Interpolation vs sampling: A producer’s guide to music borrowing and clearance in 2026Ad feature with BandLab. [Editor’s Note: MusicTech and BandLab are both part of Caldecott Music Group.]
When Taylor Swift released The Life of a Showgirl last October, the superstar drew significant online discourse to two creative acts: interpolation and sampling.
Swift demonstrated these techniques in tracks such as Father Figure — but the differences between sampling and interpolation can often seem blurry. Both creative methods come with legal considerations that, when followed, can protect you from infringing on copyright and ensure you and your fellow producers are getting paid.
To help you navigate these concepts confidently, MusicTech has invited BandLab to share its expertise.
The team behind the massively popular music creation platform has created a guide to sampling vs interpolation, covering the basics on rights, permissions and when to use each technique, ensuring you’re clued up for 2026 and beyond.
Interpolation vs sampling
What is interpolation?
Interpolation isn’t a new concept. Composers have been borrowing and reworking melodies from earlier tracks before the existence of modern recording tech. But it really hit the spotlight in the late 90s, when hip-hop and R&B producers leaned heavily on replaying the hooks from soul, funk, and pop records instead of sampling them outright.
Image: BandLab Technologies
This let them skip costly sample clearance and gave them freedom to reinterpret the material to fit their creative vision. That era was what cemented interpolation as a creative tool in music production. You’ve definitely heard it in recent hits — Doja Cat and SZA’s song Kiss Me More is a nod to Olivia Newton-John’s 1981 hit Physical, for example.
Interpolation can take several forms depending on what’s borrowed. Using a larger section of a song (like the chords or overall arrangement) and reshaping it is known as structural interpolation. Recreating a melody with different instruments or a fresh vocal take is melodic interpolation. And if you borrow lyrics from an existing song but place them in a new context, that’s lyrical interpolation.
What is sampling?
Sampling has a different backstory. In the 1940s, French composer Pierre Schaeffer experimented with creating new music from tape loops of recorded sound. At first, it was mostly an academic or experimental technique. Fast forward to the late 1980s, and producers were looping funk and soul records and building full tracks around them.
Since then, many genres have embraced the technique, giving birth to countless hits over the years. Think Kanye West’s Stronger, which famously samples Daft Punk’s Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, which also samples Edwin Birdsong’s Cola Bottle Baby from 1979.
Sampling comes in a few forms, too. When you lift full sections or riffs from a track, that’s loop sampling. Taking short, isolated sounds like drum hits or vocal snippets is known as one-shot sampling. And when you cut and rearrange sections to create a new rhythm, melody, or hook, that’s chop sampling.
Today, both sampling and interpolation are far more accessible to creators at all levels. Free DAWs like BandLab let anyone work on desktop or mobile without the need for expensive gear. For interpolation, built-in tools like Splitter let you isolate vocals or instruments from songs, analyse them, and re-perform each part. You can also use the free Sampler tool to build custom 16-pad kits, chop loops, and layer sounds right in your project.

When to choose interpolation vs sampling
If interpolation is often easier to clear legally, why do some creators still prefer sampling? And when is it better to choose interpolation vs sampling? It depends on what your track needs creatively.
When to use interpolation
Interpolation works best when you want to reference parts of a song without using the original recording. Because you’re re-recording it yourself, you usually only need permission from the songwriters or publishers, making the clearance process simpler and less expensive than getting a master use license.
Beyond the legal side, it also gives you more room to get creative. You can swap out instruments, change the rhythm or key, or add your own vocal style, all while still paying homage to the original track.
A strong example of this is Ariana Grande’s song 7 Rings, which reimagines 1965’s My Favorite Things by Rodgers and Hammerstein in a fresh, modern way.
When to use sampling
Sampling makes more sense when you want the specific sound of a recording in your track. Sometimes a vocal tone or texture simply can’t be recreated, and using the original audio brings an authenticity or nostalgic weight that interpolation can’t quite match.
Keep in mind that sampling requires more legal work. You’ll need clearance from both the songwriters and the owner of the master recording, which can make it more complex and costly — but it may well be worth the effort.
How do you get the right permissions for interpolation vs sampling?
Creativity is only half of the equation. The other half is making sure you have the right permissions before you release your track to the world. This is where many creators trip up.
If you’re new to this, here’s some background: Music rights are generally split into two parts: the composition, which covers the melody and lyrics; and the master recording, which is the actual recorded performance.
Interpolation only involves the former, since you’re re-recording the material yourself. Sampling uses both the composition and the original recording, which is why it requires an extra layer of clearance.
Credit: BandLab
How to get permission for interpolation
Start by identifying who owns the song’s composition. This information is public but sometimes tricky to track down. Performing rights organisations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, or PRS have databases, and tools like Songview or ASCAP ACE can confirm songwriters and publishers.
Once you know who to contact, you’ll need to explain how the interpolation is used. This includes what part of the song you’re referencing, how prominent it is, and how you plan to release your track.
Publishers often request songwriting credit, a share of royalties, or both. Occasionally, a small upfront fee might be involved, though this is often more affordable than sampling. Everything should be confirmed in writing via a licensing agreement or publishing split sheet before your song goes live.
How to get permission for sampling
Sampling is a two-step process. In addition to clearing the composition, you need permission from the owner of the master recording. This could be a label, an independent artist, a rights management company, or even an estate.
Reach out to both parties separately and clearly outline how the sample is used: its length, whether it’s looped or altered, and how central it is to your track. Each rights holder negotiates independently, and approval from one doesn’t automatically mean approval from the other.
If it’s cleared, you’ll receive a publishing license for the composition and a master use license for the recording. Be aware: some requests are declined, especially for heavily featured samples or works with multiple rights holders.
Staying legally safe when sampling
Don’t wait until after your song is finished (or worse, released) to think about clearance. A common mistake creators make is assuming that small changes are enough to avoid permission.
As you create, take note of what you’ve referenced, where it came from, and how it’s used in your track. Your collaborators should also be aligned on what’s been sampled or interpolated before the song gets released. When in doubt, ask for permission early or consult a music lawyer — it’s always safer than guessing.
How to credit properly
Lastly, make sure you credit other musicians properly. This is important both legally and ethically, and just shows basic respect for the artists who influenced your work.
For interpolations, add original songwriters to your credits and update publishing splits. Make sure these are correctly registered with your distributor and PRO so royalties flow properly.
For samples, credit both the songwriters and the master recording owner as required. Common phrasing includes “contains a sample of…” or “includes elements from…”, and it appears in liner notes, metadata, or official credits.
Regardless of which method you choose, experimenting has never been easier. There are plenty of royalty-free samples available online (over 250,000 in BandLab Sounds alone) that you can use worry-free in your tracks, with no credit required.
Now, with these tips in mind, go ahead and create as confidently as Taylor Swift with interpolation and sampling in your music for 2026.
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