Royalty free versions of popular songs at DVinfo.net

Mike Cavanaugh · March 20th, 2008, 10:46 AM

I've tried, I really have, to search these threads for an answer that I know must be here. But I need an answer rather quickly to finish up a project.

Are there royalty free versions of popular (but not original artist) songs available? Another artist's acoustic versions of Beatles songs for instance?

To be exact, I'm looking for a legal version of the intro to George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun". I'm very willing to pay a reasonable needle drop fee (WOW! is that term now dated!) to keep it on the up & up.

Can anyone point me to a source?

Related question... If I record a local musician playing the above, what are the legalities?

Allen Plowman · March 20th, 2008, 11:47 AM

you definitely need to learn more about copyright laws. The artist playing the song has no affect on the copyright of the song itself. current U.S. copyright laws cover a song for 75 years.

Steve House · March 20th, 2008, 11:56 AM

There are multiple issues and multiple copyrights involved with what you're looking for that will make it difficult, if not impossible. There is copyright on the music (words and music) and then there is copyright on recordings of the music and they are separate and independent of each other. The first hurdle you'll need to overcome is that the sync rights you need are associated with the copyright to the words and music and are independent of who has performed it - the original recording artist, a cover artist, or even yourself. Even if you record your own cover (either yourself performing or someone you've hired), you still need a sync license from the copyright owner of the music to use it in your film. Then if you want to use an existing recording, you also have to obtain a master license that from the owner of that particular recording. This is why you're not likely to find covers of popular songs in needle drop or buy-out libraries. You may have better luck finding "sound-alikes" - similar sounding music that is just different enough to avoid infringing on the original.

Mike Cavanaugh · March 20th, 2008, 12:05 PM

That was the impression I was getting from searching the threads. I did a fairly complete search of the various music sites and couldn't come up with "Here Comes the Sun" but was hoping for a lightning strike.

Thanks - once again DVi proves it's value.

Giroud Francois · March 20th, 2008, 01:41 PM

sometime you can find cover that are slightly different (in fact different enough to bypass copyright).
Some libraries of Sonicfire (smartsound) are like this.
you can find songs that, at first listening, you would say, "hey, i have seen this movie..."

March 20th, 2008, 10:46 AM	#1
Mike Cavanaugh Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Albany NY Posts: 311	Royalty free versions of popular songs I've tried, I really have, to search these threads for an answer that I know must be here. But I need an answer rather quickly to finish up a project. Are there royalty free versions of popular (but not original artist) songs available? Another artist's acoustic versions of Beatles songs for instance? To be exact, I'm looking for a legal version of the intro to George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun". I'm very willing to pay a reasonable needle drop fee (WOW! is that term now dated!) to keep it on the up & up. Can anyone point me to a source? Related question... If I record a local musician playing the above, what are the legalities?

March 20th, 2008, 11:47 AM	#2
Allen Plowman Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paradise, california Posts: 353	you definitely need to learn more about copyright laws. The artist playing the song has no affect on the copyright of the song itself. current U.S. copyright laws cover a song for 75 years. __________________ "What I need is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter."

March 20th, 2008, 11:56 AM	#3
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	There are multiple issues and multiple copyrights involved with what you're looking for that will make it difficult, if not impossible. There is copyright on the music (words and music) and then there is copyright on recordings of the music and they are separate and independent of each other. The first hurdle you'll need to overcome is that the sync rights you need are associated with the copyright to the words and music and are independent of who has performed it - the original recording artist, a cover artist, or even yourself. Even if you record your own cover (either yourself performing or someone you've hired), you still need a sync license from the copyright owner of the music to use it in your film. Then if you want to use an existing recording, you also have to obtain a master license that from the owner of that particular recording. This is why you're not likely to find covers of popular songs in needle drop or buy-out libraries. You may have better luck finding "sound-alikes" - similar sounding music that is just different enough to avoid infringing on the original. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

March 20th, 2008, 12:05 PM	#4
Mike Cavanaugh Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Albany NY Posts: 311	That was the impression I was getting from searching the threads. I did a fairly complete search of the various music sites and couldn't come up with "Here Comes the Sun" but was hoping for a lightning strike. Thanks - once again DVi proves it's value.

March 20th, 2008, 01:41 PM	#5
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	sometime you can find cover that are slightly different (in fact different enough to bypass copyright). Some libraries of Sonicfire (smartsound) are like this. you can find songs that, at first listening, you would say, "hey, i have seen this movie..."