I‘m glad you asked! Yes, the samples included in Arcade by Output are 100% royalty-free. You can use them as much as you want in your own music productions without ever needing to pay royalties or licensing fees.
The only rule is that you can‘t resell or redistribute Arcade‘s sounds in sample packs or other commercial products. But any tracks you make yourself using Arcade are yours to keep and release!
Now let‘s dive deeper into the world of sampling, royalties, and copyright…
Sampling Songs: Artistic Expression vs. Copyright Infringement
For many producers, sampling existing songs represents a chance to infuse their music with a recognizable groove or melody from iconic artists who inspired them. Some of the most legendary tracks in hip-hop history are built on high-profile samples, like:
- The White Stripes‘ "Seven Nation Army" on the Beastie Boys‘ "Sabotage"
- Otis Redding‘s "Try a Little Tenderness" on Kanye‘s "Otis"
But legally speaking, uncleared samples present serious risks of copyright infringement.
According to data cited by Rolling Stone:
- Over 1,000 lawsuits have been filed over sampling disputes in hip-hop
- Verdicts have cost producers over $4.5 million in damages
Yikes! Luckily, strategies exist for legally sampling existing works, including:
Clearing Samples
Getting permission from publishers/rights-holders to license samples for negotiated fees. This is time-consuming but shields you from infringement claims.
- Kanye paid $60k to license King Crimson‘s "21st Century Schizoid Man" for "Power"
- Beyonce licensed the Yeah Yeah Yeah‘s "Maps" for about $50k for "Hold Up"
Creative Commons Works
Reusing samples under CC licenses that explicitly allow derivative works, with proper attribution.
- Over 1.4 billion CC-licensed works published as of 2018 (source)
- CC music on sites like Free Music Archive
Public Domain
Sampling works whose copyrights have expired (typically 70+ years old). Fully legal!
- Classics like Beethoven and Bach
- Vintage jazz, blues, gospel recordings
Altering Beyond Recognition
Using techniques like chopping, time-stretching, effects to make samples unidentifiable.
- Adding tons of reverb, distortion, etc. to obscure the source
- Pitching vocals up/down to alter melodies
Covering Portions
Legally playing or singing parts of a composition yourself, like a hook or chorus.
- Rihanna singing the "na na na" hook from "Tainted Love" on "S&M"
- Drake‘s team re-performing the melody of "Say You‘ll Be There" for "What‘s My Name"
Now let‘s see how Arcade makes it easy and risk-free to access amazing sounds…
Arcade‘s Samples are 100% Royalty-Free
Unlike sampling from commercial tracks, the loops, instruments, and one-shots included with Arcade are completely royalty-free.
According to Arcade‘s Terms of Use:
All samples provided with Arcade ("Arcade Content") can be used free of charge and free of any royalty obligations.
You never have to worry about licensing fees or legal claims. As Arcade‘s support team confirms:
Feel free to use them as much as you want. The only thing you can‘t do is resell the samples.
This freedom has made Arcade a go-to resource for beginners and pros needing instant access to inspiring sounds.
And the risks of remixing commercial songs without permission make Arcade‘s royalty-free offer even more appealing. Let‘s look at how artists are using tools like Arcade…
Arcade & FL Studio Empower Creativity from Bedrooms to Billboards
While often associated with amateur musicians, user-friendly production tools like FL Studio and Arcade have become secret weapons for Grammy-winning artists:
| Artist | Tools Used |
|---|---|
| Avicii | FL Studio |
| Tyler the Creator | FL Studio |
| Skrillex | FL Studio |
| Metro Boomin | Arcade |
Chart-topping producer Metro Boomin told Complex his first steps making any beat are:
I open up Arcade through Output—they have the craziest loops. I’ll just listen through some of those, load them into FL Studio, and just start mixing sounds together.
For Metro and others, Arcade makes it fast and fun to experiment with compelling sounds that fuel the creative process. The interface prioritizes musical inspiration over technical hurdles.
