Sampling- OK? yes/no

[eisnein]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/arts/ ... 7girl.html

is this gonna lead us to the Cult of the Amateur? creative brilliance? old news in a new shirtless format?

if only i could add many polls in 1 post i would also ask-

1. how do you feel about sampling?
2. what do you actually do with your samples?
3. do you release or plan on releasing your music to the public?

and my favorite question for those the NY times refers to as
“copyleft,” who argue that copyright law has grown so restrictive that it impedes creativity. " (that was fair use btw!) -

4. How would you feel if Bush used your song in an commercial?

[eisnein]

clearly my fourth option of "No- sampling is wrong" didnt show up.

[doc holiday]

recycle

[Wesley]

I sample. It's fine. There's some things to consider though.

I did a bootleg remix of Prodigy's 'Voodoo People'. I gave it away for free. I believe technically it's illegal, however, I don't think the owner of the copyright is going to come after me, and if they did all I'd have to do is remove it from my site or whatever. They could take me to court and I could explain to a judge that I'm not rich and I haven't made a penny from my remix. Not to mention it was pretty bangin', so I don't think they'd mind ;D

If you do what Daft PUnk does and take a key element of someone elses music and make it your own and don't credit the source I say you suck. I like Daft Punk but they don't credit their original sources, they present dope funky grooves as their own. That is stealing, not sampling. I would do it, but credit the source, and if they don't sign off on it I might just drop it live but no professional release.

I voted for the alter the sample choice. Because if you take a sample and nobody can recognize it then clearly you've done more than just "steal" someone elses material. You've used it to create something new and different, so different that it sounds nothing like the original sample. You'll never be pursued by anybody for stealing a snare drum. It's not stealing to me either, it's a freaking snare drum, not an integral part of the music.

So, in summary. If you use a major piece of someone else's music you should credit them or call it a remix. If it's an indistinguishable snippet then don't worry about crediting or copyright law. If it's for a live show then game on, DJ's sample entire songs and nobody seems to mind... just don't tell people it's yours.

[SimonPHC]

If you just use some samples, you should follow the law.
But if you make a song out of 400 samples from 400 different songs, you're testing the limits.

where do you see yourself?

[GUY SMILEY]

credit the source.

unless its an unrecognisable snippet

would be my basic philsosophy

[nebulae]

it's not just an issue of crediting the original - you actually have to clear a sample from the original copyright holder...in the US several companies do this, but it's expensive...

rule of thumb is to never use illegal or uncleared samples.

[hambone1]

Original talent.

Nothing to clear, and free!

[doc holiday]

"sample it, loop it, fuck it, eat it"

[GUY SMILEY]

"sample it, loop it, fuck it, eat it"

ha ha is in itself a sample.. you crediting that ? eh ?

[ChiDJ]

Sample all you want.

No-one is going to come after you unless it's a hit.

Then everyone gets paid including you.

[nebulae]

Sample all you want.

No-one is going to come after you unless it's a hit.

Then everyone gets paid including you.

Bad advice, dude...there are plenty of stories where you pay $2 out for every sale in royalties and fines.

I say sample all you want if you intend to never sell the song in any way. If it's a hit and a deal comes along, REJECT THE DEAL unless the label or the distributor pays for all clearance and indemnifies you 100% of all liability (good luck ever finding any such contract). Otherwise, transfer your property to your wife's name, or you'll likely lose it.

[Idonotlikebroccoli]

Of course it's okay. It's how most of electronic music has been created. I see it as a musical kind of Lego.

[lola]

1. how do you feel about sampling?
2. what do you actually do with your samples?
3. do you release or plan on releasing your music to the public?

1 you mean like just copy stuff? no, but personally i only sample stuff that has a human feel to it, example: violin parts cuz don't have a violin meself and can't play one...

2 Most of the time i sample my own stuff, parst of old songs i made that were not release worthy.
I had problems in the past by sampling copyright material, and i learned my lesson well.

3 I release my stuff to the public for 18 years now, to a small scene.

[ChiDJ]

Sample all you want.

No-one is going to come after you unless it's a hit.

Then everyone gets paid including you.

Bad advice, dude...there are plenty of stories where you pay $2 out for every sale in royalties and fines.

I say sample all you want if you intend to never sell the song in any way. If it's a hit and a deal comes along, REJECT THE DEAL unless the label or the distributor pays for all clearance and indemnifies you 100% of all liability (good luck ever finding any such contract). Otherwise, transfer your property to your wife's name, or you'll likely lose it.

No More wife Neb. (Thank Gawd!)

I'm going on my own experience here. I've done my share of remixes aka covers without clearance and no consequences. Some have sold quite well and charted on Billboard. We're talking more than one occasion.

The "rule" in the industry is just what you quoted me as saying.

I think you're falling back to the model of the 90's and that just doesn't apply anymore.

"Steal now - Pay Later"

Oh, and if the track is good, the label does pay for sample clearance. (If you're dealing with a real label)

I personally rarely sample anymore, but it was a good vehicle to get into the industry.