Can I sample content from YouTube?

Keep the rhythm going, don’t disturb the beat 🥁

Some people may sample content from YouTube, or other media sites, and use it in their RouteNote releases. It’s easy to think that because videos are free to view on these platforms, they’re also free to reuse in their own tracks. Unfortunately, that’s not the case – you can’t just sample an online video and use it in your release.

Most videos on YouTube are uploaded under a Standard YouTube Licence, which means that the video can only be accessed from YouTube for viewing purposes, and can’t be reproduced or distributed without the original creator’s permission.

One problem with online videos is that, very often, the person uploading the video doesn’t own the copyright on the video. If someone uploads a scene from a film, the company who published the film still owns the copyright for it. The uploader might say you can use it, but it’s not theirs to give permission for.

If you have used audio from an online video and we ask about it during the moderation process, please include the following in your email to moderation@routenote.com:

  • link to the video you took the sample from
  • your username
  • the UPC of the release.

If the uploader definitely owns the content they’ve uploaded and they’ve clearly said other people are allowed to use it for commercial purposes, we should be able to accept it without issue!

Sorting out who owns what on sites like this can be very difficult. We would recommend you don’t use samples from online videos in your releases.

Our sample subscription service, RouteNote Create, allows you to access individual samples or full packs which are guaranteed to be completely original. Subscriptions start at only $2.99 a month, and using samples from RouteNote Create makes it even easier to clear moderation. Each purchase comes with a unique licence ID – if you pop that through to us at moderation@routenote.com along with your username and the UPC of the release, then we’ll be able to clear the samples for you.

Check out the full RouteNote Style Guide here!

If you have any further queries, feel free to get in touch with us!

See more:
Can I sample content from Facebook/Instagram?
Can I sample content from TikTok?
Can I use samples in my track with RouteNote?

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