Free tool: runs in your browser
Sample clearance request trackerfor every sample in a track
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes. List each sample with what was taken and how it is used. You get a log with who usually needs asking, warnings, a draft request and a spreadsheet file.
Everything you type stays on this page. This page does not tell you whether a sample needs clearance, and it cannot clear anything. Rules differ by country and by the facts. It is not legal advice.
Log your samples and see what is still open
Add each sample, say how it is used and where the request stands. Use the made-up example to see how it works. Nothing you type is sent to TimeBinder.
Everything you type stays on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere or tied to your name.
Log each sample, who to ask, and where each request stands
List each sample with what was taken and how it is used. You get a log with who usually needs to be asked, warnings, a draft permission request and a spreadsheet file. It does not say whether a sample needs clearing.
How do I keep track of sample clearance for a release? The short answer
Write down every sample: the song and artist, what was taken, how long it is, whether you used the original recording or replayed it, who you asked, and the reply. A sample of a recording usually involves two sets of rights: the recording (often a label) and the song (often a publisher). Replaying a part yourself can avoid the recording side, but the song side is still there. Keep every request and reply in writing, and decide early what to do with anything that has no answer by release day.
A very short sample can still need permission, and this tool cannot say whether yours does. A TimeBind of your session file and of the written replies can show those exact files existed no later than a recorded time and still match. It does not show that a sample is cleared.
Why this came up in November 2026
Sampling is a recurring worry for producers. Counts below were read on 13 November 2026 (Australia/Brisbane) unless the text says another date. TmrO Network’s “Why Jake One Tells Producers To Stop Stressing Over Sample Clearances And Just Make The Music”, uploaded on 5 November 2026, showed 33,414 views and 606 likes. Just outside the 14-day window, DJ Pain 1’s “The End Of Sampling? | Why You Need To Be Careful”, uploaded on 17 October 2026, showed 38,673 views. These are demand signals. This page does not check the claims made in either video.
What the videos share is the practical question: what did you take, who do you ask, and what happens if nobody answers. The tool keeps that in one log.
Sources: TmrO Network and DJ Pain 1, both on YouTube. For credits on a release, see the AI music credit line generator.
What this tool does and does not do
The honest job of this page is to keep your samples and replies in order. See also the glossary entries for existed no later than and SHA-256.
| Part | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Your sample log | Lists each sample with what was taken, how it is used, status and notes, and counts what is open. | Say whether a sample needs clearance. |
| Who to ask | Shows who usually holds the rights for a recording, a replay and a library sample. | Find the rights holders or their contact details. |
| Draft request | Writes a short permission request for samples you have not asked about yet. | Send it, or promise a reply or a price. |
| A TimeBind of a file you already hold | Records that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches, using a SHA-256 fingerprint made in your browser. The file stays on your device. | Show that a sample is cleared, or who made or owns anything. |
If you may need to show your files and replies later
For each sample you keep in the track:
- Save the written request, the reply and any licence in one folder with the session file.
- Make a TimeBind of each exact file you already hold. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file stays on your device. You can later download a Proof of Time Certificate.
- Keep the folder, the sample log and the certificates together, with the date of each reply.
A TimeBind shows the exact files existed no later than the recorded time and still match. It does not show that a sample is cleared.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
What a TimeBind shows, and what it does not. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and that a copy shown later still matches its fingerprint. It does not show who made the file, who owns it, that its contents are true, or whether AI was used to make or edit it. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sample clearance request tracker: FAQ
Does a short sample need clearance?
This page cannot say. Length alone does not decide it, and the rules differ by country. If you are unsure, ask the rights holders or a qualified adviser.
If I replay the sample myself, am I free of clearance?
Not necessarily. Replaying avoids using the original recording, but the song itself still has an owner, often a publisher. The tool shows this in the “who to ask” column.
Does the draft request get sent anywhere?
No. It stays on the page until you copy it. Add the right contact and change it as needed.
What about samples from a licensed pack?
Keep the licence. It sets what you may do, and the tool marks those rows so you remember to check it.
Can a TimeBind date my old files?
No. A TimeBind records the time you make it. For an old file it shows the exact file existed no later than that time, not before it.
Is anything I type or tick sent to TimeBinder?
No. This page runs in your browser. What you type stays on the page.
Related guides and tools
- AI music credit line generatorWrite credits for a release
- Song credits metadata record checklistKeep credits and metadata in order
- Split sheet generatorRecord who owns what share
- Distributor flag and takedown response logIf a release is flagged
- GlossaryPlain definitions of fingerprint, SHA-256 and existed no later than
- All free toolsPrivate, in-browser tools
Date the exact files you already hold
Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of your session files and written replies.
- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.