# Copywriting a Riff



## Bastille day (Mar 2, 2014)

Riffs are the main ingredient of most songs but always wondered how much of a piece of music can be prevented from being copied by others. Hypothetical question of course but imagine if you created the "don't fear the reaper" riff only to have it used by others.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Considering the millions and millions of recordings, it must be getting more and more difficult to record something that somebody hasn't done so already.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Steadfastly said:


> Considering the millions and millions of recordings, it must be getting more and more difficult to record something that somebody hasn't done so already.


Originality isn't too hard to produce. You just have to get in the zone.

[video=youtube;NBcJuKOvydw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBcJuKOvydw[/video]


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

adcandour said:


> Originality isn't too hard to produce. You just have to get in the zone.
> 
> [video=youtube;NBcJuKOvydw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBcJuKOvydw[/video]


She's wrong. We use to rent that house and I did exactly what she did in that same room when I was 14. I also am selling some ocean front property in Arizona real cheap.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I basically only play original riffs. I don't like to learn others songs. But I don't play for other people either so there is no worries of people stealing my riffs.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

It is an issue I have expressed frustration on other sites. Riffs shouldn't be copyrightable - or if the right should be granted, be very limited in terms of length. The copyright, fully extendible, should go to the whole or the majority of a song, via melody or lyric.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

Xelebes said:


> It is an issue I have expressed frustration on other sites. Riffs shouldn't be copyrightable - or if the right should be granted, be very limited in terms of length. The copyright, fully extendible, should go to the whole or the majority of a song, via melody or lyric.


I agree with this - the point of a riff, melody, etc. is to form part of a song, generally not an entity unto itself.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Spirit vs Led Zeppelin...


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

nkjanssen said:


> So it should be OK to, say, use the main riff in "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones as the basis for your own song without getting their permission?
> 
> Why not come up with your own riff?


I'm not suggesting directly copying something is okay or even listenable.

I am just considering the practicality of copyrighting a riff, I am not sure how it could be accomplished so that it would stick and how it could possibly be policed.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

Something else to consider is the actual definition of the term riff. I had a quick look at a few online dictionaries and hoo boy, what a quagmire that is.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If recycling melodies and progressions was "against copyright", pop music would not exist


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

nkjanssen said:


> I'm not sure what you mean when you say that copyright can't be accomplished or policed.


Never stated that. I said I was unsure how it's done.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

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