Originally Posted by: turkeyjerky214if using the same chords as another song in the same progression is a crime, then most musicians would be locked up. I can't count the number of popular songs over the past 15 years that use the standard F C D Bb pattern. If your riffs and lyrics are different and all you're "copying" is the chord pattern, I see nothing wrong with that.


now if you are singing your new lyrics the same as the original, that would be a problem

It's actually the medley and lyrics that is copyright. Chords, chord patterns, progressions, strum patterns, make up the sound. The melody and lyrics must be different. Even the tempo will change the sound, but merely changing the tempo will not be enough. Plus, all of these cases you mentioned, may have been done with permission.

You won't be locked up. You will just be finded and loses your work and all rights to it. Of course, it may (as with me) cost you thousands of dollars just to prove you were the original creator of the song.

You won't even be challanged unless your song makes millions anyway. Is there a chance of that happening? And if it does, are you going to worry about a few million more? Settle out of court and share the copyright.

As someone mentioned earlier, if in doubt, don't do it!