ABBEY ROAD FREE SAMPLED INSTRUMENT – LICENCE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Last updated: 9 February 2026
1.
ABOUT THESE LICENCE TERMS
1.1.
These licence terms and conditions (“Licence Terms”) govern your relationship with Virgin Records Limited, trading as Abbey Road Studios (“Abbey Road”, “us” or “we”) when you request access to, access or use The Big Nessie, a free software-based sampled instrument made up of sounds, samples and related content owned by us and / or our licensors (the “Sampled Instrument”).
1.2.
By submitting your email address via the form https://abbeyroad.com/bignessie to request access to the Sampled Instrument, you accept and agree to these Licence Terms. If you do not agree to these Licence Terms, you must not submit your email address or access or use the Sampled Instrument.
2.
THE SAMPLED INSTRUMENT
2.1.
The Sampled Instrument was created by Abbey Road and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy. It is made available to you in electronic format, free of charge.
2.2.
Access to the Sampled Instrument is enabled by a serial number distributed by Abbey Road, which can then be used to activate the Sampled Instrument via third-party software, as described in clause 5.
3.
HOW TO REQUEST ACCESS TO THE SAMPLED INSTRUMENT
3.1.
To request access to the Sampled Instrument, you must submit a valid email address via the form https://abbeyroad.com/bignessie, where indicated. We will not accept any submissions that are: automatically generated by computer, completed by third parties or in bulk, or which are illegible, incomplete, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with.
3.2.
After submitting your email address, you will receive an email containing a verification link. You must verify your email address in order to proceed.
3.3.
Subject to availability, once your email address has been verified, we will issue you with a serial number. This will be displayed on screen and also sent to you by email together with activation instructions.
3.4.
A maximum of 25,000 serial numbers will be made available, issued on a first-come, first-served basis (or such other method as we may reasonably determine). One serial number per person. Serial numbers have no cash value and are non-transferable. We do not guarantee that you will receive a serial number.
3.5.
We do not accept responsibility if an email we send to the email address you have provided does not reach you for any reason beyond our reasonable control, including where the email is flagged as spam.
4.
ELIGIBILITY
You must be 18 years or older to be eligible to submit your email address, and to use the Sampled Instrument. By submitting your email address, you represent and warrant that you are 18 years or older.
5.
THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE
5.1.
The Sampled Instrument is integrated with software owned and provided by a third-party, Native Instruments GmbH (“Native Instruments”), which includes its Kontakt 8 Player and its Native Kontrol Standard (the “Third-Party Software”).
5.2.
If you wish to use the Sampled Instrument, you will need to register for an account with Native Instruments (or use an existing account), activate your serial number through its Native Access platform and install the Third-Party Software.
5.3.
Your use of the Third-Party Software is governed by Native Instruments’ own terms and end user licence agreement, available on its website at the following link: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/company/legal-information/end-user-license-agreement/. Any contract you enter into with Native Instruments in relation to the Third-Party Software is between you and Native Instruments, and not us. Native Instruments may process registration data and may use such data in accordance with its privacy policy. Abbey Road and Native Instruments act as independent controllers of personal data they process for their respective purposes.
5.4.
We do not control, endorse or accept responsibility for the availability or performance of the Third-Party Software. We are not responsible for any damage or disruption caused to you or your device by your use of the Third-Party Software.
6.
LICENCE AND PERMITTED USE
6.1.
Subject to you agreeing to these Licence Terms, we grant to you a perpetual, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable licence to use the Sampled Instrument (subject to the restrictions in paragraph 7 below) as a creative audio tool for making music or sound-based works, including for personal, educational and commercial purposes, royalty-free. For the avoidance of doubt, your licence to use any copy of the Sampled Instrument that you have already activated is perpetual; however, we may cease offering new downloads or new serial numbers after the availability window ends or otherwise.
6.2.
The Sampled Instrument is owned by us and / or our licensors and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.
6.3.
The Sampled Instrument is licensed, not sold. All intellectual property rights in and to the Sampled Instrument are expressly reserved by us and our licensors.
6.4.
Except as otherwise expressly permitted under these Licence Terms or applicable laws, you shall not modify, decompile, reverse engineer, sell, resell, lease, license, distribute or otherwise transfer the Sampled Instrument or any derivative work thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, you may not use any intellectual property of Abbey Road and/or Charles Jeffrey Loverboy (including the Abbey Road trade marks and/or the name, image, voice and likeness of Charles Jeffrey) separately from or other than as part of the Sampled Instrument.
6.5.
To use the Sampled Instrument, your device must meet certain system requirements, which may be updated from time to time and can be found on the Website.
