Did I steel this melody ?
Hello everyone :)
I've been sketching a very short melody but I'm pretty sure it comes from a Marvel movie or similar stuff (I'v listened to some main characters' themes but nothing for now).
I've also tried to "Shazam" it but I din't find anything. I hope you could tell me if this is actually stolen from anywhere.
Thank you very much and have a great day ;)
Sebastien
Comments
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Think you're good - the first "statement" (i.e. first four notes) brought to mind "siente mi amor" from Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and the second "statement" (i.e. notes 5-8) is a bit Danny Elfman Batman, but can't place your theme as a whole and am not sure, in context, you have "stolen" either statement, or at least enough of either tune to worry (but that's one for a copyright lawyer to answer)- clearly you wouldn't be asking if you had knowingly stolen them but, as I understand it, you can still get hit for "unconscious" copying. Feel like you should be easily on the right side of ok with this, but am no expert.
PS sounds cool - interested to see what you do with it.
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I meant STEAL of course but I didn't see the error... 😑
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Thank you very much for being so specific and precise @Retroblueman 🙏! As you mention, the second "statement" brought Danny Elfman's theme for Batman to my attention when I played it, but I assume this is no big deal since the context is different and comes from a first phrase, not only resolving it, but being placed between one and another, following it.
Anyway, if anyone hears something, please don't hesitate to tell me ;)
Once I finish composing the piece, I'll post it here with a mention.
Have a great day and stay safe!
Sebastien
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No worries - on the Batman theme, see the passage at 8.04-8.29 in Rachmaninov's 3rd piano concerto here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcru2J3pdU8&t=1820s
Both the pianist's hands are dancing round that min(b6) chord idea that Elfman uses - I don't think they ever exactly state the Batman theme (B, C#, D, G, F#) in any key but I've always thought that provided you aren't blatantly cribbing Batman (i.e. doing it over a dum-diddly-dum rhythm or doing that thing where the first voice goes B,C#,D, G and, on the G, the second voice comes in and repeats the theme) then you are (at least morally: ) in the clear.
Similarly, on your first "statement", it occurred that there's also a bit in "A boy like that" in West Side Story that uses those notes (the "one of your own kind, stick to your own kind" bit).
I've always thought that little things like these are like building blocks and it's probably impossible to write anything diatonic that hasn't been stated somewhere in the body of works so far, but provided your building isn't a rip-off then you ought to be ok (appreciate copyright law may not necessarily see it that way, but the recent Katie Perry decision in America was promising on that front).
Look forward to hearing your finished thing!
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I've never heard that melody before, if it is copying something from 60 years ago for example and you didn't realise, just petition for accidental plagiarism if anything bad happens,
I'm excited to hear your final product!
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Thank you very much for your very interesting notes about my question ! I also find quite intriguing to be on the edge with melodies one would swear they've heard before.
Making something you create sound familiar brings up many questions. Moral and legal questions of course especially when it's really copied (which I wouldn't like to do), but it's also related to one of the things I find most satisfying and fascinating about music : the memory.
Therefore, thank you very much for bringing back Rachmaninov and Bernstein to the table ; they're always welcome :)
Have a great day and stay safe !
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Thank you very much for your message ! If anything comes (back) in the meantime, please, don't hesitate to share it ;)
I'm still working on the whole piece and hope this theme will bring what I'm looking for.
Have a great day and stay safe ;)
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Hello :)
I've just posted a topic where I used the motif I shared with you here.
If you want to check it out, here it is :
And here is the related post : https://community.spitfireaudio.com/discussion/1846/thor#latest
All the best to you!
Sebastien
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Hey there !! I just realize I made a mistake on this post :/ Unfortunately, I can't remove it or edit it anymore so please, forgive me ; I'll post the right motif when I finish the actual work.
You can still listen to my tribute to Thor but it doesn't have the phrase I was talking about here :///////
Sebastien
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Hello! Me again :)
So now is the time ; I've been working on the motif I posted in this very topic and you ça listen to it here :
I hope you'll like what I made out of it ;)
Please, let me know!
Sebastien
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