Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Molybdenum on September 09, 2008, 01:44:35 pm

Title: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Molybdenum on September 09, 2008, 01:44:35 pm
The title says it all. What do you think about using commercial music tracks or music from other games in fan-made missions. Is it common or frowned upon? If you hear a know track while playing a mission does it distract or bother you?

I am asking because I am planning on making full custom music missions for my Shivans missions(the old terran music just doesn't fit the bill). I know Darius makes his own music for Blue Planet(with awesome effects :cool:) but I feel that I couldn't make it that good.

Basically I feel the shivans should have a less electronic and more "metal" feel when they play or at least heavily distorted electronic. Several tracks by Apocalyptica come to mind or some Juckie XL mixes or Total Annihilation theme music.(those are from the tip of my head right now)

Obviously if I use a piece of copyright I should mention it in the credits even if I mix my own stuff out of pre-made bits.

Also is it possible to hire some people to make some custom tracks. For a mention in the credits of course. :pimp:
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on September 09, 2008, 01:46:46 pm
Well you could try to find some public domain music. 
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Dark Hunter on September 09, 2008, 02:03:46 pm
Either public domain or obtain permission from whoever wrote the song. Otherwise it's copyright infringement.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on September 09, 2008, 02:07:03 pm
This does raise another question I've been thinking about along the lines of the same subject.  If you use public domain music performed by someone other than the original artist do you need to get the permission of the performer? 
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Dark Hunter on September 09, 2008, 02:11:03 pm
If it's public domain anyway, why would the performer have any right to his version?

I'm no lawyer though, so I don't know.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on September 09, 2008, 02:27:22 pm
It's probably one of those things that varies wherever you are.  If you think about it almost all the basic Christmas songs are public domain but people still record them and sell them.  Same with a lot of classical music.  Guess the question is is the actual performance of the public domain music copyrightable? 
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Kie99 on September 09, 2008, 02:33:59 pm
Obviously if I use a piece of copyright I should mention it in the credits even if I mix my own stuff out of pre-made bits.

If you use copyrighted music in your campaign without permission you're breaking copyright law, whether you mention it in the credits or not.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Jeff Vader on September 09, 2008, 02:35:52 pm
Hmm. Concidering that we're talking about FreeSpace, the risk of detection isn't very high. But still. Advise caution.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Mars on September 09, 2008, 02:39:00 pm
Out of curiosity, in JAD weren't several of the Village People's songs used? Are they not copyrighted?
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Jeff Vader on September 09, 2008, 02:42:57 pm
And one from the Trammps.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: tinfoil on September 09, 2008, 05:47:16 pm
ask permission and give credit - it's all you can really do although since the risk of detection is so low it's more a question of moral code than anything really...
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: redsniper on September 09, 2008, 05:50:19 pm
Of course, asking permission draws attention, so it might be better to just go for it and just remove the music should you ever get a Cease and Desist.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Mars on September 09, 2008, 09:44:24 pm
Of course, asking permission draws attention, so it might be better to just go for it and just remove the music should you ever get a Cease and Desist.

So much for moral code
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: eliex on September 09, 2008, 11:32:08 pm
Just ask, and they'll most likely give to it you, not to mention that you'll feel better for obeying your moral code.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: TrashMan on September 10, 2008, 04:00:49 am
I made a thread a while ago and posted a link to a site with great free music...www.freeplaymusic.com
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: S-99 on September 10, 2008, 04:29:13 am
When using copyrighted music. Just make sure hollywood doesn't notice or they'll find your works (http://www.youtube.com/v/r2377olZymk&hl=en&fs=1) and insert advertising.

I can just imagine that happening. You'll know something's up when you go to launch dual cyclopses that it's two 2 liter bottles of sprite going for that shivan destroyer. The launch noise will be the sound of a sprite bottle opening. The propulsion of the sprite bottles will be the sound of sprite being poored into a cup, followed by a refreshing "aaaaaaaaahhhh" upon impact of the shivan destroyer. Then you'll swear that the music just said drink sprite 10 times in half a of second really quietly while being totally curious if you actually hurt the shivan destroyer. Then you'll pause the game and go for a sprite.

If music companies could have their way with people using copyrighted media. It'd be either massive inserted advertising, or take you to court. Instead of taking me to court. Youtube decided to send me an email saying that the music in my youtube video was copyrighted and was identified by the record label who published it and would be inserting advertising to "cover the cost". I just sit there still today going "wtf?". Modified fs2 music i don't think much will happen for. Profit loss due to music piracy is so totally exaggerated by these stupid companies, especially riaa and mpaa.

Dark-hunter. Don't ask for permission to use the song. Just use it and credit the artist. There's not much of a point in asking for permission. And you will be F'd in the A if you don't credit them.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: DarthWang on September 10, 2008, 05:56:57 am
JAD used YMCA, but I think that falls under the fair use law (since it's a parody)
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Socio on September 10, 2008, 07:09:59 pm
The likelihood of you getting in any trouble is very small, and on a personal level, I'd really have no problem playing a campaign that had copyrighted music.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on September 11, 2008, 12:03:27 am
JAD used YMCA, but I think that falls under the fair use law (since it's a parody)

I think it's also because he used a very short segment of it. :doubt:
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: peterv on September 11, 2008, 04:31:04 am
Of course, asking permission draws attention, so it might be better to just go for it and just remove the music should you ever get a Cease and Desist.

So much for moral code

 :yes:
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Droid803 on September 11, 2008, 06:25:31 pm
The likelihood of you getting in any trouble is very small, and on a personal level, I'd really have no problem playing a campaign that had copyrighted music.

ditto.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: S-99 on September 11, 2008, 06:58:31 pm
My youtube video got in trouble. But, nothing much happened to it. I think copyrighted music would be fine too. :yes:
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: WMCoolmon on September 12, 2008, 03:06:08 am
This does raise another question I've been thinking about along the lines of the same subject.  If you use public domain music performed by someone other than the original artist do you need to get the permission of the performer? 

I'm pretty sure you do. I remember hearing that performances of Beethoven were owned in some fashion by the orchestra which performed them. The CD itself that you got the music from is digital media, and you'd be making a copy just the same.

For anything other than some form of classical music (ie the copyright has expired due to choice rather than time-after-death), you probably might as well ask the original artist. If they put it in public domain they're pretty likely to favor people using it, and might be willing to drop a word in for you to the performer (If you ask nicely, of course ;) ).
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: S-99 on September 12, 2008, 07:08:44 am
Wow, beehtoven being copyrighted. That's a really wierd concept to think about. In 100 years will being curious if elvis is still copyrighted exact a same odd response, or will it necromance copyrighting for his music? Rob zombie could write a song about this, it'd be called living dead attorney.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on September 12, 2008, 10:27:26 am
I thought most pieces of music become public domain seventy years after the author's death.
Title: Re: Using copyrighted music in missions?
Post by: WMCoolmon on September 12, 2008, 05:38:57 pm
It's important to remember that the musical score is different from the musical performance. What you're talking is a performance by a bunch of professional musicians who get paid, put together by a team of audio engineers who also get paid, who were using equipment costing thousands of dollars, while the musicians were playing using instruments costing hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece as well.

Even though Beethoven died more than seventy years ago, it's not like he burned a bunch of CDs of the performances of his music back then. All of the copies of his music you're going to find have been done by musicians in the last seventy years. And I'd love to see you try and explain to all of the musicians in the orchestra that their performance was completely devoid of any creativity so they don't deserve any kind of copyright protection whatsoever. :p

Beethoven is remember for his composition, not for his performances. Elvis is remembered for his performances, not for his composition.