This is true. Whoever made the song owns all the rights to that song. It is basically illegal to take any part of a song and then distribute it, even if you have remixed it.
However, for the most part, as long as you donāt try to sell the remix at all, you should be fine. If anything, you might get an email from someone who represents the artist asking you to remove the copyrighted material. I have never heard of anyone getting hit with a lawsuit without some kind of warning first.
(This is my opinion and not legal advice. If you remix a song and you get sued, itās not my fault )
And then there is artist who WANTS you to remix maybe lets say a track of his/hers, and so forth.
But yeah, when it comes to selling remixed stuff, always get permission. I guess its the same for freeware tracks. And remember to show who the original artists is in the name of the track etc..
Coming from someone whoās studied music business and IP law for a semester or two⦠copyright law covers 6 exclusive rights, the pertinent ones here being the right to distribute and the right to creation of derivative works. Assuming youāre not actually trying to sell anything here, though, you have little to worry about. Remixing songs has promotional perks for you AND the originating artist, so itās a pretty amiable working relationship. As mentioned, the gravest legal trouble you might get yourself into would be a cease and desist for hosting CRād music online, or whatever. Until then (which will be never), get creative and have fun with it. Make it yours.
Again, the replier takes no responsibility for original poster in the event that he and/or she ends up in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison
another option is if you donāt take a too big sized sample, then if you change the note in the melody or re-edit it around and then use in Ur track it should be fine, thats what a label told me once for vocals on the other hand i donāt knowā¦
FYI: A LOT of the remixes you see on beatport of famous tracks from yesteryear are not cleared. Beatport doesnāt do anything unless the original artist complains. Lots of times with 80s remixes and such, these artists are not looking on beatport because they arenāt even in the game anymore. Tracks arenāt named with the original artist name or track title, the remix has an original name so its not out there in the open. Certain tracks on beatport have been pulled down in the past for such reasons.
Everyone want to remix something from the 70s, 80s, and 90s⦠its usually pretty easy, and it hooks people in because it reminds them of being a kid etc. Sadly there is some really sh!t remixes of this stuff on beatport and usually there is always one in beatport top 10. garbage
As long as you donāt try to sell it, 99.9% of the time no one is going to complain. And sometimes people wonāt complain even if you do try to sell it.
Its very complicated⦠there are cases where samples have been used for profit and legal action was rebuked. Read all about it on good 'ol Wikipediaā¦