# Hiring musicians to create instrumentals and copyright issues.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647 "2017-04-17T18:11:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![femmejean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/0ea827/32.png) [@femmejean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femmejean)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/1 "2017-04-17T18:11:50Z")
I was thinking of hiring someone online to just create an instrumental of my several favorite songs. I was wondering if they’ll be any copyright issues associated with creating the instrumentals. Could I enter a contract that states they would create an instrumental of Stings, If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and give it to me with no infringement on the owners? If simply for personal use? ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/2 "2017-04-17T21:17:16Z")
Would a karaoke version do what you want? I did a quick Google search and came up with several. I’m just guessing, but if it’s a legal version, the producer would have been responsible for copyright/royalties. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/3 "2017-04-17T21:24:32Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > Would a karaoke version do what you want? I did a quick Google search and came up with several. IME, they’re somewhat different. A karaoke version of a song lacks the melody provided by the singer entirely (because it’s meant to provide the instrumentation for singing along to it). Most instrumental versions of songs that originally had vocals use one or more instruments as a substitute for the portion of the song that a vocalist would normally supply. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/4 "2017-04-17T21:35:25Z")
Ah. I wondered if the OP was looking for something to sing along with or just wanted to listen to the song sans words. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/5 "2017-04-17T21:47:03Z")
Here’s one on youtube: [Sting- If I Ever Lose My Faith In You (Instrumental Cover) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJTwwAiaVEo) I’m sure you can find away of downloading just he mp3. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/6 "2017-04-18T02:01:52Z")
Recording a song with no lyrics or even with alternate lyrics is creating a derivative work. Even the compulsory sound recording licenses (mechanical licenses) do not apply here (unless the owner of the work has previously allowed someone to record a version without lyrics). The owner of the work has exclusive rights under US law to create derivative works. This means you will have to negotiate with the owner of the work for permission and to make financial arrangements. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/7 "2017-04-18T02:52:58Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Recording a song with no lyrics or even with alternate lyrics is creating a derivative work. Even the compulsory sound recording licenses (mechanical licenses) do not apply here (unless the owner of the work has previously allowed someone to record a version without lyrics). The owner of the work has exclusive rights under US law to create derivative works. > > This means you will have to negotiate with the owner of the work for permission and to make financial arrangements. While it differs based on country in the US Mechanical license cover the Compositions (the underlying structure of the song, including melodies, lyrics, chords, etc.) and do cover instrumental or covers. This does not cover use in videos, public performance or the use the song or lyrics in karaoke or “CD+G” products. A mechanical license still applies for an instrumental “cover” unless it alters the melody or character of the song(s) to be called a derivative work. As for what constitutes a change in the “fundamental character” of the song, that’s not clear except that it’s well established that you can’t change lyrics without permission. You need to obtain permission from the publisher directly to create a derivative work, and include that permission when you apply for a mechanical license using HFA’s regular licensing form. Note that HFA’s licensing is pretty inexpensive even if it does mostly go to HFA, when bundling a few songs for a few copies it will be less than $50 in most cases. ---
**Author:** ![femmejean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/0ea827/32.png) [@femmejean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femmejean)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/8 "2017-04-18T11:03:40Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Here’s one on youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJTwwAiaVEo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJTwwAiaVEo) > > I’m sure you can find away of downloading just he mp3. Thanks but I’m looking for the song without the vocals of Sting. This version is a ‘similar’ cover and not the actual instrumental of the original song. It’s not just this song, I have a few others but basically I would like a recreation of the instrumentals in the original song without any vocals. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/9 "2017-04-18T12:40:56Z")
> [@femmejean](#): > > Thanks but I’m looking for the song without the vocals of Sting. This version is a ‘similar’ cover and not the actual instrumental of the original song. > > It’s not just this song, I have a few others but basically I would like a recreation of the instrumentals in the original song without any vocals. So basically you want to hire Sting and his band to record you a version without him singing? I’m sure there are ways to reach him through his agent. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/10 "2017-04-18T12:42:07Z")
> [@femmejean](#): > > Could I enter a contract that states they would create an instrumental of Stings, If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and give it to me with no infringement on the owners? If simply for personal use? Slight Hijack I see this on youtube all of the time. A person violates copyright by copying the song and says all rights belong to the copyright holder. Ummm … but you just violated that right by copying the song. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/11 "2017-04-18T12:43:19Z")
You could also use Audacity program to isolate the vocal track of the original recording and remove it. > **[How To Isolate and Save Vocals From Music Tracks Using Audacity](https://www.howtogeek.com/61250/how-to-isolate-and-save-vocals-from-music-tracks-using-audacity/)** > > You’ve seen how to remove vocals to create karaoke tracks, but what if you don’t want the music? Using a similar process and good source audio, you can ditch the instruments and keep the vocals for an a cappella effect. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hiring-musicians-to-create-instrumentals-and-copyright-issues/784647/12 "2017-04-18T14:50:57Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > You could also use Audacity program to isolate the vocal track of the original recording and remove it. > > [https://www.howtogeek.com/61250/how-to-isolate-and-save-vocals-from-music-tracks-using-audacity/](https://www.howtogeek.com/61250/how-to-isolate-and-save-vocals-from-music-tracks-using-audacity/) Actually, [this is the tutorial you want](https://www.howtogeek.com/56335/how-to-remove-vocals-from-music-tracks-using-audacity/). (The one you have for isolating vocal tracks requires you to have the instrumental track already.) I should also add that these “remove vocals” tricks tend not to work all that well in my experience.