Loop Question (SPOT ?)

boomhower wrote on 12/26/2004, 2:32 PM
I've been researching copyright law as I don't particularly want to go to jail, pay large fines or steal from others in general regardless of the possibility of being caught.....The wisdom gained so far seems to be "get permission or make your own" I can live with that....not trying to get a heated debate going about overhauling the licensing process and such....

My question deals with Acid Loops. I'm new to this program, but if I take a handful of loops (supplied free by Sony for example) and make a nice bed to play behind a particular section of video, have I violated copyright? If not, do I then have copyright on the music I put together from the loops?

Spot provides a LOT of loops on the DVD with his workshop book (that has been very helpful - plug). Playing around with those, I came up with a pretty nifty (if I may say so) track of music. Don't really have a reason to use it now but I could see potential in a yet undetermined video project down the road.

This question is focused mainly on the loops provided by Sony (and Spot in the scenario above). I realize that it may vary depending on who is offering the loops and what restrictions they place on them.

Hope this question makes sense. I'm posting in Video since it seems to get more traffic.

KB

Comments

Liam_Vegas wrote on 12/26/2004, 3:36 PM
I'm sure you can look at the terms of use document (or whatever) and find out precisely how you may use the loops. Douglas (spot) would definitely have explicitely defined the way in which you can use the loops in his book... as would Sony.

In the end.. the whole point of those loops are to provide building blocks for you to create your own works. I can't imagine they would restrict your use... but then I would always check out the fine-print before I did anything spectacular with them.
PeterWright wrote on 12/26/2004, 4:43 PM
My understanding is that if you use a single loop unchanged, you are technically breaching copyright, but as soon as you combine this with another loop you have created something new and there are then no problems with copyright.
Spot|DSE wrote on 12/26/2004, 6:33 PM
Boomhower, glad you like the book, thanks for the plug.
The answer to both comments/questions is:
1. The loops in my book are yours to use as you see fit, they are gifts from various loop companies in the hope that you'll like them enough to buy more loops. Hark Productions, for instance, www.harkproductions.com donated a lot of loop samples for you to use.
2. You can use a single loop and not worry about breaching copyright. What you CAN'T do is resell or distribute a single loop, on it's own or as part of a package, without having done something to make the loop be a component of something else.
boomhower wrote on 12/26/2004, 8:03 PM
Thanks.....Glad to know they (the loops) are "user friendly".

KB
Jessariah67 wrote on 12/27/2004, 9:21 AM
Keep in mind that using a single loop in a video scene is still "combining it with something else." As soon as you do that, it's altered. So you can sell a loop that's combined with other loops (a song) or by itself, underscoring a video scene. Each of those are acceptable under most loop producers' licenses.

I remember once picking up a set and reading that it was for personal use only. Commercial use involved an additional license and fee. Fine if you're a kid or making home movies. Absolutely worthless if you're using them professionally/commercially. With ALL the "100% royalty free" loops out there, that's just begging people to go somewhere else -- which is why you will find most licenses to be very "user friendly."