Remixing & Mashups Remixing & Mashups MCQ 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under US copyright law, which legal doctrine most often protects mashup creators when they use short samples without a license?
- Work for hire
- Fair use (Correct answer)
- Public domain
- Compulsory license
Correct answer: Fair use
Fair use is the primary defense mashup artists invoke, evaluated on four factors including purpose, nature, amount used, and market effect.
Question 2: What is the term for a remix that strips a song down to its individual component audio tracks?
- Bootleg
- Stem remix (Correct answer)
- Acappella dub
- White label
Correct answer: Stem remix
A stem remix uses isolated stems (drums, bass, vocals, etc.) provided by the original producer or extracted via software.
Question 3: Which famous 2004 mashup album by Danger Mouse blended The Beatles' 'White Album' with Jay-Z's 'The Black Album'?
- The Collision Record
- The Grey Album (Correct answer)
- The Blueprint Remix
- Revolver Revisited
Correct answer: The Grey Album
Danger Mouse's 'The Grey Album' became a landmark mashup release and sparked major copyright debate after EMI issued cease-and-desist letters.
Question 4: When two songs are combined by playing them simultaneously in different keys, what must be adjusted to make them sound harmonic?
- Tempo
- Bit depth
- Pitch (Correct answer)
- Loudness
Correct answer: Pitch
Pitch-shifting one or both tracks to a compatible key prevents clashing harmonics and tonal dissonance in the mashup.
Question 5: A DJ creates a mashup and sells it commercially without permission from any rights holder. Which right is most directly infringed?
- Moral rights
- Synchronization rights
- Reproduction rights (Correct answer)
- Public display rights
Correct answer: Reproduction rights
Copying and distributing the original recordings without authorization infringes the copyright owner's exclusive reproduction rights.
Question 6: In music production, what does 'key detection' software help a mashup producer determine?
- The BPM of a track
- The musical key a track is recorded in (Correct answer)
- The sample rate of an audio file
- The loudness in LUFS
Correct answer: The musical key a track is recorded in
Key detection software analyzes a track's pitch content to identify its root note and mode, which is essential for harmonic mixing.
Question 7: Which Creative Commons license type allows others to remix a work but requires the derivative to be shared under the same terms?
- CC BY-ND
- CC BY-SA (Correct answer)
- CC BY-NC
- CC BY
Correct answer: CC BY-SA
CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike) permits remixing but mandates the new work be released under an identical or compatible license.
Remixing & Mashups Remixing & Mashups MCQ 2
Under US copyright law, which legal doctrine most often protects mashup creators when they use short samples without a license?