Is it legal to sample songs to use on my productions?

Question

I'm a upcoming hip hop beat maker. I have an MPC 2000XL and I was wondering about the sampling techniques. I've made various beats/productions that include samples from old songs etc. etc. But I am afraid to sell them because of copyrights. For example, I took a vinyl record from The Beetles called Something. I put it on the turntable. Loaded it to the MPC, chopped it up to get the drums and a guitar. Then made a beat outta the chopped instruments from the song. Once I am finished I mix it and finished. Then I sell it to an artist that wants to use the beat. I know I can get sued. But how do I get permission to use the beat and sell it??? Do I have to pay?? RZA from the wu tang clan, Kanye West, and others probally have to pay alot because they use alot of samples from old records.

Answer 1

Sampling is a gray area in the copyright law. From the example you give, it sounds like you put a lot of original work into making what is effectively a new creation. It only borrows incidentally from the previous recordings, and that should be permissible under the "fair use" doctrine. For example, are people buying your product think they are getting Beatles or something very different? it is not likely that the original recording companies can make a compelling case for being "damaged". But "fair use" does not offer a bright line to differentiate new work from infringement. Be cautious and especially be creative.

Answer 2

thoroughly, many precise advertising tracks are cleverly masked samples. maximum valuable manufacturers pattern as part of the tutorial technique. remember the "center sound" of a song won't be able to be compromised and there are regulations on the subject of length of a criminal pattern. additionally, artists that lose cases on the subject of copyright are in charge for re-paying earnings from the music.