@naught101 @yabellini If you go far enough it's legal - at least in Europe.
"However, where a user, in exercising the freedom of the arts, takes a sound sample from a phonogram in order to use it, in a modified form unrecognisable to the ear, in a new work, it must be held that such use does not constitute ‘reproduction’ within the meaning of Article 2(c) of Directive 2001/29" (Nr. 31 in curia.europa.eu/juris/document)