Sample Services
Sampling is an incredible form of art. It's something that can bring attention back to artists that people don't remember and revive a song that was lost to time. However, samples are someone else's intellectual property, making it illegal to not clear them properly. Clearing songs in advance saves time, money, and legal fees later on.
Important things to note before you begin a sample clearance:
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Every song has two sides – publishing and master recording. If you use the master recording in any way, you will need to clear it. At minimum, you will always need to pay the writers of the song aka the publishing side.
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Sampling is subjective because songs are personal. There are many artists who simply do not want their music or a certain song sampled, and we respect their right and artistic decision.
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The sample clearance process is broken into two stages for each side (publishing and/or master recording) of a song:
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Stage 1 services include researching all of the writers and corresponding labels for each of the sampled titles, formal submission of requests, timely follow-ups, and negotiation of fees and terms.​
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Stage 2 services include closing all deals, trafficking licenses, facilitating payments and sending final reports.
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DMG Fees Overview
Fee Type | Fee Amount |
|---|---|
Stage 1 Fee | $350 per side |
Stage 2 Fee | $500 per side |
Research Only | $150 per song |
Projects in Progress | $600/side per stage |
Previously Released Songs | $550/side per stage |
Zoom or Phone Listening Sessions | $1,500 for the first day, then $500 per each additional day |
Release without Formal Approval | $200 surcharge/side per stage |
Sample of Clips* | $975/side per stage |
Sample Claims | $1,500/song per stage |
Reactivation (After 12 months of Client Inactivity): | $350/side per stage |
Rush Services | $750/side |
Technology Fee | $25/invoice |
The fees above are for DMG services ONLY. If your request is approved, you will still need to pay the rights holders their fees as well. Publishing fees typically start at $2,500 and include a percentage of the new copyright for each sampled publisher, and master recording costs can range from $5,000 to over $10,000 and also include percentage of recording sales per song.
*NOTE: Sampling a clip from a film/TV/YouTube or the like is more difficult and time-consuming than a music clearance because we will need approvals from the actor(s) who are speaking as well as the studio/owner of the footage, which typically is at least $10k per party.
Ready To Start?
Review the services below and click on the button at the bottom of the page to start the clearance process or visit our contact page to submit a general inquiry.
Interpolation Request
For replays & recreations of songs
Master Use
Request
For direct master recording uses
Translation Request
For full-song translations
Remix
Request
For songs composed of source material from pre-existing, recorded pieces of music (i.e. the master recording) that have been rearranged
Adaptation Request
For songs based on one or more pre-existing works that have been substantially altered from the original
Cover
Request
For word-for-word and note-for-note replays of the original song with no additional elements