FreeMix License Framework
The FreeMix License Framework is a licensing system designed specifically for how music is created today. The FreeMix licenses were built from the ground up with direct input from a music attorney as they are foundational to how FreeMix works.
FreeMix licenses are legally binding agreements — choosing a license, downloading under a license, and setting royalty terms all create contractual obligations. This requires the legal capacity to enter contracts. Please take a moment to read through the licenses and modifiers to understand how they work. We’ve tried to make them as clear as possible. If you have any questions, please reach out to
How It Works
Section titled “How It Works”Every track, stem, or sample you upload must be assigned a license tier by you — the creator. The tier tells anyone on FreeMix exactly what they can do with your music. License tiers are then combined with option modifiers to create a license string.
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 creator 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 |
Every tier includes the DJ/Performance right — the licensed material may be used in a mix or live performance. It is a baseline of the framework, not something you opt into.
The Four Modifiers
Section titled “The Four 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 → 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 |
| 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 free to use, and every creator chooses whether their work is free or paid. Pricing and royalties are opt-in, never the default.
- 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.