Avoiding song copyright with distortion?

M

MeAgain

Carbonite Member
I have this idea to create some mood/atmosphere in a short by using some copyrighted songs in the background. Don't know which ones yet-

But what I plan on doing is distorting them, reversing them and EQing them to the point where it's basically just faintly heard low tones mixing together, very subtly as background noise. In other words, mix and distort them so much that you can't tell what songs they are. I COULD just use some tones of my own and do this, but I was looking to experiment by mixing pre-existing songs and basically gutting them to get really weird low melodies.

I assume I'm walking a razor's edge with this one though?
 
If you are going to make something "you can't tell what songs they are", then why risk using someone else's copyright property? Its all downside and no upside.
 
Agree with Richard. Sounds like a ticket to trouble. Find some local musician willing to let you use their music.
 
Agree with the others. It's one thing to obtain permission to use music, but it's a whole additional level of agreements if you decide to alter their recordings (assuming that they find out). Even cutting out lyrics and/or measures can require additional permission from the artists.
 
From a purely legal standpoint, altering copyrighted music without getting a license first is considered infringement in and of itself. Certainly altering music in an attempt to avoid getting the sync license is also infringement. With so much excellent music out there that you CAN license or commission, why risk it?
 
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