G=TE – FAQ

FAQ Legal – Originality & Copyright What does it mean that my track must be 100% original?

Legal – Originality & Copyright

What does it mean that my track must be 100% original?

At G=TE we're all about supporting your own skills and creativity. This means that when you submit on G=TE, your track is 100% created by you. So, fully or predominantly generated by artificial intelligence tracks are not considered original and are not permitted on G=TE. 1. The track is created by you (or you as a group) ‘Created by you' means that only you – or you as the representative of the collaboration or group you are part of – have created the track. No one else was involved in the creative process of developing it. The track is based on your own idea and inspiration. Your track may contain third-party material, for more on that please continue reading. Note: If you are submitting a track as a <a href="https://welcometogate.com/faq/solution/58" target="_blank" >group</a> (so, not as an individual producer) then when we say ‘you’ we refer to the entire group that you represent. 2. If you (or your collaborators) used third-party content in this track, you own all the rights to use it. And you have proof. It is okay to use third-party content in your track, but only(!) if it’s: cleared samples and/or licensed royalty-free sounds. Sample clearing involves getting the permission of all copyright owners (music composition right holders & sound recording right holders) to use their sample commercially. It can be a lengthy and costly process (possibly high licensing fees if the permission is granted). Another option is to purchase pre-cleared samples from such sample libraries available online. When you purchase a royalty-free sound (i.e. beat, loop, sound bite, a cappella, instrumental etc.), you get a license. To submit your track on G=TE, your license must be for commercial use and not limited by geography, nor time. If the sound contains any third-party samples, then they must be cleared as well. Please read your licensing conditions well, to see what you are and are not allowed to do with the purchased sound. By not owning the rights to all content contained in your submitted track(s), you will be committing an infringement of someone else's rights. Using third-party content in music is a crucial topic for any producer. So, we encourage you to inform yourself properly on this issue also outside G=TE. You will be asked in your track submission to confirm that you and your collaborators haven’t used any third-party content OR that you or my collaborator(s) have used third-party content for which you have proof of right (license) and can show upon request. 4. We encourage you to have written agreements in place with your <a href="https://welcometogate.com/faq/solution/58" target="_blank" >collaborators and group members</a>. Unlike other music genres, where producers only oversee the recording, mixing and mastering process, in electronic music producers usually do much more if not everything. In many cases, they create a track from scratch until the last master tweaks. If that’s you, that's a huge undertaking, big kudos to you! If your track was made with collaborators, that’s totally fine. Just note that the release creator’s licensing agreement is with you only. This means you’re responsible for making sure no unlicensed third-party content was used, and for paying your collaborators. You’re also responsible (as outlined in our Post-Selection Terms) for sharing royalties, one-off payments, or other rewards according to your own legal agreements—such as split sheets, which define ownership percentages. Make sure you’re fully informed about how this works under your local laws. 4. What counts as AI on G=TE?</a> If AI creates large musical sections instead of you, the track is not allowed. You may use tools that help, but you have to make the creative decisions in your track. <ul class="compact-list"> <li>Allowed (AI-assisted tools – OK):</li> <li>You can use tools that support your workflow, such as:</li> <li>– Ableton’s smart features</li> <li>– Scaler (chord suggestions)</li> <li>– AI mixing/mastering (Ozone, etc.)</li> <li>– AI sound cleaning, noise reduction</li> <li>– AI effects, smart EQ, transient shaping</li> <li>– AI-generated single samples or sounds if they are licensed and used creatively</li> <li>– Audio-to-MIDI tools</li> <li>– Drum pattern generators (as long as you edit or build upon them)</li> </ul> <ul class="compact-list"> <li>NOT Allowed (AI-generated music – NOT OK):</li> <li>You cannot submit tracks that are:</li> <li>– Generated by prompting an AI system to create a full track</li> <li>– Created using an AI generator that outputs melodies, chord progressions, basslines, or arrangements you barely modify</li> <li>– Assembled from AI-generated stems that form the core of the track</li> <li>– Mostly composed by AI tools that automate songwriting</li> <li>– Largely produced without human musical decision-making</li> </ul> Producers are responsible for ensuring their tracks are original and meet G=TE’s guidelines. We don’t actively check for AI usage or originality at upload. To support the process, we provide checklists and guidelines. Tracks found to be non-original or predominantly AI-generated may be removed without refund, and any release cancelled. <ul class="compact-list"> <li>Enforcement </li> <li>If we determine that a track violates the originality and AI policy:</li> <li>– The track may be removed from G=TE at any time (during submission phase, during background check, after release has ended). The submission fee is not refunded.</li> <li>– If the track has been signed, the label will be informed and its release will be cancelled.</li> <li>This protects the integrity of the platform, the labels, and the producers acting in good faith.</li>