The availability and licensing of audio samples for music production are of significant interest to UK-based producers, composers, and hobbyists. Understanding the terms under which samples can be used is critical to avoid legal infringement and ensure compliance with copyright law. This article examines the licensing status of "Vengeance" sound samples, drawing exclusively on information provided in official source materials. It focuses on the specific rights granted, restrictions imposed, and the commercial eligibility of these samples for use in music production.
Understanding the Vengeance Sound Sample Pack
The Vengeance sample pack, attributed to Studio Trap, is a collection of audio files designed for music production, particularly within the Hip Hop and Trap genres. According to the source data, the pack contains 20 samples, described as "carefully prepared sounds from instruments such as Electric Piano, Guitar, Kalimba." The samples are intended to provide "tasteful rhythms and musical layers" and are inspired by artists such as Drake and Future. The pack is available in WAV format, with files labelled for tempo and key, and is compatible with all major Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), including Reason, Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, FL Studio, and Cubase.
The primary source for this information is a product listing from Producer Shop (Source 3), which details the pack's technical specifications and intended use. A second source, Slooply (Source 1), provides a similar description, noting the pack's suitability for building beats and creating a "cozy, head-nod vibe." Both sources emphasise the pack's utility for instant inspiration and beat-making.
Royalty-Free Status and Commercial Use
A central question for any sample user is whether the samples are royalty-free. The source data explicitly addresses this. According to both Slooply (Source 1) and Producer Shop (Source 3), the Vengeance samples are "Royalty-Free for commercial tracks, remixes, and DJ sets" (Source 1) and "licensed as Royalty-Free for unlimited use in commercial releases without extra costs" (Source 3).
This means that once a user legally acquires the sample pack, they can incorporate the samples into their own original musical compositions and release those compositions commercially—such as on streaming platforms, for sale, or for public performance—without owing ongoing royalties to the original creator (Studio Trap) for each sale or stream. The one-time purchase or acquisition fee covers the right to use the samples in this manner.
It is important to note the distinction between this commercial royalty-free licence and the concept of "free" in terms of cost. The sources describe the pack as a product for purchase, not a free giveaway. The term "royalty-free" refers to the ongoing payment structure, not the initial acquisition cost.
Official Terms and Licensing Restrictions
While the product listings indicate a royalty-free licence for commercial use, the official terms and conditions from Vengeance Sound (Source 4) provide a more complex and restrictive framework. These terms apply to all Vengeance Sound products, including sample libraries and audio plugin libraries.
According to the Vengeance Sound Terms of Use, all soundsets, samples, and audiodemos are copyrighted by Vengeance Sound. The terms explicitly state that "Reselling of any Vengeance Sound product purchased, also partially (e.g. single sounds), is prohibited." Any violation is subject to legal pursuit.
Furthermore, the licence agreement outlines specific restrictions on use. The user agrees to protect the licensed materials from "unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution or publication in electronic or physical form." The terms also grant Vengeance Sound the right to "inspect and enforce the restrictions and covenants contained in this Agreement."
A particularly restrictive clause states that the user must not "commercially use any compositions, melodies, melody-loops, lyrics, and vocal-samples or parts hereof from any Vengeance Samples or Audio Plugin Libraries." This clause appears to directly contradict the royalty-free commercial use claims found in the product listings from Slooply and Producer Shop.
The terms further specify that the user must not "re-sample, mix, process, isolate or embed any content from the Licenced Library in any virtual instrument, audio sampling system, audio playback system or library of any kind, other than those provided or authorized by Us."
This creates a significant ambiguity. The product listings (Sources 1 and 3) promote the samples for commercial use in tracks, remixes, and DJ sets, while the official terms (Source 4) prohibit commercial use of the compositions, melodies, and loops. The terms do, however, grant the user the right to "download a copy of the Licenced Materials for Your use under this Agreement."
Key Restrictions and User Obligations
The Vengeance Sound licence agreement (Source 4) imposes several key obligations on the user:
- Ownership and Copyright: Vengeance Sound retains full ownership and copyright of all content, including melodies, musical compositions, lyrics, vocals, and melody-loops. The user does not gain ownership of the underlying samples.
- No Warranty: The software and information are provided "as is" without any warranty, express or implied. The entire risk as to quality and usefulness rests with the user.
- Jurisdiction: The licence is a contract governed under the laws of Germany. Copyright laws are stated to supersede all local regulations.
- Copy Protection: Vengeance Sound plugins use a keyfile protection system, requiring activation and periodic license refreshes every 90 days.
The terms also state that if the user does not understand or accept the terms, or if local regulations prohibit "after sale" license agreements, they must "cease and desist using this product immediately."
Free Vengeance Sound Loops from User Communities
Separate from the official Vengeance Sound product packs, there are user-generated free loops available on platforms like Looperman (Source 2). These are described as "free vengeance sound loops, samples and sounds listed here have been kindly uploaded by other users for your commercial and non-commercial use on a royalty free basis (subject to our terms and conditions)."
It is critical to distinguish these user-uploaded loops from the official Vengeance Sound product. The licensing for these user-generated loops is governed by the terms of the hosting platform (Looperman), not by Vengeance Sound's official licence. The reliability and provenance of these user-uploaded samples cannot be verified from the provided source data. They are not part of the official Vengeance by Studio Trap pack and should be treated as a separate, unofficial resource.
Practical Implications for UK Music Producers
For a UK-based music producer considering using Vengeance samples, the source data presents a conflicting picture. The product marketing (Sources 1 and 3) suggests a straightforward royalty-free licence for commercial use. However, the official legal terms (Source 4) contain restrictions that could be interpreted as prohibiting the commercial use of the very compositions and melodies the samples are designed to create.
In practice, this ambiguity could create legal risk. A producer relying solely on the product listing might assume full rights to commercialise tracks containing the samples, while the licensor (Vengeance Sound) might, based on their terms, claim that such use is prohibited.
The prudent course of action, based solely on the provided source data, would be to: 1. Acknowledge the conflicting information between promotional material and official legal terms. 2. Understand that the official licence agreement (Source 4) is the governing legal document. 3. Note the prohibition on reselling the product or its components. 4. Recognise that user-uploaded free loops (Source 2) are a separate resource with their own, unverified licensing terms.
Conclusion
The Vengeance sound sample pack, as described in the source data, is a commercially available product intended for music production. The promotional materials claim it is royalty-free for commercial use. However, the official terms and conditions from Vengeance Sound introduce significant restrictions, including a clause that appears to prohibit the commercial use of compositions, melodies, and loops derived from their libraries. This creates a clear contradiction that users must navigate carefully. Furthermore, the availability of free, user-uploaded Vengeance-style loops on community platforms presents a separate, unofficial avenue for sourcing sounds, with licensing governed by the platform's terms rather than Vengeance Sound's official policy. UK producers should carefully review all available licence terms before incorporating any samples into commercial projects.