Sampling and copying: the ethics and legality of music making in the digital age.

What is it about?

With digital technology now nearly ubiquitous in popular music production, the notion of 'sampling' a distinct practice from other forms of musical copying is less coherent than it used to be . This article examines the 'post sampling' musical environment in light of the surrounding legal and business frameworks. It highlights some of the gaps and tensions between how music is made and the legal mechanisms in place.

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Why is it important?

We move towards a more nuanced understanding of musical copying and show that: Musicians' ethical codes operate in comparable ways across different fields of practice whether or not they involve sampling. Copyright could evolve to better account for what musicians do on the ground.