The Daily Priapism

I have always wondered how the rules go for other types of music. I still am not really sure, but here is what I have found. Hopefully it can shed some light.

If you look back at the previous articles on sampling you will find more info on the process and the legal issues surrounding the technique. While working on a set of drum tracks for a band, I started to wonder again why and how you can properly use rhythms from other artists and still get away without paying legal fees. I started looking at the concept of Riddims in Reggae music. If you are a fan of Reggae music, this will be boring.

Lets look at the popular track Maxine (Murder She Wrote) the riddim that is used is the bam bam riddim.

http://www.youtube.com/v/yAHJZR5VChc&rel=1

The music, is from the Pliers, sorry there is no video

http://www.youtube.com/v/AScmTx3NdWg&rel=1

Reggae music artists frequently use "Riddims" from other more popular artists. From a DJ perspective you could keep a riddim going for more than an hour if it goes well. From a dancehall perspective, mixing riddims and going back and forth is an easy way to keep the crowd moving and not bored. From a legal perspective, riddims could be copyright violation. Originally the term riddim was specific to a drum pattern, or bass line in a popular song; as music got more complex riddims have gone from pieces of the track to the track in general. Remember Puff Daddy deciding to just use the entire Jackson 5 sample on the "All About The Benjamins Remix" ? That was a direct sample, much like new reggae music has begun to use actual recordings for riddims. I imagine this is the result of tougher laws.

Its easy for some of us here in the states to look at the music industry from islands like Jamaica and think that it is underdeveloped or poorly organized; the truth is that most of the major labels on the islands, are part of the larger publishing corporations that stretch worldwide. With this information its easy to assume that the music is being properly cleared. And for the producer looking to get involved, just assume that you have to pay for a sample. Looking back at my older post I would assume that paying for the direct sample is more expensive than paying for the use of the patterns and notes. Let's not become Vanilla Ice all over again. The above instance of the Maxine (Bam Bam riddim) is a direct recording rather than the recreation of the music.

Frequently at concerts, artists would "Toast" over other artists beats, this is similar to doing covers or improv over classic/famous music. Toasting is the foundation of what most of us call rap.

Along with this I looked at the classic blues song.

http://www.youtube.com/v/Yd60nI4sa9A&rel=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/jFk83s8qMKw&rel=1

When I look at the blues I think that there is a common "riddim" that is used, even if it isnt in the lead guitar, the drums and the bass are usually identical. Is this not the same? Is there any room for someone to produce similar music and not have to declare the source of inspiration. If this inspiration needed to be documented, how far back do we go before we hit an artist that may no longer be protected by copyright? And when do we make the decision that the "riddim" is too widely used like the term Kleenex or Xerox ?

For more information on riddims, visit the site Jamrid which even uses a riddim for the intro music.

Here is another set of popular songs that use the Coolie Dance Riddim

http://www.youtube.com/v/4t-N7KhmGZ0&rel=1

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