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A woman playing a flute. A woman playing a flute.

Music interpolation


2 min read


What is music interpolation?

Music Interpolation incorporates an existing musical work into a new sound recording.

What is interpolation?

Music interpolation is similar to but incorporates only an existing into a new and does not use a pre-existing sound recording of that musical work.

Rather than using a sample of a pre-existing sound recording, the part of an original musical work a wishes to use is re-performed and re-recorded. This can be done by playing similar melodies, chords, and rhythms or using similar instrumentation to replay part of the original musical work in a new sound recording.

What rights are involved in music interpolation?

Whenever a musical work is interpolated into a new sound recording, the in that pre-existing musical work are all involved. Therefore, the and of its and are applicable, and you must get permission from these to use the music interpolation in a new .

If the request to use a music interpolation is approved, a fee will typically be paid to the music publisher to remunerate rights holders of the interpolated musical work.

Learn more about the different types of rights in the Music Creators’ Rights topic.

Who owns the rights in a music interpolation and a new song using the music interpolation?

When you interpolate an original musical work, the rights holders of that musical work usually own the music interpolation. You own the rights to any new and contributions you made to the new musical work that is using the music interpolation. Therefore, both you and the rights holders of the original musical work will share ownership of the new musical work. Rights holders of the original musical work must be and will receive a share of any income when the new work is used.

Image credit: Martin Dam Kristensen