Clearing a sample by email means finding the owners of the recording and the song yourself, writing to each of them and agreeing the terms in a back-and-forth thread. Clearhly is a music rights marketplace where you send the request to a verified rights holder from the listing, agree terms in one place and e-sign the license on the platform.
Both can lead to a valid license. The difference is how much of the process you have to organise and keep track of yourself.
How the two processes compare
- By email: find the owners. Research credits and databases to work out who owns the recording and the song, then find a contact address for each.
- By email: negotiate. Explain your use in each email, wait for replies and keep the agreed terms in sync across separate threads.
- By email: paperwork. Draft or receive a contract, sign it, arrange payment by bank transfer and store the documents yourself.
- On Clearhly: request from the listing. Pick the use type on the listing of a verified rights holder and describe your project.
- On Clearhly: agree, sign and pay. Terms are agreed in one thread or fixed in advance, both sides e-sign and you pay through Stripe. The license gets a clearance number anyone can check.
Side by side
| Step | By email | Clearhly |
|---|---|---|
| Who you contact | Whoever you can find for each owner | The verified rights holder on the listing |
| Starting point | A blank email | A request with use type, project and scope |
| Terms | Spread across email threads | One thread, or fixed price and terms set by the holder |
| Contract | Drafted and signed separately | E-signed on the platform |
| Payment | Arranged between the parties | Through Stripe, held for 14 days before release to the holder |
| Proof | The documents you keep | A clearance number checkable on the Verify page |
When the other way can still make sense
- The owner of the original is not on Clearhly. Email or a direct contact is then the way to reach them.
- You already have a working relationship with the label or publisher and an agreed contract template.
- The rights holder asks you to use their own process or paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
Why not just agree a license by email?
You can, but on Clearhly the terms, both e-signatures and the payment sit in one record with a clearance number, so proving your license later takes a single link.
What if the track I want is not on Clearhly yet?
Reach out to the owners and invite them to list on Clearhly. Once they do, every future request for their catalog runs through the same simple flow.
What does Clearhly handle for me?
The whole deal flow: your request, the agreed terms, e-signatures from both sides, payment through Stripe and a clearance number that proves your license.
Do I pay a fee to request on Clearhly?
Licensing is free on Clearhly: you pay only the license price agreed with the rights holder. The rights holder pays a success fee when a deal closes.