like full vocal sections from popular songs that people would know unless they've been living under a rock for the past 20 years, and these tracks are frequently in the top 10 slots meaning they sell a lot.

You think joe bedroom producer got permission from artists such as 2Pac, Simple Minds, Yes, Oingo Boingo and probably others from I'm not aware of? And the quality of some of the tracks along with the size of the "label" tells me they don't have those type of connections.

Even myspace warns against this and they aren't even selling tracks.

dj_huck
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Post by dj_huck » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:06 pm

beats me wrote:
You think joe bedroom producer got permission from artists such as 2Pac, Simple Minds, Yes, Oingo Boingo and probably others from I'm not aware of? And the quality of some of the tracks along with the size of the "label" tells me they don't have those type of connections.
2 pac is dead.

beats me
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Post by beats me » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:16 pm

dj_huck wrote:
beats me wrote:
You think joe bedroom producer got permission from artists such as 2Pac, Simple Minds, Yes, Oingo Boingo and probably others from I'm not aware of? And the quality of some of the tracks along with the size of the "label" tells me they don't have those type of connections.
2 pac is dead.
His money making machine and the people behind it aren't. Not to mention he released more albums after he was dead then when he was alive.

4ace
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Post by 4ace » Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:48 pm

Two Words: Danger Mouse

Dude Rips two albums together.... gets:

BIG notoriety----->A cease and decease------> FAME!

I think this set some type of template others may or may not be trying to follow.

Either way it set an example be it Good or Bad it's up to you.....


With all that being said, I sample my ass off and i don't care about clearance. Of course the stuff i sample is either extremely old unpopular vinyl samples and/or
it's so mangled If someone were to point it out I'd buy'em a drink and say see ya in court :P

But seriously many artist think along these same lines. Such as El-p and most of the Def Jux ilk.....
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