Can you remix a song legally

This means that the remix is not derivative of the original work, but instead builds on it to create something new and original, Spin Academy explained. There is no way of knowing exactly how a court will rule in these cases though, which means musicians who use this argument to defend their remixes are taking a chance. Another issue that may arise for DJs who specialize in remixes is playing their songs live at clubs or bars.

A license for performance rights is typically required , according to FindLaw. However, musicians are not usually expected to pay for these permits — that is the responsibility of the venue. DJs should check up on performance rights at bars or clubs before they perform, to avoid any sort of legal situation regarding their sets.

This attorney is no longer affiliated with the firm or their profile is no longer available. We encourage you to please visit Scarinci Hollenbeck's Attorneys Page to find the right attorney for your legal needs. If you still would like to speak to an attorney about your question pertaining to this post, please call Full Biography. Being creative and talented is not enough to ensure your success in the music industry.

Much like…. Skip to content. But, what should you do to do so without getting sued? Who are the owners of them? Or, you can ask them to get permission from the other owners of the song for you. Since if you do, he might find you as unprofessional and decline your request. You should know that no matter how popular or successful this artist s is, he is still human.

My name is Itai Haroosh, and I have been writing, producing, and mixing music for 9 years now. Many musicians choose to release their songs under Creative Commons licenses , which give you the legal right to do things like remix them and use samples from them in your tracks for free.

CC offers free copyright licenses that anyone can use without a lawyer to mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry.

For instance, a musician would use a Creative Commons license to allow people to legally share her songs online, make copies for friends, and even remix or sample them for use in new compositions. For more information, visit our Learn More page. Here are a few:. In short, any use that you make money from is a commercial use.