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So, as you probably imagined, I’ve been a composer for a while but I’m very new to the music library game. Thank you for the website, it’s a great resource and I’ve been a happy member for a few months now.
I was wondering how is seen (or if it is even allowed) to re-use parts of a track to generate new tracks.
I’ve been thinking several time while composing production music to change completely the arrangement of something, to reuse a piano riff, to do a remix of something and register the newly created track under a new title. Is it allowed? Is it a bad practice? More importantly, is it doable in the scenario of a track that is signed exclusively to a publisher? That is, to change it so that it can be signed non-exclusively by another one and vice versa.
I’m not talking about slight changes, I’m talking about entirely new production but same melody, chords, maybe even re-using exactly the same track but layering others on top.I never did it, but I must say the temptation was high at some point.
Thank you!
PS am I correct assuming that this is not what “retitling” is about? Studying your website and a few other resources I think I understood that retitling is referred to a publisher re-registering the same cue under a new title to collect publishing royalties when they are under a non-exclusive agreement.
I’m talking about entirely new production but same melody, chords, maybe even re-using exactly the same track but layering others on top.
I think it could get dicey but really depends on what you think is “acceptable” and the library you infringed upon thinks is “acceptable”. If there was a lot of money involved it wouldn’t take much for the library to decide to sue. Your call.
PS am I correct assuming that this is not what “retitling” is about?
You are correct.
Non-exclusive not much of an issue except a library might not like too many tracks sounding very similar with the same parts.
If I spend a lot of time on a drum part I almost always reuse it. Especially so if there are good fills and a nice groove. But I will change the key, tempo, sometimes use a different drum kit and even make it an entirety different genre.