MP3 editing?

Paul C

Paul C

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Is their any software which allows you to edit MP3's so that you can cut certain parts of songs, also is it legals? :confused:
 
most audio-editing software would allow you to do this, i think.audacity is supposed to be a quite good and stable freeware..

about the legal issues, i'm not sure, but i guess it depends alot on the songs age. as far as i know, you may do whatever you like to a song as long as it is more than 10 yrs old(although i am nowhere near sure..). but "cutting" a song is pretty much like sampling it or even making your own rendition(doing a cover), i guess..

alex.
 
You can cut and mix your legally-owned MP3 files as much as you want, as long as it's for personal use only. You can't put them in anything that would be released to the general public, like a video project for a client or anything like that (or anything that directly or indirectly makes you money), but do what you want with the files as long as you keep them to yourself!

This is, of course, US law, so the laws may differ in your country.
 
Paul C said:
Is their any software which allows you to edit MP3's so that you can cut certain parts of songs, also is it legals? :confused:
Click to expand...
Whether or not it is legal depends on your intended use. If you only plan to use the clips for your own entertainment then clip away. If you plan to make and sell, publicly display, or otherwise distribute recognizable segments to the public, regardless of their age, you first need to pay a healthy retainer fee to the best attorney you can find. One way or another you are going to need him/her.

I am not an attorney but I as I recall ten seconds is the longest clip you can use without getting permission or paying a copyright fee. But if an artist doesn't like how you have used even a shorter clip you can easily wind up in court and even if you win you will lose. If nothing else you will pay big fees to your attorney to defend you. If you don't think the music industry is serious about this, churches have been hauled into court for using music, even sheet music, without getting permission and paying copyright fees. If the copyright owner likes the use you intend, they may grant you permission to use it without paying a fee, but it is always better and a LOT cheaper to be safe rather than sorry.
 
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