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I Used Samples To Create My Music. What's the Procedure?
Here’s how to proceed in order to distribute sample-based music without risking any potential issues with the streaming platforms and rights holders:
Get Your Licenses Ready
Before you submit anything to us, make sure you have all the necessary agreements sorted. These documents serve as proof that you can legally use the sampled content in your own recordings, and it must be obtained before you submit your tracks to us.
Things To Check In Your Licenses
- In order to clearly understand your rights and limitations. Always review carefully the terms of the platform where you got your samples from.
- An invoice alone is not sufficient. Ensure you have the actual license that details your rights and limitations in addition to the purchase invoice.
- Your license must allow unlimited commercial streams and downloads. For example, if your license states a limit of 5,000 downloads and 100,000 streams, we will not be able to accept it.
- Make sure that the terms listed in your license are applicable to all countries.
Royalty-Free Samples
A "royalty-free" license means you don’t owe any ongoing royalties from the exploitation of your music. However, you typically cannot attribute your name to the original composer unless stated otherwise. Always check the licensing terms on platforms like Splice or Loopmasters for clarity. In this case, we require an authorization for commercial use and your purchase invoice.
YouTube Content ID Monetization
Do not activate YouTube Content ID on tracks that contain non-exclusive samples. Doing so goes against YouTube’s eligibility guidelines and can lead to copyright claims from the original creators. If your track contains non-exclusive samples and you requested the Content ID monetization, we will not approve it.
Exclusive Beats
Exclusive beats/samples are sold to only one person, which means that the seller cannot sell them to anyone else. This grants the buyer full control over how the beat is used, including its distribution and monetization.
Make sure to have all the necessary licenses ready before submitting your release and pay close attention to the terms associated with the samples/beats you use in your tracks. Our team may require you to provide such documents in order to check their validity and approve your release.
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