6.6.
If you download the Sampled Instrument onto any device not owned by you, you must have the owner’s permission to do so. You will be responsible for complying with these Licence Terms, whether or not you own the device.
7.
RESTRICTIONS
7.1.
You must not:
7.1.1.
extract, copy, sub-license, sell, rent, lease, loan or distribute the Sampled Instrument or its components to any person, on a standalone basis;
7.1.2.
share, transfer or make available your serial number to any other person;
7.1.3.
use the Sampled Instrument in a way that infringes the intellectual property rights of us or our licensors; or
7.1.4.
use the Sampled Instrument in any unlawful manner, for any unlawful purpose, or in any manner inconsistent with these terms.
8.
AVAILABILITY
8.1.
The Sampled Instrument is made available for a limited allocation of 25,000 serial numbers and for a limited period. Access may end when the allocation is exhausted, on or after one year from launch, or earlier if we withdraw availability.
8.2.
The Sampled Instrument is provided free of charge. Access to downloads, serial issuance and support may be withdrawn or discontinued at any time by us or our third-party provider. We do not guarantee ongoing availability.
9.
CHANGES TO THESE LICENCE TERMS
9.1.
We may change or modify these Licence Terms from time to time, which will be effective when posted on the Abbey Road Website (the “Website”). We may not notify you directly of changes to the Licence Terms and so we encourage you to check the Website regularly for any updates. The date of last modification is stated at the start of these Licence Terms.
10.
NO WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY
10.1.
The Sampled Instrument is provided “as is”. To the extent permitted by law, we do not give any warranties about its functionality, compatibility or fitness for a particular purpose.
10.2.
Nothing in these Licence Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or fraud, or any liability that cannot be excluded under law.
10.3.
If defective digital content that we have supplied damages a device or digital content belonging to you, we will either repair the damage or pay you compensation. However, we will not be liable for damage that you could have avoided by following our advice to apply an update offered to you free of charge or for damage that was caused by you failing to correctly follow installation instructions or to have in place the minimum system requirements advised by us.
11.
HOW WE MAY USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
11.1.
How we use any personal data you give us is set out in our privacy policy available at https://www.umusic.co.uk/privacy.html. It is important that you read that information.
11.2.
As stated in clause 5, the Sampled Instrument is designed to operate using the Third Party Software. Native Instruments will also process your personal data and such processing shall be subject to the terms of their separate privacy policy available via its website.
12.
OTHER IMPORTANT TERMS
12.1.
You may only transfer your rights or your obligations under this Licence to another person if we agree in writing.
12.2.
This contract is between you and us. These Licence Terms do not give rise to any rights to any third party to enforce any term of these Licence Terms.
13.
GOVERNING LAW
13.1.
These Licence Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and you and we hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts as regards any claim or matter arising in relation to these Licence Terms.
13.2.
If mandatory statutory consumer protection regulations in your country of residence contain provisions that apply by application of applicable law:
13.2.1.
such provisions shall apply irrespective of the choice of English law; and
13.2.2.
if such mandatory provisions entitle you to bring any judicial proceedings relating to this Licence before the competent court of your place of residence, you shall be entitled to do so.
13.3.
Please also note that you must comply with all applicable laws and regulations of your country of residence. We will not be liable for any breach by you of any such laws.
14.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions about the Sampled Instrument or these Licence Terms, you can contact us at thebignessie@abbeyroad.com.
1.
ABOUT THESE LICENCE TERMS
1.1.
These licence terms and conditions (“Licence Terms”) govern your relationship with Virgin Records Limited, trading as Abbey Road Studios (“Abbey Road”, “us” or “we”) when you request access to, access or use The Big Nessie, a free software-based sampled instrument made up of sounds, samples and related content owned by us and / or our licensors (the “Sampled Instrument”).
1.2.
By submitting your email address via the form https://abbeyroad.com/bignessie to request access to the Sampled Instrument, you accept and agree to these Licence Terms. If you do not agree to these Licence Terms, you must not submit your email address or access or use the Sampled Instrument.
2.
THE SAMPLED INSTRUMENT
2.1.
The Sampled Instrument was created by Abbey Road and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy. It is made available to you in electronic format, free of charge.
2.2.
Access to the Sampled Instrument is enabled by a serial number distributed by Abbey Road, which can then be used to activate the Sampled Instrument via third-party software, as described in clause 5.
3.
HOW TO REQUEST ACCESS TO THE SAMPLED INSTRUMENT
3.1.
