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here is the exact transcription i made of jean's track:
http://mashibeats.com/images/umejean.jpg
when you write notes down on paper, there can be no misinterpretation of what they are. the subtle qualities of each chord are determined by specific note placements. each subsequent chord is a decisive statement by the composer. there's nothing random about this creation.
the cam produced joint is exactly the same thing, verbatim. no change in rhythm of the chord placements, no change in the specific exact notes that make up each chord.
there *are* common chord progressions and sequences in music, but every creator brings something of themselves to them to the extent that you get completely different pieces of music as a result. this is the same as if i played the rhodes break from minnie riperton's inside my love and didnt say it was that. now, i can be creative and take those chords as an inspiration and create a new musical idea influenced by it, but if i was to play them using the same notes as on the original and in the same sequence and rhythmic pattern, then there's no question what i'm playing. that is the law of physics when it comes to harmony, melody and rhythm.
charlie parker often took pop tunes of the day and rewrote his own compositions over them. if you listened close enough you could hear the root of where his composition came from, but you could also very clearly hear his composition and where the idea has been embodied and evolved by him without reservation.
re the 'sample': it isnt a sample on jean's track. it's original music. it's a totally different issue to when someone uses a sample and doesnt clear it. this would be a much clearer case if he HAD sampled her track. but to go to great lengths to recreate it's musicality verbatim ?!?
it's about intellectual property and integrity. i would be a little flattered if that happened to me, but if there was zero acknowledgement i'd have to take issue with it. that's just a diss. as a composer, my legacy is my creations. my intellectual property. it's protected by law because it is a thing of value.
>a: i doubt there's no way in the world that happens, its not
>like 12 different chords going on there, or some super exotic
>use of them, but ok let's say you're right...
>
>b: its just a chord progression. SO MANY of the great musical
>works in human history (from folk to classical to jazz to
>soul) either took the chord progression from another song or
>often took entire melodies and everything. We'd be missing so
>much great historical music if people were this anal back when
>music was understood as a cultural exchange.
>
>c: like someone else alluded to...does Jean clear all her
>samples? Does everyone she admires? This is nothing new
>
>d: both songs stand on their own and the latter certainly
>doesn't come off like another version of Jean's song. Why not
>coexist? Is it about royalties? ^^ C ?
>
>And I'm a big time Jean Grae fan. She might be on my top 5
>emcees period list on certain days, and never exists the top
>10. I just think this is kinda silly
--
MARK de CLIVE-LOWE | @MdCL
http://MdCL.tv
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