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The Clearing of Samples

You may decide to use a sample from a source of copyrighted material. Without permission from it's respected owner or owners you are liable for legal prosecution which may come in the form of cease and desist or a lawsuit. Technically, all sounds in music are a sample in one way or another, but the ones used in keyboard workstation, drum machines, and drum kits in music production software grant you full permission to use their sounds on the purchase of their equipment. Sounds such as these are called royalty-free sounds, in order to have the same freedom as a sampler you would need to purchase royalty-free samples or follow the owner's directions on if they are able to be used commercially or not. To clear a copyrighted sample you will need the owner's written permission you can use the sound, often for a set fee, royalty, or percent of the gross income made from the sale of the instrumental. Unfortunately, the copyright owner can refuse to grant your request for any amount of money offered and may become spiteful from you boldness, attempting to sure you if you have already marketed the beat or allowed it to become commercial to the public. This makes sampler's instrumentals risky and costly to prospective buyers who are just as wary of the legal implications of using copyrighted samples in music.