Hai friends. Purchasing a mechanical license is how one releases a cover song like this; there are no samples, and no copyright is being breached. I'm paying Deadmau5's publisher for every download and stream the song gets. Mechanical licenses can be purchased for nearly any commercially released song, through the Harry Fox Agency or through much more convenient, web-based company LimeLight.

I'll take this moment to dispel a common myth that not charging for something makes it legal; if you use uncleared samples or have written a cover song and haven't bought a mechanical license, you are technically breaching copyright. The way the Internet and music industry are changing will one day (I hope) allow this type of creativity within the law (in some countries, it is very close to legal). Despite continued efforts, Creative Commons has not been fully adopted into our countries legal system. I encourage any musician who writes cover songs to legally clear them by buying a mechanical license; if not for anything else for peace of mind.

And in respond to Saskrotch's comment about my Bandcamp, you must have overlooked the first two letters of my name ;3

cool, thanks for the info

It's important to note though that covers/remixes are completely different copyright realms, too. When buying a mechanical license you're concerning the melody and arrangement, not the original recording, so you now are permissed to mechanically recreate the song. Meaning, no source material is used. If you want to use the original recording, you'd have to clear the sample of it. Maybe someone else on here can confirm/deny.

you are correct, sir.

The license does it expire, it's based on the number of downloads and streams the song gets. For reference, I licensed 250 downloads and 2500 streams, which ran about $100. But as soon as it goes above those numbers, I'm obligated to buy more.

AN0VA is a gameboy don

That's true.

A don.

but wait f u guys derailing this into a sampling ethics thread hay I did a lot of LSDJ for this song >:(

People usually do in chip music. O_O

jk, u. I bought it.

Question, are you still breaching copywrong if you use uncleared samples or cover a song, but don't use it for commercial use? say if i throw up a youtube video of a cover song or remix, am i technically liable to get sued?

Though the chances of a full lawsuit are lesser than cease and desists or media, my understanding is that unlicensed samples are still breaching copyright and illegal. I support the use of sampling but also recognize that using uncleared samples comes with a legal risk. The extent and likelihood of that risk being a reality though really depends on many things including your draw, the outreach of the sample, and how seriously the publisher/artist of the original material takes their copyright laws regarding the original material.

It's important to note though that covers/remixes are completely different copyright realms, too. When buying a mechanical license you're concerning the melody and arrangement, not the original recording, so you now are permissed to mechanically recreate the song. Meaning, no source material is used. If you want to use the original recording, you'd have to clear the sample of it. Maybe someone else on here can confirm/deny.

Say Cutman, does the license you got ever like, expire? Is it limited to a number of downloads? We talked a bit about this before, but I feel this could be relevant material for all interested on this forum!

get mech licenses for covers.

But for real a million successful songs have been made with non-cleared samples

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5Dn-WaElI&gl

Hai friends. Purchasing a mechanical license is how one releases a cover song like this; there are no samples, and no copyright is being breached. I'm paying Deadmau5's publisher for every download and stream the song gets. Mechanical licenses can be purchased for nearly any commercially released song, through the Harry Fox Agency or through much more convenient, web-based company LimeLight.

I'll take this moment to dispel a common myth that not charging for something makes it legal; if you use uncleared samples or have written a cover song and haven't bought a mechanical license, you are technically breaching copyright. The way the Internet and music industry are changing will one day (I hope) allow this type of creativity within the law (in some countries, it is very close to legal). Despite continued efforts, Creative Commons has not been fully adopted into our countries legal system. I encourage any musician who writes cover songs to legally clear them by buying a mechanical license; if not for anything else for peace of mind.

And in respond to Saskrotch's comment about my Bandcamp, you must have overlooked the first two letters of my name ;3

That's good to know!
Question, are you still breaching copywrong if you use uncleared samples or cover a song, but don't use it for commercial use? say if i throw up a youtube video of a cover song or remix, am i technically liable to get sued?

(though maybe I should invest in a license for that now that I learned about it?)

I'll take this moment to dispel a common myth that not charging for something makes it legal; if you use uncleared samples or have written a cover song and haven't bought a mechanical license, you are technically breaching copyright. The way the Internet and music industry are changing will one day (I hope) allow this type of creativity within the law (in some countries, it is very close to legal). Despite continued efforts, Creative Commons has not been fully adopted into our countries legal system. I encourage any musician who writes cover songs to legally clear them by buying a mechanical license; if not for anything else for peace of mind.

And in respond to Saskrotch's comment about my Bandcamp, you must have overlooked the first two letters of my name ;3

Back to the point it sounds Great!  nice work

Too bad i cant afford it

http://an0va.bandcamp.com 4 u