Hi,

I have a question about submitting music i have made to music licensing libraries online.
Most of my software are legit and paid for. But Kontakt with libraries from Spitfire, OT, Heavyocity, Cinematic Samples etc etc, are non legit and not paid for. I compose mostly cinematic music so i use orchestral sample libraries a lot. So my concern is that if i upload and submit my songs, can anyone tell that the libraries i use are non legit? And can it lead to any consequences for me?

If i only did use a single library for all my songs i would have just bought that library, but i have been using so many different libraries that it will be impossible financially to buy them all at once at the moment.

So just wanted to know if its ok to spread and submut my music even though the Kontakt libraries ive used are non legit. Or if im stuck with all my songs at home until i pay for the libraries.

 

Hi there,

Virtually, theoretically, and practically, it's impossible for companies to do that, especially for general sounds (strings, brass, wind, drums, etc.).

However, just to have it mentioned, even though it is still extremely rare, maybe if you used a very specific vox sample i.e. a girl singing "hello" from a library, because that sample is specific to that library, people will know which library you used. Pay attention to the wording; "which library you used" not whether you paid for it or not. Again, chances for someone knowing which library used is about %0.000001. In other words, the probability of that happening is equal to the probability of you falling down the stares, and end up landing and balancing on your penis, mind you it needs to be erect.

Unless you have already practiced this to increase your probability, you have nothing to worry about mate.

Cheers.

 

If Avicii and countless others had success using pirated instruments, so could you! Always good to purchase what you use the most, even after you've "made it" and you can afford it.

 

The purchaser of the library could get in trouble ( "may" be sued by the company behind the library for damages) if they break their license agreement by distributing the library to the unwashed masses, which the terms they agreed to forbid.

You using the pirated product is neither here nor there, from the company's point of view. On the one hand, yeah you're not licensed to be using it. But on the other, you never agreed to anything with the library company. I think it'll be real tough to bring anything against you legally for merely using the pirated libraries in your music. Not to mention it's completely pointless since the cost of a lawyer for the company to bring legal charges against you is exponentially higher than anything you're making on your licensing site... Juice not worth the squeeze with the small fish.

It could be conceivably used to try and shame you on twitter or something. "Look at this asshole, he's making orchestra tracks with our stuff commercially and is too cheap to pay for it, our audio watermark proves it!" But think how ridiculously unlikely even that is, that would mean someone would have to download your tracks from the licensing site, scan them, find out you're using a product licensed to a known pirate copy... All for what?

 

Last edited: Jul 3, 2019

Hi and thanks all,

Maybe im just being paranoid. Not like I am going to be the next Hans Zimmer or make a lot of money, but just like to get some stuff "out there." And if i make any money ill most likely buy the libraries i have used. I have heard about watermarked libraries but have no idea how this works or if it prevents me from submitting songs online. From the feedback here it seems like theres not much risk involved.

 

There is a moral/ethical, legal and practical aspect behind this. I don't give a shit about moralizing. Having legal consequences because you do things the way you do..? Depends on the project (I'd say, the chance is small). But, as I was (indirectly) involved in such a case, I can confirm that in practice, (some) library devs do "the check"..

You say you make cinematic music. So, you want to attach it to a short film, commercial, movie,.. right? Let's say you are making something like that. You'll have a producer and a publisher around. If the devs somehow check the soundtrack and find out that it is made with non-legit lib, they will not come knocking at your door. Instead, they will start giving headache to the publisher. Imagine the damage from his POW. The Arri footage done, the CG gurus paid, the editing.. and then you glue to all this your "compromised" track.

Not everything is scored by HZ, Junkie or the likes.. They are convenient though, because they are diligent (I give them that), plus they deliver a complete package - legit and in line with all standards required. A couple of facts:

I know a "colleague" that got burned and I'm sorry for him, because IMO he was/is a good composer.. but now he's considered a "trouble". So when you're building a name for yourself, reduce risks to a minimum. Buying something after the fact - well, at least don't waste your money on that.

If I understand, you are about to send your work to some performance rights org. for copyright? At least that is, what you should do (or what I do..). With my national agency I have to provide some data and a "material proof" e.g. an audio file or a score. If I send audio, they watermark it - for my protection. Although here I don't see any great danger, I am not comfortable of sending them "compromised" material as it will stay in their vaults forever..

This is what we got, after they "caught" some guys. From this you can see the devs were giving a headache to the publisher.. I don't think anyone got sued but maybe somebody had to make some PITA adjustments (..speculating). Agus wouldn't disclose which devs were nagging. He must have had reasons for doing so..;)



Check the whole post/thread (because there were many many of similar ones) here..
https://audiosex.pro/threads/orchestral-libraries.42125/page-2#post-366819

and then .. you have to make a decision for yourself. Good luck!