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Subject:License Agreement
Posted by: Ruth Happel
Date:3/9/2010 6:03:39 AM

I've tried to contact Sony through their customer service form but haven't received a reply to my questions, so thought I'd post here. I have been using a variety of royalty free music to create soundtracks for my videos. I am now planning a music video, and want to add lyrics to the music to go along with the video. I contacted Digital Juice, and they said they were fine with this. I contacted Smartsound, and they said "Narration is permitted and singing is not". I am using both Sony Cinescore and Acid, and wonder if anyone could clarify allowed usage of these products. Thanks.

Subject:RE: License Agreement
Reply by: Ruth Happel
Date:4/12/2010 1:35:00 PM

Does anyone know what the license agreement is? Thanks.

Subject:RE: License Agreement
Reply by: feign
Date:4/12/2010 9:59:18 PM

If you have Acid, go to Help, then click on "About Acid Pro", then the "Copyright" tab. The license agreement is there.

Considering that the whole reason for Acid to exist is for users to create original music (yes, with singing) from a combination of pre-recorded royalty-free loops/stabs/one-shots, MIDI, patched-in instruments, mic-recorded instruments and vocals, then you're on pretty safe ground.

Of course, it isn't your use of Acid, the software, that is at stake. You have to check the specific license agreement for any loops or pre-recorded music you purchase, but all the loops from Sony, as well as other major loop distributors, such as Big Fish, pretty much have the same conditions. You will normally find those license agreements, in very tiny print, packaged with any loop CDs you buy, or online for downloaded ones.

You can use such pre-recorded music and sounds to produce your own original compositions, which you can then distribute, sell and use as soundtracks without paying royalties. The only restrictions I know of are that you can't re-sell the raw loops as your own compositions, and you can't include musician credits in your work. That is, if you use Mick Fleetwood drum loops, you can't promote your work with the implication that somehow you hired Mick Fleetwood to come over to your studio and play for you.

There are some "royalty free" music suppliers who limit you to a per-use basis, which you have to register with them. I stay away from those. Sony (and other) loops can be used multiple times for multiple uses without any need to obtain permission.

100 percent of my use of Acid is to produce soundtracks and original songs as soundtracks for animated productions, so I'm in the same boat as you, and feel no limitations in what I do with Acid.

Message last edited on4/12/2010 10:00:48 PM byfeign.
Subject:RE: License Agreement
Reply by: Ruth Happel
Date:4/21/2010 6:21:36 AM

Thanks, I appreciate your reply. I have bought loops from a variety of sources, but they all say royalty free. I hadn't noticed the tab for the Acid loop samples I've bought. I am still not sure about usage for Cinescore, but since it is a defunct product, I don't use it as much. I really appreciate your response.

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