What's the process i go through to get a music sample cleared?

Question

Who would i go to to ask can i have the sample? and in some cases what if the song writer is dead, does that mean i have no way of getting it cleared? also is there a difference if i want to use one itty bitty 4 second bit from the song and if i want to use a big chunk like a whole chorus?

Answer 1

There are many Sample Clearing companies out there, but thats gonna be BIG in price!

If you would like to save money....you can also do it yourself by:

Searching for the copyright holders (the record label of the master recording, the composer, and the publishing company)

once you contact them for the clearing of the sample they should contact you back with the rate

Compensation

How will the original copyright holders be compensated? Common payment options include paying a flat fee (for example, “$500 for all rights with no further payments or royalties”), a rolling fee that gets paid over time (for example, “$200 upon signing, $300 upon release by a major label, and $100 for every 100,000 units sold”), or an ongoing royalty (for example, “20 percent of the statutory mechanical license rate for every record sold”). That is all negotiable, and there are no standard rates for samples, so the actual figures vary widely.

It is important to properly credit the original material. If not done or if done improperly, your release could be stalled until the error is corrected. Sample credits generally include the original artists, writers, record labels, and publishers along with the names of the writers and publishing companies of the new master and composition. They should also include copyright ownership information for the new version of a master or composition. That information is vital when it comes to doling out royalties earned by a recording containing a master. These points are usually set out in great detail in the licensing agreement.