Copyright in the Creative Process
- How can I legally use another creator’s work in creating my work? Don’t artists collaborate, sample, or riff on other artists all the time?
- Can I use a work if it’s in the “public domain”?
- How can I determine whether a work is in the public domain? Is there a database of public domain works?
- Can I use stock or “royalty free” music or art?
- What is a “derivative work”?
- Can I incorporate a third-party work (such as a musical composition, sound recording, or image), without permission, as long as I modify it sufficiently?
- What is a sample? Can I use a sample in my music?
- What is a remix and can I distribute one through UnitedMasters?
- Can I use audio clips from a film or TV show in my music?
- Can I use or incorporate pre-existing images in my cover art, merch, or social media, or clips in my music videos?
- What if I only use a few seconds or a small percentage of another work?
- But what about “fair use”?