What exactly is a "sound-alike" ?

[Unstar]

I'm a bit confused by the term "sound-alike". What exactly does this mean? Is a sound-alike intended to essentially be a version of the song that sound exactly like the original version? Wouldn't this be considered a cover? Or maybe it's just a cover that sounds exactly like the original?

I don't see it defined in the glossary
https://www.taxi.com/music-industry-glo ... 1539723752

Thanks!

-Vic

[Casey H]

A "sound-alike" is a song that has very similar style and often instrumentation and feel to the reference song, but is not a copy or rip-off of that song.

In many cases, a music supervisor really wants the sound & feel of a known artist/song but the cost to license the real deal is prohibitive. So they look for lower cost alternatives. Often, they have "temped in" to the video the known song for a scene and are now looking for the replacement.

You do not want your "sound-alike" to be so close it might be considered copyright infringement. Sometimes the lines there are grey and blurred but you have to be very careful.

When doing Film/TV music, "sound-likes" aka "a la" are extremely critical. Most libraries will ask you for sound-likes for your song because often that's how music sups search. Most of us who write songs for Film/TV are thinking who the "a la" is from the start.

HTH
Casey

[Unstar]

A "sound-alike" is a song that has very similar style and often instrumentation and feel to the reference song, but is not a copy or rip-off of that song.

In many cases, a music supervisor really wants the sound & feel of a known artist/song but the cost to license the real deal is prohibitive. So they look for lower cost alternatives. Often, they have "temped in" to the video the known song for a scene and are now looking for the replacement.

You do not want your "sound-alike" to be so close it might be considered copyright infringement. Sometimes the lines there are grey and blurred but you have to be very careful.

When doing Film/TV music, "sound-likes" aka "a la" are extremely critical. Most libraries will ask you for sound-likes for your song because often that's how music sups search. Most of us who write songs for Film/TV are thinking who the "a la" is from the start.

HTH
Casey

Very interesting and detailed. Thanks for your insight!

[cosmicdolphin]

This is a soundalike....don't do it kids

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/ ... -copyright

( I'm also in that Library ! )

[Unstar]

This is a soundalike....don't do it kids

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/ ... -copyright

( I'm also in that Library ! )

So for this example, essentially a sound-alike is when someone is trying to be clever and ohh so gingerly trying to avoid overt plagiarism.

[cosmicdolphin]

So for this example, essentially a sound-alike is when someone is trying to be clever and ohh so gingerly trying to avoid overt plagiarism.

Essentially. I hear a lot of Libraries astopped asking for them for fear of being sued after this happened. Just hearsay though

I see you are in an 80s cover band..looks pretty cool. So have you ever wathed the movie Sing Street ? Great movie, it's set in the 80d about a bunch of Irish kids who form a band but the reason I mention it is they wrote some good soundalikes for it. Basically the kids in the band listen to popular 80s records and then are inspired to write their own.

The guy who wrote them did a good job..my favoutire one is inspired by Hall & Oates " Maneater " called " Drive It Like you Stole It " but it's a good example of a soundalike that's not a rip off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWTcmjnEGY

Watch the movie if you haven't already and especially if you have a love of 80s music.

[cosmicdolphin]

I find it almost borderline.

Sounds nothing like Madonna !

[andygabrys]

This is a soundalike....don't do it kids

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/ ... -copyright

( I'm also in that Library ! )

and another take on the same song.

Notice anything?
Similar tempo (sometimes your hands are tied by the way the picture is edited)
Similar key.
And most of all, very similar guitar figures. Root 5th, b6th in the audio and Eminem tracks - and a variation in the National Party tracks with root and 5th, 4th, then b6th. Oops.

Most publishers who do add stuff won't pitch anything remotely close to anything that is out there today and will actively return any of your submissions that they feel are too close.

Another example - David Bowie - Jean Genie inspiring the Black Keys Gold on the ceiling vs. Pizza Hut.

[Unstar]

So for this example, essentially a sound-alike is when someone is trying to be clever and ohh so gingerly trying to avoid overt plagiarism.

Essentially. I hear a lot of Libraries astopped asking for them for fear of being sued after this happened. Just hearsay though

I see you are in an 80s cover band..looks pretty cool. So have you ever wathed the movie Sing Street ? Great movie, it's set in the 80d about a bunch of Irish kids who form a band but the reason I mention it is they wrote some good soundalikes for it. Basically the kids in the band listen to popular 80s records and then are inspired to write their own.

The guy who wrote them did a good job..my favoutire one is inspired by Hall & Oates " Maneater " called " Drive It Like you Stole It " but it's a good example of a soundalike that's not a rip off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWTcmjnEGY

Watch the movie if you haven't already and especially if you have a love of 80s music.

Hey I checked out that soundtrack.. Stellar stuff! Right up my alley.

[cosmicdolphin]

Hey I checked out that soundtrack.. Stellar stuff! Right up my alley.

Watch the movie ! ..it must be floating around on various streaming platforms by now..great watch.