The art of remixing a song is extremely common in this day and age. Unlike before, the advent of the internet allows us to search for any sample or song in the world. Add to that the ability to download professional production tools, and you’ve got the recipe for a great remix already. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that to make a remix, there are legal proceedings you have to go through first.

Music copyright laws can be a tricky subject, but today we hope to break them down. By the end of this article, you should know how to remix a song legally, as well as the steps needed to get to that point. It may seem tough and even a bit boring, but don’t worry. If you follow these steps properly, you’ll be making remixes legally in no time.

What Makes Something A Remix?

First, we have to define what a remix is and why it involves legal complexities like this. Remixes are different from things like covers because it’s not just a recreation of the original work. It’s taking parts of a song and putting them together in a way you find interesting to listen to. Thus, you’re basically changing someone’s original work for profit, and that’s a big no for copyright law.

This means you can only publicize a remix if the copyright holder has allowed it, or if you’re not monetizing your remix in any way. Of course, as a budding artist, not publishing your remix is antithetical to building yourself up, so what can you do about this?

How To Pitch A Remix

When it comes down to it, you’ll eventually need to contact the rights holder of the song you’re trying to remix. To do this, you’re going to need a tasty pitch. You can find any artist’s contact information on their Spotify page. Send them an email with your high quality pitch, and then all that’s left is to hope for the best.

For the highest chance of success, you’ll really want your pitch to hit the right notes. Be honest about your intentions and upfront on what you want to make. Don’t try to mince words here, be as straightforward as possible. Show your confidence in your own ability, don’t be shy here. But of course, stay humble, don’t go overboard.

Now, you need to make sure your pitch is good, but also don’t be too desperate. We get it, you want to get this idea out there, but this is still a two way road. Make sure to negotiate decent terms when it comes to royalties. If you navigate through your pitch right, you’ll find yourself making perfectly legal remixes in no time.