want to use two lines and a 13 note signature guitar lead in a song for recording. how to get permission? song very dissimilar from original.

This can be a daunting task. To get permission, you must find out who owns the copyrights in the original song and you must get a license from all copyright owners. That includes the songwriting, publishing and sound recording rights. Check ASCAP, BMI and SESAC online records to find out the songwriters and publishers of the song. You will also need a license from the owner of the copyright in the sound recording that you want to use. It doesn't matter if your song overall is very dissimilar from the original song that you want to sample from, what matters is whether listeners can recognize the sampled parts as being from the original song. Below are the names of several companies that specialize in clearing samples and obtaining licenses. This is not an endorsement of these companies but rather are a reference to start your own research to see if you may want to have a third party help you rather than doing it yourself - which could be a minefield. DMG ClearancesWeb www.dmgclearances.com Music Resources, Inc.Web www.musicresources.com The Parker Music GroupWeb www.musicclearance.com