Frequently Asked Questions

FreeMix is a music platform built for sharing, remixing, and open licensing — designed for DJs, producers, remixers, and independent artists. Upload your tracks, stems, mixes, and samples, choose a license that defines exactly what others can do with your music, and let the remix chain build from there. Every derivative links back to its source with full attribution, always.

FreeMix is built on AT Protocol — the same open, decentralized protocol behind Bluesky — so you own your identity and your data.

Most music platforms treat sharing and remixing as an afterthought — or actively discourage it. FreeMix is built from the ground up for remix culture:

• Purpose-built music licenses. Not generic Creative Commons — six license tiers designed for how musicians actually work: remixing, sampling, sharing stems, DJ edits.
• Transparent remix attribution. Every remix links back to its source. The full lineage of a track is visible in the remix tree — who used what, and where it came from.
• Stems as a first-class feature. Upload individual stems alongside your tracks. Let producers, DJs, and remixers work with the building blocks, not just the finished mix.
• You own your data. Built on AT Protocol, your music, metadata, and social connections live in your Personal Data Server — not locked into our platform. No walled garden.
• No ads, no algorithmic gatekeeping. The feed is music-focused and chronological.

When you upload a track, you choose one of six FreeMix license tiers that tells the world exactly what others can do with your music:

• FM:Open — Do anything. No strings attached. The most permissive tier.
• FM:Remix — Remix and sample freely with attribution. Commercial use allowed.
• FM:Stems — Stems available for creative use. The full track itself isn't redistributable.
• FM:DJ — DJ-friendly edits like extended intros, outros, instrumentals, and acapellas. Play it out, don't give it out.
• FM:Samples — Building blocks for your next creation. Zero royalty.
• FM:NonCommercial — Remix for non-commercial use (DJ sets, mixtapes). Commercial use requires separate negotiation.

On top of these tiers, you can add modifiers: Credit (require attribution), ShareAlike (derivatives must also carry a FreeMix license), Royalty (earn when derivatives of your work are sold), and NoAI (opt out of machine learning training).

Every license is machine-readable and built into the protocol — no guessing, no ambiguity about what's allowed.

The remix tree is FreeMix's visual lineage system. When someone uploads a remix, they link it to the original source material. FreeMix automatically builds a graph showing the full chain of derivatives — who remixed what, who sampled whom, all the way back to the original.

This means original creators can see exactly how their work is being used and built upon. It also means every remix carries verifiable provenance — you can always trace a track back to its roots.

FreeMix runs a royalty cascade where original creators earn from downstream derivatives of their work. When someone remixes or uses your stems and that derivative is sold, royalties flow back up the chain to every contributor — automatically, based on the license terms you set.

Each generation in the remix chain receives a proportionally reduced share, so compensation stays fair across deep remix trees while ensuring the original creator always benefits.

Royalties are live. Set a royalty rate on your license — you'll earn a share automatically each time your track is sold or remixed into a sale. You choose the percentage when you upload, and it travels with the license from then on.

AT Protocol (ATProto) is the open, decentralized protocol behind Bluesky. On FreeMix, it means three things:

1. Portable identity. Sign in with your existing Bluesky account. Your DID (decentralized identifier) is yours — not tied to any single platform.
2. Data sovereignty. Your music, metadata, and social graph live in your Personal Data Server (PDS), not on our servers. If FreeMix disappeared tomorrow, your data wouldn't.
3. No lock-in. Because everything is built on an open protocol, your catalog and your audience aren't trapped behind a proprietary wall.

If you already have a Bluesky account, you can sign in to FreeMix with it — no new account needed.

FreeMix is built with electronic music and remix culture at its core — house, techno, drum & bass, hip-hop, ambient, and everything in between. But the platform isn't genre-restricted. Any music can be uploaded, licensed, and remixed on FreeMix. If your workflow involves stems, samples, mixes, or remixes, FreeMix is designed for you. In fact, we want to support any and all genres to see what people come up with.

Yes — FreeMix is free to use, and will remain free for most creators. There are also Pro plans for labels, high-volume creators, and DJs who need more storage and tools.

FreeMix is built by FreeMix LLC, an independent music and technology company based in the Chicago area. It's created by a developer and music producer with over 30 years of experience in electronic music — someone who builds tools for the community they're part of.