Do they have to pay Roland?

Cory P.

Cory P.

New member
When companies like Korg or Yamaha include 808 kits on their products (like the Triton or Motif), do they have to pay Royalties to Roland? Exactly how does this work?
 
Cory P. said:
When companies like Korg or Yamaha include 808 kits on their products (like the Triton or Motif), do they have to pay Royalties to Roland? Exactly how does this work?
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You can't copyright a sound, so no. They can't use the name "tr-808" though, nor can they use the look of the tr-808 to market their product. These guys got in trouble with Roland's legal department for using the look of the tr-808 for their clone VST, and have changed the look since:

http://www.d16.pl/index.php?menu=153
 
Array said:
You can't copyright a sound, so no. They can't use the name "tr-808" though, nor can they use the look of the tr-808 to market their product. These guys got in trouble with Roland's legal department for using the look of the tr-808 for their clone VST, and have changed the look since:

http://www.d16.pl/index.php?menu=153
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Instead of fighting Roland better support those companies because they make some innovative stuff Roland only can dream off.
That 808 emulation they got sounds almost like the real thing.
 
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Array said:
.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!
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lol

i think i can see what what the guy was questioning...

if you cant copyright sound, then wtf is the problem with sampling other peoples songs?

you can copyright recordings and compositions. is that right?

A_Eberts said:
Instead of fighting Roland better support those companies because they make some innovative stuff Roland only can dream off.
That 808 emulation they got sounds almost like the real thing.
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thats what i was thinking

but on the other hand, roland did allow arturia to replicate the jupiter 8. i think its an issue of striking up a deal that will benefit the two companies mutually.

d16 is a fairly small company compared to arturia and roland, maybe they werent able to work a deal with roland that benefitted them both.

d16 make some excellent clones. the 303, 808 and 909 were the nuts.

im waiting for someone to make a linn drum so i can get all purple rain on this sh!t
 
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nattwalls said:
lol

i think i can see what what the guy was questioning...

if you cant copyright sound, then wtf is the problem with sampling other peoples songs?

you can copyright recordings and compositions. is that right?
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IIRC, because the 808 sounds are made by synthesis, they are not copyrightable. It would kind of be like a guitar manufacturer trying to copyright the sound of a guitar, it's just not something covered by copyright.

I do believe Roland has successfully copyrighted sounds from their instruments that use samples, like the tr-909. But obviously, the copyright doesn't extend protection to songs that use those sounds. It only protects Roland from other synth manufacturers taking the sounds themselves and using them in their own products. Sort of like with royalty-free sample and loops you can purchase - you're allowed to use them to make music, but you're typically not allowed to resell the loops and samples themselves.
 
nattwalls said:
lol

i think i can see what what the guy was questioning...

if you cant copyright sound, then wtf is the problem with sampling other peoples songs?

you can copyright recordings and compositions. is that right?
Click to expand...

You are correct. You can copyright a recording, but not a sound. There are rules in place protecting the work that went into composing, recording, and producing a sound on a record, but there's nothing in place stopping someone from going home and reproducing that sound on their own gear.


nattwalls said:
im waiting for someone to make a linn drum so i can get all purple rain on this sh!t
Click to expand...

You're in luck!

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/products/linndrum2/
 
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