FreeMix License Framework
The FreeMix License Framework is a licensing system designed specifically for music. Not adapted from software licenses (MIT, GPL) or generic creative licenses (Creative Commons) — built from the ground up for how music is actually shared, remixed, and performed.
How It Works
Section titled “How It Works”Every track, stem, or sample you upload gets a license tier. The tier tells other users exactly what they can do with your music.
The format is straightforward:
FM:[Tier] · [Modifier] · [Modifier] · ...For example: FM:Remix · Credit · Royalty(10%)
That tells you: this track can be remixed, the original artist must be credited, and they receive 10% of any commercial sales of derivatives.
The Six Tiers
Section titled “The Six Tiers”| Tier | What it allows | Commercial use? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FM:Open | Anything goes — remix, sample, redistribute | Yes | Tracks you want maximum reach for |
| FM:Remix | Remix and sample freely | Yes (unless modified) | Most electronic music |
| FM:NC | Remix for non-commercial use only | No (negotiate separately) | Protecting commercial rights |
| FM:Stems | Use individual stems, full track protected | Yes (for derivatives) | Sharing production parts |
| FM:DJ | Public performance, no file sharing | Yes (performance) | DJ-friendly edits |
| FM:Samples | Building blocks — 0% royalty always | Yes | One-shots, loops, snippets |
The Five Modifiers
Section titled “The Five Modifiers”Modifiers add requirements or restrictions on top of the base tier. When multiple modifiers are present, they always appear in this fixed order:
Credit → Mix → Royalty(n%) → ShareAlike → NoAI
This ensures one canonical string per license. FM:Remix · Credit · Royalty(10%) · ShareAlike is correct; FM:Remix · ShareAlike · Royalty(10%) · Credit is not.
| Modifier | What it does |
|---|---|
| Credit | Attribution required — credit the original creator |
| Mix | Transparency flag — the work contains a mix of licensed and unlicensed content |
| Royalty(n%) | Original creator receives n% of revenue from commercial sales of derivatives |
| ShareAlike | Derivatives must carry the same FreeMix license tier or more restrictive |
| NoAI | May not be used for machine learning or AI training data |
Design Principles
Section titled “Design Principles”- Clarity over brevity — You should understand what a license allows just by reading its name.
- Creators should be able to earn from their work — The Royalty modifier ensures original creators are compensated when derivatives generate revenue.
- Free first — FreeMix is a free platform. Commerce features with optional royalties are planned for the future.
- Transparency over prohibition — Especially regarding AI. FreeMix requires honest disclosure rather than blanket bans.
Machine-Readable Licenses
Section titled “Machine-Readable Licenses”Licenses aren’t just badges on a webpage. They’re embedded in the protocol as structured data — stored as AT Protocol records that any application can read and enforce. When you set a license, it’s part of the permanent record.