Using Uncleared samples

[casiokerry]

Hi,
Do any of you guys have any experience of using uncleared samples in tunes and releasing them?
I get the impression no-one cares, as long as it's not being played on Radio 1 or something...
Some of my mates have released mashups and bootlegs in the past for major releases on certain online stores with no bad repercussions...
This, for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8eY-tPHOnM

Does anyone have any horror stories/success stories of such endeavours?

[PaulX]

I don't think it's so much a case of "nobody cares", I think it's more about the record companies not noticing because you're under the radar.

If you're selling the tracks for cash, then you do run the risk of hearing from Messrs Sue, Grabbit & Runne and they'll have you bang to rights.

You may stay under the radar if your release is only moderately popular but if it starts to attract some real attention, then the copyright holders will almost certainly find out. Your call.

[Dave Skywalker]

Paul has it pretty much bang on the head. Unless you're selling thousands of copies and/or getting airplay the chances of you getting a nice letter is very remote. Most of the time if a company find a track on trackitdown, juno, etc, then you're going to get a cease and decist letter, unless it's obvious you're raking it in.

On a personal note, I don't know ANYONE who has ever gotten a letter as such, and only ever know of one instance where someone has threatened litigation over use of a sample. And then it was only because the artist in question doing the ripping off happened to be Victoria Beckham and it was obvious that money was going to be coming in.

[casiokerry]

... That's what I thought... Basically, nobody cares.

[PaulX]

... That's what I thought... Basically, nobody cares.

Unless it becomes successful.

[baldmosher]

If you're making hardly any money by ripping off someone with more money than you, you'll be fine

If you're making loads of money by ripping off someone whose original track didn't sell very well, you'll get sued

If you're ripping off Metallica, let them sue you, you'll become a billionaire

[Gee Ninety]

Stick ya tune out an when they come knockin at your door you know you're doin somethin right.