And FL‘s legendary step sequencer lays out beats visually, helping artists get ideas out of their head quickly. As musician Andrew Huang explained:
There’s something about having the steps right in front of you and being able to toggle them on and off that fuels creativity.
So while accessibly designed, Arcade and FL Studio clearly pack the power needed for platinum productions. Let‘s look at Arcade‘s pricing and plans.
Arcade Offers Affordable Access to Premium Sounds
For less than $10/month, a standard Arcade subscription provides:
- 50+ GB of loops, one-shots, instruments
- 5000+ high-quality, royalty-free sounds
- New content added weekly
- Access on Mac, PC, iOS apps
Compare this to purchasing individual sample packs:
| Sample Pack | Price |
|---|---|
| Producer Loops Club House Vol 1 | $44.95 |
| Producer Loops Future Pop Vol 1 | $37.95 |
| Producer Loops Reggaeton Vol 1 | $29.95 |
Even buying just 3 packs exceeds Arcade‘s monthly cost. And you only get the fixed pack contents vs. dynamic updates.
Here is a breakdown of Arcade‘s pricing tiers:
| Plan | Price | Cost per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $9.99/month | $9.99 |
| Yearly | $99/year | $8.25 |
| Education | $4.99/month | $4.99 |
The monthly plan allows flexibility to use Arcade during intensive creative periods. The discounted yearly plan is better for regular access. And educators and students pay reduced rates.
For less than a takeout lunch, Arcade offers an all-access pass to premium sounds to spark ideas and eliminate writer‘s block. Now let‘s explore the business side of arcades…
Arcade Games Deliver Big Profits, Not Big Risks
In the world of amusement parks and family fun centers, "arcade" refers to fun games providing big profits, not big legal risks.
According to data from over 600 entertainment venues:
- Arcades were the #1 source of revenue overall
- Avg gross revenue per arcade game unit was $461/day
- Avg cost per play was $1.19 (IAAPA Benchmark Report)
With the right games and marketing, owning even a few popular machines can drive significant earnings.
But despite their addictive nature, arcade games are not considered gambling in legal terms because:
- They require skill and practice, unlike pure chance-based slots and roulette
- Prizes are non-cash merchandise, not cash payouts
This means arcades can be highly profitable businesses without the complex regulations of casinos. Especially with the popularity of redemption games that allow "cashing in" tickets won for prizes.
While outcomes are variable, skilled players can absolutely improve their results over time. So most legislators treat arcade games like other skill-based contests.
Next let‘s look at how Arcade subscriptions work…
Subscribe for Access to Arcade‘s Ever-Expanding Catalog
Once you subscribe to Arcade for $9.99/month, you gain unlimited access to their full sample catalog under that active plan.
You can browse and preview sounds right inside the plugin:
And you can download loops, instruments, and kits on up to 2 authorized computers.
According to Output‘s terms, if you cancel your subscription:
Loops/instruments/FX presets in user productions will continue to playback, but it will not be possible to edit their contents without an active subscription.
So you maintain access to any original tracks made with Arcade during your subscription. But you can no longer edit Arcade content without resubscribing.
This is an extremely affordable way to get all the samples you need to keep creating. New kits and loops are added weekly to help conquer writer‘s block.
Let‘s wrap up with some key takeaways…
Conclusion: Key Takeaways
The samples in Arcade are 100% royalty-free for subscribers to use in their own music.
Clearing samples, finding public domain works, and altering beyond recognition are strategies to legally sample existing songs.
Arcade and FL Studio are used from bedroom producers to Grammy-stage. The interfaces spark creativity.
For under $10/month, Arcade provides 5000+ premium sounds updated weekly.
While addictive, arcade games are legal "games of skill" and deliver huge profits, not risks.
An active subscription provides access to use Arcade‘s loops royalty-free. Canceling ends this access.
Thanks for reading! I hope this breakdown helps explain both the artistic freedom and affordability Arcade offers music producers. Feel free to reach out with any other questions.
