Our full Terms of Use is located here. Please consult this FAQ for the most up-to-date and detailed information on licensing Splice Sounds. Any defined terms used below have their meaning set forth in the Terms of Use.
Q: Are all sounds on Splice Sounds royalty-free?
A: Yes. You have a royalty-free license for every sound that you download from Splice Sounds. Please be aware that most distributors still require you to disclose the use of any licensed third-party materials in your content, even if they are royalty-free. A certified license from Splice can be provided for this purpose.
Q: Where can I get the certified license for my samples?
A: Go to Your Sounds, select the sample(s) (up to 25) you would like to be included in the license, and click ‘Generate certified license’ either from the ⋮ dropdown, or from the sidebar. Enter your full legal name, and the artist or producer name that will be used when releasing the work. Then, click ‘Generate certified license’ and a PDF document will land in your browser’s downloads folder. From here, you can upload the document when you submit your release to show proof of your license.
For more detail, please refer to our guide here: How do I generate a certified license for my samples?
Q: Will a certified license stop my music from getting flagged by content recognition technology?
A: While we can’t guarantee that your tracks won’t get flagged, this certified license will be all you need to show proof that you can use the sample legally, dispute the claim, and get your music out to the world as soon and seamlessly as possible.
Q: Are all sounds on Splice Sounds non-exclusive?
A: Yes. You have a non-exclusive license to each sound that you download from Splice Sounds, meaning other users can also use the same sounds as you without infringing on any New Recording or Creative Works you create using that sound and vice versa.
Q: Can I use Sounds from Splice for commercial use?
A: Yes. The license for sounds you download from Splice Sounds permits use for commercial and non-commercial purposes so long as you remain in compliance with our Terms of Use.
Examples of commercial use include but are not limited to distributing your New Recording via a record label and uploading a Creative Work or New Recording to a third-party media platform for purposes of monetization.
You own any New Recordings or Creative Works you make using Splice Sounds. Subject to any other third-party rights in your New Recording or Creative Work, you may sell your New Recording or Creative Work, however, because you license, but do not own the Splice Sounds contained in the New Recording or Creative Work, the rights to the Sounds are sublicensed, not sold, by you to the third-party.
Q: Can I use Splice Sounds in more than just music (like videos, films, or games)?
A: Yes. You can use sounds you downloaded from Splice Sounds both commercially and non-commercially in the following ways:
New Recordings: Combined with other sounds in new music productions
Creative Works: In various other projects including video games, film, television, radio, live performances, and vlogs (used either in isolation as sound effects, loops, and/or sound mixes)
Q: Can I sell a beat, instrumental, or composition I made using Splice Sounds as royalty-free music?
A: Splice does not prevent users from distributing New Recordings on other platforms as non-exclusive, royalty-free music but it is ultimately up to that platform. Libraries may have specific rules and restrictions, so you should confirm your ability to sell such New Recordings with those platforms. However, you may not distribute any Splice Sounds as royalty-free samples or loops.
Q: Can you use Splice in creations made for synch licensing (made for TV, film, etc.)?
A: Splice has no restriction on the use of its Sounds being subject to synchronization uses. Your certified license from Splice covers this use, however, you should check with the third party you are working with to determine their rules for synchronization.
Q: What are the limitations of my license to use sounds from Splice Sounds?
A: Here are a few things you can’t do with sounds you downloaded from Splice Sounds:
Sublicense sounds in isolation as sound effects, loops, or as source material for any other sample (even if you modify the original sample)
Use sounds in a way that’s competitive to Splice or its licensors, like redistributing them in new sample packs
Use the name, image, or likeness of the artist or creator associated with a sound in any way without that artist's express written permission (which you are solely responsible for obtaining).
Please see Section 3.1.1.3 - Prohibited Uses of our Terms of Use for the full list of restrictions.
Q: Do I lose this license if I cancel my Sounds account?
A: No, the sounds you've downloaded remain covered under the license granted to you at the time of download, even if you decide to cancel or pause your Splice Sounds subscription.
Your license to the Sounds you download while a Splice subscriber is perpetual. This means you retain the rights to the Sounds you have downloaded in accordance with our Terms of Use even after you cancel your subscription or Account, including the right to sublicense.
Q: Does the music I made using Splice Sounds fall within the public domain, under something like Creative Commons / CC0?
A: A public-domain license such as CC0 is not appropriate for non-exclusive, royalty-free sounds such as Sounds from Splice. While you have full ownership of your New Recording or Creative Work made with Splice Sounds, you do not own exclusive rights to the actual Sounds.
Q: Do I have 100% ownership of my composition if I use sounds from Splice Sounds?
A: The use of sounds from Splice Sounds in your New Recording or Creative Work does not impact your ownership of that newly created content, however, you don’t own the exclusive rights to those Sounds. Other users can use the same Sounds without infringing on your New Recording or Creative Work and vice versa.
Q: Can I register my creative work for copyright?
A: We don’t restrict copyright registration for New Recordings or Creative Works you make using Splice Sounds, but recommend consulting your own legal counsel for further information on matters concerning copyright registration.
Q: Do I need to give Splice or the sample creator credit when registering with a PRO (publishing rights organization) like ASCAP or BMI? What/who do I put under “vocalist” or for the lyrics when registering a song containing a Splice vocal sample with a PRO?
A: While you are required by most PROs to disclose that you are using third-party audio samples in your song or composition (aka a New Recording), you do not need to credit Splice or any individual sample creator as they are not a co-owner of your track. Please note that you may not credit a creator who made or contributed to a Sound you downloaded from Splice without their express permission.
Q: Are individual loops or one-shot samples purchased from Splice ineligible for monetization on other content platforms?
A: Samples downloaded from Splice Sounds are yours to use in combination with other sounds in commercial or non-commercial works without needing to pay royalties or credit Splice or the original creator of the sound. This commercial use applies to uploading your new content on platforms or services outside of Splice. However, distributors may have specific rules or restrictions for what material is eligible for monetization. For example, services may require exclusive rights to all source content (such as individual samples), which is not possible with samples from Splice Sounds. We recommend you consult with the third-party platform you are seeking to work with for more detailed information on the specific monetization requirements of that platform.
Q: If another producer uses the same sample(s) as me in their work, is my work infringing on their work?
A: All samples available on Splice Sounds are licensed to users non-exclusively, meaning multiple users can use the same sample in their own works without infringing on each other's intellectual property rights insofar as it pertains to that sample.
Q: Do I need to give the creator of the sample credit?
A: No, you do not need to provide credit to the creator of a sample you use. Additionally, you should not use the name or likeness of a creator in your track, or in promotion of your track, without their express permission.
Q: What do you mean by not being able to use the “likeness” of an artist in my work?
A: Based on our Terms of Use, you cannot use the name or likeness (which may include image, voice, or other identifiable characteristics) of creators whose sounds are distributed on Splice without the creator’s express permission. Some examples of using the name of likeness of a creator would be to include a photo of them when promoting your track, crediting them as a feature on your track, and/or including them as a contributor to the track for splitting royalties.
Q: If I use an unedited, isolated audio loop as the beginning of my composition, is that covered by the royalty-free license?
A: Because the audio sample is included in a New Recording, the sample is covered by the royalty-free license even if the sample is soloed at some point in the track.
Q: Can I use Splice content as training/modeling data for AI?
A: Use of content downloaded from Splice for the purposes of training/modeling data for AI is not permitted by our Terms of Use. Use of Sounds is limited to the creation of New Recordings and Creative Works, neither of which include AI training data.