What are your thoughts and opinions about sampling and when it is right or wrong? Should artists be able to use parts of other artists work in their own work? Is this sort of work able to stand up as an original piece? Do copyright laws against this sort of thing help or hurt artists?

What issues are raised by sampling in your mind and ultimately what is your opinion? Is this art form legitimate in all it's incarnations?

Have been thinking about this issue for quite a while now, and would love the opinion of some of you guys.

Cheers,

Greg

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I remember Mr. Mystery putting it best the other day. Something like, "As long as it is the spice, and not the main course", I say sample away.

Take a sample, and make it your own, or use it in your own unique way, as opposed to just blatantly copying. Many of the best tracks have been done this way.

quote:

Originally posted by david.michael I remember Mr. Mystery putting it best the other day. Something like, "As long as it is the spice, and not the main course", I say sample away.

How do you think we should go about legally defining that? Creative Commons Liscences? There are some very problematic legal issues that surround this topic- How do you think they should be addressed?

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I think a strong argument for sampling would quite simply be the Beastie Boys album "Paul's Boutique." A completely original piece of work that was pieced together masterfully. One of the greatest albums of all time, period, and it wouldn't exist without excessive sampling.

But I'll be interested to see where this discussion goes, because there are many, many arguments on the other side of the fence.

Nice thread

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last minute disco dot net

quote:

Originally posted by david.michael I remember Mr. Mystery putting it best the other day. Something like, "As long as it is the spice, and not the main course", I say sample away.

That was his opinion on using percussion loops, not entire parts taken from other tracks.

Sampling = no go, unless the elements are twisted/altered beyond recognition.

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Originally texted by Jakhira Out with the dog at the moment. Chicks love him, and I love chicks... The world is in harmony

ROFL imagine sampling the breakdown of out of the blue then on the buildup, chuck something random in there

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quote:

Originally posted by david.michael I remember Mr. Mystery putting it best the other day. Something like, "As long as it is the spice, and not the main course", I say sample away. Take a sample, and make it your own, or use it in your own unique way, as opposed to just blatantly copying. Many of the best tracks have been done this way.

I think that's definitely the best argument from an idealist point of view.

Greg - The second series of questions you asked, the legal questions, are definitely an interesting side of the debate, as I really only look at this as an ethical/artistic issue and not from the "business" side of it.

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Even Artists such as RJD2 who's work is almost entirely based on aquired samples. Surely enough he has clearance for most, the major ones for sure- I have however read reviews about his work that claim:



"RJD2 is so good you almost forget he's just a DJ!"



This statement blatantly undermines all of his work-

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Originally posted by Allied Nations "RJD2 is so good you almost forget he's just a DJ!"

Anyone who would say such a foolish thing is most certainly not at all familiar with RJD2.

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Originally posted by TOR That was his opinion on using percussion loops, not entire parts taken from other tracks. Sampling = no go, unless the elements are twisted/altered beyond recognition.

I know what he was referring to, but I figured it applied here.

I guess it depends on what your definition of "sampling" is. Cutting and pasting 30 seconds of a track in the middle of your own is obviously just stealing work and not being creative. (For example, if you cut a breakdown of a song and use it as your own, and then pick up your track where you left off... unacceptable, IMO.)

Taking a sample, modifying it, and using it as a background element or modifying it beyond recognition and making your own creation out of it is just another form of creativity and is acceptable in my book.

quote:

Originally posted by RJT I think that's definitely the best argument from an idealist point of view. Greg - The second series of questions you asked, the legal questions, are definitely an interesting side of the debate, as I really only look at this as an ethical/artistic issue and not from the "business" side of it.

It is an ethical/artistic debate, however, a lot of this is buisness and there is money going around because of these works and for the most part the reason samples go uncleared is because there's a money issue. Sure, there are sometimes artistic conflicts about in what ways the original artist wants his/her work used, but for the most part its a question of money.

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quote:

Originally posted by david.michael I know what he was referring to, but I figured it applied here. I guess it depends on what your definition of "sampling" is. Cutting and pasting 30 seconds of a track in the middle of your own is obviously just stealing work and not being creative. (For example, if you cut a breakdown of a song and use it as your own, and then pick up your track where you left off... unacceptable, IMO.) Taking a sample, modifying it, and using it as a background element or modifying it beyond recognition and making your own creation out of it is just another form of creativity and is acceptable in my book.

What if it sounded really really fucking good? Why can't I make a piece of music out of other pieces of music? Why isn't this art?

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Fortuna Favet Fortibus.