Using music by professional artists

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[Judson Larke] “I read somewhere that you can use a certain percentage of any song, royalty free. I think it was 10%. Is there any truth to this,”

Use it for WHAT?

If you mean as an underscore for another project, then no.

[Judson Larke]

It’s for an intro video to a website. The video is 30 seconds of motion graphics, with the video underneath sound effects etc. I’ve always heard that it breaks copyright rules so I want to make sure I do everything legally.

So, if it isn’t legal, does anyone have any links to direct me where I can buy the right to use the song?

Thanks again.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

What song?

[Peter Perry]

There are virtually NO recordings in the public domain at this time. If you want to use any recording in any way, you need to negotiate the rights to use the song. You need to find out if the song you want to use is ASCAP or BMI or someone else and contact them, then be prepared to open your wallet.
Peter

[Vince Becquiot]

Judson,

The percentage you are referring to would be under fair use, but it is very restrictive and does not apply to the type of project you are working on. That would apply to criticism, parody, news, research, or teaching. I may be forgetting some but you get the idea.

You could look at SonicFire from smartsound, much better content and more flexible that Sony’s IMO.

Vince

[Ty Ford]

Hello Peter,

No songs in public domain? That sounds unimaginable. Can you please elaborate for us?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar

[Ray Palmer]

[Judson Larke] ” I read somewhere that you can use a certain percentage of any song, royalty free. I think it was 10%. Is there any truth to this, even if the percentage is wrong? If so, how much of a song, be it in percentage, or some other measurement can be used?
“

I had a copyright specialist explain this to me and it stuck.
Copyright means that you do or do not have the right to “copy” the material.
There isn’t any 10% rule. She mentioned that if a Judge can recognize the material you used and that it was originally “copyright” protected, then there is a case for a copyright violation.

Ray Palmer, Engineer
Salt River Project
Phoenix, AZ
602-236-8224 office
There are three types of people in this world, those that can count and those that can’t.

[Judson Larke]

Thanks guys this is all very helpful. As I mentioned, I have Cinescore… but I’ve just never been happy with it. The music sounds cheesey. I checked out SonicFire… can anyone else vouch for it, or have a better alternative?

[Vince Becquiot]

I guess I’ll give my honest opinion first. I think it’s great for coporate gigs. It also has some cheesy reels, but some pretty good libraries as well. I also think the level of cusumization is much higher than Sony’s.

You can also easily preview all of it on their website in flash, unlike Sony’s awkward low bit rate layout, so you can have a feel for yourself. I think Digitaljuice is running a half off special right now.

The truth is, if if it was great music, it wouldn’t cost you 20 bucks a song in the first place…

Cheers,

Vince

[Peter Perry]

Hi Ty,
There is the rub. I didn’t say SONGS. There are plenty of songs in the public domain. I said recordings.
I can take a song in the public domain, record it without restriction. That recording, if I copyright it, then will be protected under copyright law and cannot be used without my permission.
I probably have the exact date wrong, but I think I read that the earliest recordings don’t become public domain until 2048 or something like that. I’ll try and track that article down and repost.
Peter