Hola - I just want to get this off of my chest, as there is nothing I can (afford) to do.

I release music under the name spinnerthrow.

About four years ago I made a track that I called “Melt Away, Across the Fields.” Normally my music is downtempo electronic, but this one was an acoustic guitar piece that I recorded on my iPhone while watching a football match. Complete improv – nothing planned or written in advance. You can probably tell that when you listen to it. I tried to improve on it while playing it again in my studio, but could not replicate the “feel” of the piece, so just put the damn thing out as-is. Added a touch of reverb and stereo width and that’s it.

It’s here:

Now, back in the ‘90s I used to listen to a duo that called themselves Fila Brazilia. They were great – did mixes for Radiohead and many others. They actually put out one of my all-time fave tunes called “A Zed and 2 Ls”. I bought all their albums. Anyway, they broke up and one of the guys went solo. His name is Steve Cobby and he has put out quite a few releases over the years – including a new one in 2023. The first track on the album is titled Viva Melvin.

It’s here:

Anyway, the guy was a real influence on my about twenty years ago. You can imagine my astonishment when I heard his new track. So I reached out to Cobby and he acknowledged that the first chord of his track was similar to mine, but that the rest was different. I did not bother to reply.

He could have had my track if he just asked for it. I can’t afford to hire anyone to do anything about it, so I just stew about it from time to time. Weird to have someone you really admire do what he did. I have to hand it to him though – he did a nice job recording it. No dirty guitar strings that squeak and need to be changed.

I recognize this forum is a bit of a strange place to point out issues like the above, but I just wanted to vent. I feel like posting this screed all over the internet, but stuff like this happens all the time. But just not to me. Until now. Damn.

 

He didn't rip you off. Guarantee he had never even heard your song until you sent it to him. They're a little similar I guess but it's simple enough that there are likely hundreds of similar songs out there.

I mean come on man, if your song had 10 million views on YouTube then maybe you might have something little to work with. But this just sounds ridiculous.

Even if you hired someone to do something about it there would be nothing to do. This is like people who say something sounds like Tool just because its a polyrhythm. They sound somewhat alike on the surface but that's where the similarities end.

 

Have you considered that you played that because he influenced you for a long time? It sure starts similar, but the rest is different. Sorry to play the devil's advocate here. I know it feels like molestation to be ripped off.
I saw recently a YT video where someone took the entire hook line from Dopplereffekt - Satellites, sped it up a bit and put a rap on it. Dopplereffekt or their label will eventually have his ass for that.

 

Huh? Even if one of my influences ripped me off, I would be jumping around like "Holy shit he played my riff!!"

 

Maybe OT but could you link to that?

 

it's pretty close and i see why you think this, musically. If you had sent him some demo directly, or something like that; I would agree with you.

But like mentioned, it has 115 random views. I really doubt it. If it was some Ed Sheeran thing, you could probably convince a lawyer to consider the case. There would be no real money involved in this, and it's an even further stretch when you say this other guy influenced you musically. It wouldn't be hard to say the reason it sounds alike is because of that influence. 2 people who have the same taste could pretty easily have this level of similarity happen. I hear a good number of alternative rock radio songs that are even much worse ripoffs of 80s songs than this, and they somehow never get sued about it.

 

I appreciate your view and everyone else's comments. I could cite to all kinds of very obscure songs that somehow ended up on another person's track. Interestingly enough I sent the two tracks to about 15 different people, all of whom said "he took your track."

I disagree with your analogy regarding Tool. You can just look to King Crimson and know where Tool started, or at least used as a reference. But I don't hear Tool playing any track that makes me say "Hey - Sober sounds exactly like Neurotica." Or whatever. I was simply referring to a chord progression and rhythm and top melody as it relates to the two tracks. They are both acoustic guitars, but that was not my point.

In any event, it's cool to get feedback - thanks to everyone for that.

 

If I'm honest, I actually enjoyed listening to yours more

 

Sorry man, yeah he played the 3 same chords as you, you both did a syncopation, but the structure and the overall rythm is not the same. There are only so much chords available, these 3 happen to work well together, statistically there are hundreds if not thousands of people around the world that have written the same thing. Ed Sheeran was mentioned above, here is a video of him that should comfort you a little bit (and kinda prove my point) :

I understand your frustration, happened to me numerous times. I play hardcore metal, where basically every song is fretted with 0 1 3 4 6 10 12 13 15 on 6th and 5th string, I can hear nearly all the riffs I've ever written on someone's song. Odds made one of your biggest influence write something similar to you, but it's a very unlikely coincidence that still managed to happen.

 

Sorry tried to find it, but couldn't It was on a livestream from You suck at producing - Roasting Tracks on Discord. The video was a few month old I believe. It was in one of those:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzfWWpa5SR8EjXey9cAzLWsJ0_Y6Oy6QO

 

Just don't miss your grandmother's funeral over this.

 

WTF?!
I'm pretty sure you BOTH ripped ME off.



Those are MY string squeaks.

 

Dude, let me give you some constructive advice. Get over yourself. There's nothing particularly inventive or original about the simple little chords you strummed. Not that theres anything wrong with that. I would wager there are probably 20,000 other songs that came before yours, that use the same chords. And like one of the other comments said, your song had just over 100 views. The likelihood that he happened to hear it is astronomical.

 

#1...The Chords are a different rhythm
#2...The Chords are in a DIFFERENT key
#3...This is A song that progresses and not a static chord progression.
Yes it has a similar Brazilian jazz feel like a million other songs.

Meanwhile I have had a singer literally take my songs and re-record THEM with ANOTHER BAND AND PUT THEM ON A CD.

 

as others have mentioned, this guy stealing your song is a huge stretch. this is an extremely common chord progression. played in an extremely common rhythm.

 

I am also curious (but not nearly enough to watch those), if anyone finds it please let me know

 

Just similar chord progressions played in a similar slow bossa-nova pattern. Even if he had really ripped you off, you have nothing here to fight for from a legal point - both songs barely have a melody! Lots of songs have similar or even THE SAME chord progressions and the same strumming patterns - and that's extremely common in blues (twelve bars, hello?), jazz, bossa nova, rock. If there was a very similar melody... but pratically no melody, sorry!

 

Last edited: Dec 3, 2023

I can definitely understand the frustration and to me personally it does sound somewhat similar. No matter what the case may be we shouldn't dismiss how it feels like to be ripped off because it can really be a heartbreaking experience that can negatively shape you as an artist.

The first three chords of the progression sound very similar to me although the voicing is slightly different.

It would be exceedingly difficult to prove intentional theft and to be honest, since this is only about the first few chords, I would find it also possible that it is a coincidence.

 

No offense bro, but this isn't really a song. Like others have mentioned it doesn't even have a defined melody. I highly doubt that it was referenced in any way. Frankly, it's quite arrogant to believe that that piece of music is even worth referencing. There is nothing here worth copying.

 

Last edited: Dec 3, 2023

.

 

Last edited: Dec 3, 2023