Every recorded song has two copyrights: the recording itself (the master) and the song underneath it (the composition). Whether you sample or interpolate decides which of those you're using. For the full background, see the complete guide to sample clearance.
Sampling: using the original recording
Sampling means taking audio from an existing record and putting it in your track. However much you chop or pitch it, it's still the original recording.
Because you're using the recording and the song it contains, you need two permissions:
- the recording owner, usually a record label, for the master
- the song owner, usually a publisher, for the composition
Interpolation: playing it again
Interpolation means recreating part of a song yourself: replaying a melody, re-singing a hook, or rebuilding a bassline with new musicians. The recording is brand new and belongs to you.
Because you're only using the song, not the recording, you only need one permission: the publisher's.
| Sampling | Interpolation | |
|---|---|---|
| What you use | The original recording | The original song, re-recorded |
| Recording owner (label) | Permission needed | Not needed |
| Song owner (publisher) | Permission needed | Permission needed |
| Negotiations | Two | One |
Why big releases replay samples
- The label says no, or wants too much. Replaying takes the recording owner out of the deal.
- Speed. One negotiation instead of two.
- Control. A replay can be recorded cleanly, in the right key and tempo, with stems.
That's why you'll often see "contains an interpolation of" in credits on major releases.
When it's worth replaying
- The label is unreachable or has already said no, but the publisher is open to a deal.
- You mainly need a melody or a lyric, not the sound of the original record.
- You have the musicians, or the skills, to recreate it convincingly.
It's less useful when the magic is in the original recording itself, like the sound of the room or the tape. You can't replay a vibe.
Where Soul Sample Club fits
Soul Sample Club samples are neither samples of other people's records nor replays of other people's songs. They're original compositions, recorded to sound like the records you'd want to flip, and pre-cleared for commercial releases. So there's no label to ask and no publisher to negotiate with.
