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Zero-G Datafile Drumloops


Python Blue

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Expect there to be similar threads in the future.

 

Having heard about Legitmix, I'm trying to find a way to give a list of at least some Zero-G Datafile sources so that people can use the samples legally via Legitmix. That said, there are drum breaks I really would want to use if I knew the origin of them. One example would be these three samples from Zero-G Datafile 3, which I am led to presume are pulled from the same song.

 

http://soundcloud.com/sgtyayap404/datafile-3-drum-breaks/s-AvpYy

 

The second sample also appeared in Best Service's XX-Large libraries.

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  • 4 months later...

This is the first time I have heard of Legitmix. I visited the website and after a while I worked out what it was trying to do, although I am not sure it will really catch on. For a start, it is way too complicated, too much effort, and ultimately pointless. Surely it only benefits people who create 'mash-ups' and can only really be used if the creator has literally just layered two or more tracks together, it may be able to do a few reverses, simple cut and pasting and pitch-shifting, but surely is nigh on useless for any artist who has creatively used a sample in his original composition.

This brings me to Python's post. I think Python has slightly misunderstood the concept, and while his intentions seem honourable -

 

"That said, there are drum breaks I really would want to use if I knew the origin of them."

 

- I feel he may be worrying about something that is not really worth worrying about.

 

Having been a producer for about 17 years, releasing numerous tracks on different labels, across numerous territories, all of which have contained samples without permission, I have learned a lot about intellectual property and copyright. I have a few acquaintances who are top Intellectual property lawyers in the city, who needless to say do very little music copyright if any at all ! This is because in the UK in particular, there is almost no copyright law at all, and where there is, it is notoriously difficult to enforce. Copyright law in this country is one giant grey area. Once upon a time I myself was shocked to find these various sample CDs containing unauthorised samples being sold for profitable gain, Zero G being one of the first, but gradually I learned more and more and began to understand how they were getting away with it.

As I understand it, if you do some form of processing to the sample, it can be treated as new -

 

"Well all he's done is speed up the Amen break "

or

" All he's done is taken the piano from The O'Jays and reversed it!!!"

 

This may be, but although the processing is minimal, requires no skill or thought and is something that anybody can do with a basic sampler or computer, it takes advantage of this fuzzy haze that is intellectual copyright. In the context of compositions, cases can be argued further still about whether or not it has significantly enhanced the track enough for it to be the main selling point of a song. Could you take the sample out of the track and it would still sell? If the song is 4 minutes long and the sample used is only two seconds long, but it is recognised as the stand out feature of the track, the thing that strikes a chord most with the purchaser, then surely that is theft? Well these things can be argued till the cows come home. It becomes even more of a headache if you are dealing in plagiarism, song and melody theft, which is where 'artistic license' comes in. Can you copyright a chord sequence, C-A-D ? Blah, blah, blah. If you could, one thing is for sure, we would never have had Jazz, Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Reggae, Rock or any other genre for that matter. Hell, even Mozart was guilty of the odd bit of theft. You only have to read up about George Harrison and his court case to understand the complexity of the issues.

Anyway, back to the topic. I agree with Special Justin, those early CDs were definitely not legit, but all the modern ones wont be either, you only have to look as far as the CDs made by the Vengeance company to see that people are still up to old tricks, although I disagree that vast sums of cash were made. I dont think its as big a business as they would have you believe, I'm sure it provides just a lifestyle business for a select few.

I know myself that i would do anything I could not to spend 60 quid on a sample cd as a struggling Jungle producer back in the nineties, and there was always somewhere else to nick the samples from, be it mates, or other records etc and thank the lord for the CD burner!!!! Hallelujah!!!

So how come Vengeance aren't worried about getting caught, especially in a world that has shrunk through the internet, in this 'information' era? Well, because they are not really breaking any rules. Not in this country anyway, and not most of Europe or the rest of the world. As for the Jamaicans, I think there is a five second rule - five seconds and it becomes public domain!

North America is a different kettle of fish altogether though, and the law is a lot hotter on this type of thing, partly due to culture, and partly due to the phenomena that is Hip Hop/RnB. Hip Hop is a billion dollar industry in the states, and a genre that almost exclusively relies on sampling as its art (ignoring crappy Crunk and Dirrty South etc). Which is why artists and labels take much more care in obtaining licenses, even taking care to credit what they call "interpolations"- basically replayed samples or borrowed motifs. Because the industry is profitable, it is worth suing, which brings me to my last point about the sheer practicality of suing for copyright theft.

In this country in particular, you are only going to be sued if you have any money. It is time consuming, expensive and you can't be guaranteed you are going to win. Unlike America, there are no punitive damages awarded in this country. You cant sight defamation. If you did lose as the defendant, you are only made to pay a portion of profit deemed fair, in relation to the size or use of the sample and its reflected profit, as determined by the judge, something you can then appeal and argue about for another couple of years! The court will then make you pay it in manageable dribs and drabs over a long time, and that in itself is something that is very difficult to enforce and police. In effect, even if you were successful in suing somebody, it would be such a ball ache, you'd end up wondering if it was all worth it in the first place!

 

In conclusion, Python, unless your Lady Gaga selling millions of records, making lots of money, and based in America, I wouldn't worry about taking a sample off Zero Datafile. If you have a heavy conscience about taking someone else's work without credit, then that's a different story, but if you are just a little underground producer selling small amounts of units and worried about getting caught by the sample police (Do they have crotchets and quavers on their epaulettes?) I wouldn't lose any sleep.

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  • 2 years later...
  • 3 months later...

What drum loops were these?

 

Just wondering, as I'm trying to figure about some Zero G drum loops that were included on the infamous Future Music Vol. 1 disc, that recently surfaced for download...

 

The loops are titled Wildstyle Break (110 bpm), Freestyle Loop (109 bpm) & Kickin' Live Loop (109 bpm) and are all very similar, at least one was used in Potential Bad Boy - Melody Mayhem Pt. 2

http://www.rolldabea...d_edition/cw016

 

Anyone got any idea what they're based on, can't place them myself

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