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+--- Thread: Can you copyright a tone? (/thread-99.html)
Can you copyright a tone? - jtkung - 05-06-2016
Currently, I believe US law does not allow you to copyright a tone or sound. You can copyright a work of music, art, writing, photo, etc. but not a singular tone (like the sound of a guitar amp). I think it's evolved this way because people have access to all sorts of hardware to make sounds and tones, and the equipment, instruments, etc. used to make these sounds are protected by patents (if applicable). The creation of the music as a creative work of art is covered by copyright.
However, with the advent of the Kemper Profiling Amplifier, this piece of hardware (already patented) can profile amplifiers and copy their distinctive sound. This has never been done before, and hence begs the question -- is this stealing? Conceptually, it can be viewed this way, though you are neither violating copyright or patent laws. The laws simply have not caught up with technology.
In my opinion, it's a grey area, but one where I advocate technology pushing forward and allowing the repercussions to determine the laws surrounding its application. The Kemper is certainly ground breaking, but has not yet shown that it can fully replace guitar amps. That industry has yet to be drastically affected, so the consequences have been minimal. If that industry becomes drastically affected by such modelers, you can be sure the industry would attempt to address it through laws preventing the use of the Kemper.
However, some would say that it allows the sounds of thousands of different amps to be demoed, and thus used as an advertising tool for the real hardware. I heartily concur as it has me craving for specific amps!
For now, such technology innovation provided by Kemper and others expands the sounds available to both the hobbyist and professional guitarist alike, and this can only be viewed as positive for the guitar community.