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Spaceplayer Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: Jan. 2006 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 01:12 Hi, I was wondering if someone had some specific answers to a question regarding copyright and Mike Oldfield. I am an independent musician and I would like to sell and perform a new album. The climatic track features the opening theme from Ommadawn. To me, the album is incomplete without this track. I noticed that this forum has all sorts of musicians doing fan tracks. Has anyone ever had any trouble from Virgin records regarding copyright? Of course I will credit Mike Oldfield for the melody, but am by no means wealthy enough to pay for usage. Thanks in advance, and glad to find others who appreciate the music of Mike Oldfield! Joe aka Spaceplayer -------------- Spaceplayer: The Music Listens To YOU. Back to top

MusicallyInspired Group: Musicians Posts: 1445 Joined: June 2001 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 02:48 We as fans all write fan tracks and release them for free. If you were to try and sell your album then that would be copyright infringement. I'm pretty sure there would be some royalty fee or something you'd have to pay to use it. I look forward to your album though, either way! -------------- BrandonBlume.com "The beauty in life is in the embracing of the variety of things. If all the world was blue there would be no colour blue." Back to top

BOOsTER Group: Musicians Posts: 1024 Joined: Jan. 2003 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 06:29 you gonna get in trouble once you try to sell it, anyway there are some clearing companies and sometimes a royalty fee for a small release isn't that big... Depends on the musician, publisher and how much of someone else's track did you use. One good thing to remember is to not use others' work if you wanna sell the track which is result of your manipulating the sample/melody/vocal... -------------- http://www.djbooster.net Back to top

Moz Group: Musicians Posts: 600 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 10:33 To MusicallyInspired: Not everyone here writes music that actually uses elements of Mike's own music.  There's a difference between influence and copying.  Mike Oldfield's music has influenced my own, but I don't rework Mike's tracks. -------------- Twitter: @benbarden Back to top

BOOsTER Group: Musicians Posts: 1024 Joined: Jan. 2003 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 10:37 Quote (Moz @ Jan. 01 2006, 16:33) To MusicallyInspired: Not everyone here writes music that actually uses elements of Mike's own music.  There's a difference between influence and copying.  Mike Oldfield's music has influenced my own, but I don't rework Mike's tracks. Moz: no offence, but the topic starter clearly stated he used a part of Ommadawn, which is not influence, but copying or sampling or ... bla bla... this's just not the case and I'm quite sure that Brandon meant fan covers/remixes not your tracks... -------------- http://www.djbooster.net Back to top

MusicallyInspired Group: Musicians Posts: 1445 Joined: June 2001 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 14:17 Sorry, I said 'fan tracks' but I mean 'fan covers'. I didn't say we all just made covers. I make some covers and some of my own tracks inspired by MO as well. What Spaceplayer was saying is he wants to include Ommadawn Part One on his album that he wants to perform and sell. I didn't say at all that the music he or anybody else makes that is inspired by MO is copyright infringement. -------------- BrandonBlume.com "The beauty in life is in the embracing of the variety of things. If all the world was blue there would be no colour blue." Back to top

Moz Group: Musicians Posts: 600 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 15:36 I thought your post implied that all fan tracks posted here are cover versions.  It was this part that was confusing: Quote We as fans all write fan tracks and release them for free. If you were to try and sell your album then that would be copyright infringement. Maybe I just read it too fast. Thanks for clarifying. -------------- Twitter: @benbarden Back to top

Spaceplayer Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: Jan. 2006 Posted: Jan. 01 2006, 17:04 Thank everyone for the responses and advice. Just want to add that I love Mike Oldfield's music, and not trying to deny him credit.  It is a lenghty quote (played, not sampled). I don't care about making money off it, but for the album, if I can't get (or afford) permission, I am preparing an alternative melody to be safe. On a related note, I've read that Ommadawn was based on an Old English melody, does anyone know of this or what it was called? Thanks, Joe -------------- Spaceplayer: The Music Listens To YOU. Back to top

Tas Group: Members Posts: 32 Joined: July 2004 Posted: April 19 2006, 02:57 Before you do anything; you need to speak with MCPS.. Explain to them your plans they might grant permission without the need to speak with the copyright owners depneding on how the copyright holders have placed the track with them, they'll certainly be able to give you advice. You'll be quite suprised how low the royalties are for this, a typical 3-4 minuite track can cost around £15 for a run of 500 CD's. Back to top

Ray Group: Members Posts: 857 Joined: Jan. 2000 Posted: April 19 2006, 16:50 A lot of Mr Oldfield's music is recognisable from classical tracks - if you can find them then you can reproduce them (the clasic tracks) free from copywrite if it was created more than 50yrs ago.  Beethoven for example.  You may have to listen to alot of Sibelius to find the ommadawn tune though.  You may find that he is playing a section of the Sibelius backwards.  In which case the copywrite is his (Mikes). An Interesting discussion as if you change one note in a musical phrase - it is technically another phrase - I wonder if there is any definition of how many items (notes and note lengths - that hacve to be different to result in a new piece of music - I dont think i'm the first to ask that question. But anyway  - why not use your own  -  it may be realy good! Ray -------------- Looking out over the harbour in Peel....... Back to top

Wayfarer Group: Members Posts: 308 Joined: June 2002 Posted: April 19 2006, 20:03 Quote (Ray @ April 19 2006, 22:50) An Interesting discussion as if you change one note in a musical phrase - it is technically another phrase - I wonder if there is any definition of how many items (notes and note lengths - that hacve to be different to result in a new piece of music - I dont think i'm the first to ask that question. I've heard that you can use up to six notes or four bars without need to pay royalties, but I'm not quite sure about it... and maybe that's just here in Spain. You should ask to your local Composer's Guild for this issue... That's MCPS in UK, SGAE in Spain, SIAE in Italy... for the USA, a good place to start is How To Get a License, by the RIAA. Hope it'll be helpful -- Wayfarer -------------- My homepage - www.thewayfarer.info My search - www.cannotbefound.com My community - www.taurusiv.net My luthier - www.artluthier.com Back to top

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