Your experience with sample clearing...?

General Discussion
1

Hi there renoise folks,

I am in the middle of some serious sample-ripping-chopping-trip-hop-stuff and suddenly my very very german inner voice starts talking to me like: “Nah, what all the effort for? You ain’t never gonna release some of this stuff anyway, but if you will, would you remember all the samples you used for clearance? And then, what if some of the right owners do not like the outcome and won’t give clearance? Here, have some nice writer’s-block!”

So I just want to know, all you renoise-heavy-sample-users and releasing artists (aka the pros!): what are your experiences with sample clearing? Does this ever work out? Do you ever get it? And do you then pay more than you will ever make?

I would be happy to learn from your experience!

Cheers, Chris

2

everyone stares intently at the ceiling or floor

I’m a nobody and don’t believe my music would ever be at risk of being in legal trouble. The samples I use tend to be either very obscure, minimal/unrecognizable, or both. Not to mention my music is obscure and nobody listens to it. From what I read sample clearing is a huge pain. I would just try to avoid using samples from things owned by huge corporations, and make sure you’re being creative with the samples so that it can stand as its own work and be protected under fair use.

3

yeah me too nobody but this isn’t africa bambatta days. i can say from close observation that some of the ‘remixes’ are the original mixes

edit poor spelling

4

If you want to sound like somebody else just try to stop it or decide it is a mashup… Those are still discussed controversial. So you `ve got the chance time is working for you.

At least you can make the hooks and vocs on your own although you just quoted them. Maybe theyll not sound as the original, but maybe youll create a new style.

5

never had to go through clearing and stuff, but the last album contained couple of pretty well known samples, but some people in the know advised me, that if i won’t sell much (like 300-500 cds) and if you stay like a small fish it won’t bother anyone really.

so it seems like it quite depends on if your album (or single) gets really successful, then you should worry, but if you’re pretty much underground and in small numbers, then it seems like nobody will notice. perhaps automatic bots comparing waveforms and tracks on soundcloud and youtube…

my album containing a at least two quite recognisable samples is still on bandcamp. (i sold about 150 CDs/USBs and about 100 downloads)

6

Clearing is a tricky business. Labels usually do that for you and there are rare cases, when it’s impossible and/or sample is too expensive to acquire.

All depends on who you sample. Some don’t want anything in return, some require percentage of your royalties or sum of money etc.

I had two interesting cases. One when original author asked, to make the track non explicit in return. Other, when we wanted to do an interpolation and the original author (Female singer) wanted to sing her part again for the new beat, ultimately ending up as a featured artist on that track.

When you are clearing yourself, it’s just as simple as finding out who is the owner of the track/phrase/sound you are sampling and contacting that person.

Good luck! :slight_smile:

7

On the issue of sample clearance I thought this was an interesting read I came across investigating putting music on spotify, i-tunes etcetera through distrokid;

http://www.makeitinmusic.com/sample-clearance-tale/

8

no one really gives AF anymore, everything’s lifted from reddit, so if you didnt lift it from reddit, no one prolly ever figure out what you did, you bad bad boy!

oh but hold up, the point here is anyone who’d be seeking to mess with you about it, would first and foremost be trying to use you as a stepping stone. money and fame dont come from squeezing stones.

9

If i want some obscure stuff i dig into the Internet Archive, there are lots of stuff there licensed with no rights reserved. I’m trying to avoid using stuff that can hunt me the day i become a famous superstar, which is probably right around the corner…it’s taking off, i can feel it! :stuck_out_tongue:

10

If your first approach is to respect the law ( or think you are doing the morally right thing ), instead of your first approach being: make great music and enjoy playing with them sounds.

Everyone will hear and feel that approach, and no one will want to listen to your music, not even your self.

However, if your approach is, make good music, regardless of whatever anyone thinks or says or whatever you think is right or wrong, then your song will be good, and enjoyable to listen.

In other words, do not focus on what is legal or morally right (<< this is equal to a religious mindset, and trust me if you plan to sample a full song of someone elses work and not do anything creative with the sounds, you will not feel good about doing that so that either - you will not truly enjoy it and nobody else would either… so do not think, feel and enjoy and do what makes you enjoy this is the only way to spread something anyone else will enjoy ).

Make great music - and it will be taken care of on its own.

This is just the truth, not something many amateurs will like, because this will take you to the next level… with a lot of jealous people saying you should stay where you are.

But if your interest is in making great music… do not give any thought about what is legal or what is not and what is morally right or what is not.

Play with the sounds… make something you enjoy, and thence others will do too.

Being a really good chef of sounds… you will not invent the pancake or the cornflour again… you will simply implement the best of the best that is there… that tastes the best… even if someone says deep frying is illegal or immoral.

11

pharell had to pay 7millions … coz of using something similar to marvin gaye …

afaik … using something similar … but being shorter than the original … is maybe legit.

a few days ago i’ve listened to a song which pretty much sounds like “get lucky” by DP.

the original artist has trouble winning the case against DP …

:arrow_forward: Daft Punk Vs Kris Menace - Get Lucky Song (Valter Winkler Piano Bootleg) - YouTube

so yeah … 50/50 … you get fucked or not :slight_smile:

12

Hi there renoise folks,

I am in the middle of some serious sample-ripping-chopping-trip-hop-stuff and suddenly my very very german inner voice starts talking to me like: “Nah, what all the effort for? You ain’t never gonna release some of this stuff anyway, but if you will, would you remember all the samples you used for clearance? And then, what if some of the right owners do not like the outcome and won’t give clearance? Here, have some nice writer’s-block!”

So I just want to know, all you renoise-heavy-sample-users and releasing artists (aka the pros!): what are your experiences with sample clearing? Does this ever work out? Do you ever get it? And do you then pay more than you will ever make?

I would be happy to learn from your experience!

Cheers, Chris

When do you expect to get a release? Are you going to send it to a label? If so how established the label? What are your aim? You aiming for the top 40 charts? How famous are you? Do you have a lot of followers and fans?

I ask these, not to sound like a dick but just to say relax and just do it if you want man. If you are chopping that sample, chop it up, muck it about or whatever and use it in your tune. It’s a great learning experience as well. Just do it. As you progress in your musical journey, and I mean really progress, then start to think about clearances, especially if you are selling your music and want to include a payout to the original artist. It’s a good and noble thing to do. At the very least, give credit to the source in your linear notes… or don’t.

I know folks who sampled and used and never paid the original artist, especially in hip hop, even after they have well be established. I know some that do seek out the original artist and ask for permission. Said artist might require a fee, but if you want to go that route, get everything in writing and signed.

But if you are a novice, starting out, or don’t have an extremely large fan base to where the big labels can look at you as someone to get a huge pay check from, they really won’t bother imo. You’re still small fry.

Just do what you love and add it to your catalogue of music.

Good luck.

P.S. many just recreate the sample, changing things up a bit, and many not only source unused records, but twerk them in a way that not even the original artist knows the sample source. That and every chord and scale has been used already.

Point is… don’t worry about it and do you.