OT - Sound-alike Music Source?

Stuart Robinson wrote on 11/12/2006, 11:36 AM
Folks, a bit OT but most of you must have encountered this...

A client wants to use Madonna's 'Live to Tell', and/or James Morrison, Bros ' When Will I Be Famous' and Babyface's 'You Are So Beautiful' on a project but has no funds to pay for the royalties.

Are there any copyright-free or limited copyright "sound-alike" libraries on the web, places you can get music that's similar to popular tracks but doesn't cost a fortune and won't bring Madonna's lawyers to the door?

Comments

DavidSinger wrote on 11/12/2006, 5:01 PM
FreeplayMusic

Not free, but they do have a sliding scale based on distribution that brings the price down out of the stratosphere.

As to specific titles, you'll have to dig deeper or give them a call.

Of course, we are talking the *music*, not the lyrics. Lyrics and melody and arrangements can be copyrighted, but not the riffs and beats. A house band can play the *music* in a very sound-alike manner, but actually come up with a different song. However,
Here's a list of problems

It is tough to write/play music that "sounds like" enough to fool most people except judges and lawyers. For very limited use, or non-profit, it is unusual but not unheard of to get a nominal-priced release of great music by writing directly to the author (agent) with a request.

I ask my people to "write me a song that carries the same emotion as delivered in [name of song here]" - possibly you or your client has a band willing?
newhope wrote on 11/12/2006, 6:29 PM
At the Production Music end of the scale, which aren't free but can be affordable as you aren't paying commercial music royalty fees, try libraries like VideoHelper at www.videohelper.com as they have Sound-alikes amongst their library, though not necessarily for your specific songs usually artist or genre based.

I generally find the quality of their library great though there are many more production music libraries from which to choose.

Try googling 'Production Music' and search the libraries you find if Video Helper isn't of particular use.

Regards
New Hope Media