To request access to the Sampled Instrument, you must submit a valid email address via the form https://abbeyroad.com/bignessie, where indicated. We will not accept any submissions that are: automatically generated by computer, completed by third parties or in bulk, or which are illegible, incomplete, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with.
3.2.
After submitting your email address, you will receive an email containing a verification link. You must verify your email address in order to proceed.
3.3.
Subject to availability, once your email address has been verified, we will issue you with a serial number. This will be displayed on screen and also sent to you by email together with activation instructions.
3.4.
A maximum of 25,000 serial numbers will be made available, issued on a first-come, first-served basis (or such other method as we may reasonably determine). One serial number per person. Serial numbers have no cash value and are non-transferable. We do not guarantee that you will receive a serial number.
3.5.
We do not accept responsibility if an email we send to the email address you have provided does not reach you for any reason beyond our reasonable control, including where the email is flagged as spam.
4.
ELIGIBILITY
You must be 18 years or older to be eligible to submit your email address, and to use the Sampled Instrument. By submitting your email address, you represent and warrant that you are 18 years or older.
5.
THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE
5.1.
The Sampled Instrument is integrated with software owned and provided by a third-party, Native Instruments GmbH (“Native Instruments”), which includes its Kontakt 8 Player and its Native Kontrol Standard (the “Third-Party Software”).
5.2.
If you wish to use the Sampled Instrument, you will need to register for an account with Native Instruments (or use an existing account), activate your serial number through its Native Access platform and install the Third-Party Software.
5.3.
Your use of the Third-Party Software is governed by Native Instruments’ own terms and end user licence agreement, available on its website at the following link: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/company/legal-information/end-user-license-agreement/. Any contract you enter into with Native Instruments in relation to the Third-Party Software is between you and Native Instruments, and not us. Native Instruments may process registration data and may use such data in accordance with its privacy policy. Abbey Road and Native Instruments act as independent controllers of personal data they process for their respective purposes.
5.4.
We do not control, endorse or accept responsibility for the availability or performance of the Third-Party Software. We are not responsible for any damage or disruption caused to you or your device by your use of the Third-Party Software.
6.
LICENCE AND PERMITTED USE
6.1.
Subject to you agreeing to these Licence Terms, we grant to you a perpetual, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable licence to use the Sampled Instrument (subject to the restrictions in paragraph 7 below) as a creative audio tool for making music or sound-based works, including for personal, educational and commercial purposes, royalty-free. For the avoidance of doubt, your licence to use any copy of the Sampled Instrument that you have already activated is perpetual; however, we may cease offering new downloads or new serial numbers after the availability window ends or otherwise.
6.2.
The Sampled Instrument is owned by us and / or our licensors and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.
6.3.
The Sampled Instrument is licensed, not sold. All intellectual property rights in and to the Sampled Instrument are expressly reserved by us and our licensors.
6.4.
Except as otherwise expressly permitted under these Licence Terms or applicable laws, you shall not modify, decompile, reverse engineer, sell, resell, lease, license, distribute or otherwise transfer the Sampled Instrument or any derivative work thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, you may not use any intellectual property of Abbey Road and/or Charles Jeffrey Loverboy (including the Abbey Road trade marks and/or the name, image, voice and likeness of Charles Jeffrey) separately from or other than as part of the Sampled Instrument.
6.5.
To use the Sampled Instrument, your device must meet certain system requirements, which may be updated from time to time and can be found on the Website.
6.6.
If you download the Sampled Instrument onto any device not owned by you, you must have the owner’s permission to do so. You will be responsible for complying with these Licence Terms, whether or not you own the device.
7.
RESTRICTIONS
7.1.
You must not:
7.1.1.
extract, copy, sub-license, sell, rent, lease, loan or distribute the Sampled Instrument or its components to any person, on a standalone basis;
7.1.2.
share, transfer or make available your serial number to any other person;
7.1.3.
use the Sampled Instrument in a way that infringes the intellectual property rights of us or our licensors; or
7.1.4.
use the Sampled Instrument in any unlawful manner, for any unlawful purpose, or in any manner inconsistent with these terms.
8.
AVAILABILITY
8.1.
The Sampled Instrument is made available for a limited allocation of 25,000 serial numbers and for a limited period. Access may end when the allocation is exhausted, on or after one year from launch, or earlier if we withdraw availability.
8.2.
The Sampled Instrument is provided free of charge. Access to downloads, serial issuance and support may be withdrawn or discontinued at any time by us or our third-party provider. We do not guarantee ongoing availability.
9.
CHANGES TO THESE LICENCE TERMS
9.1.
We may change or modify these Licence Terms from time to time, which will be effective when posted on the Abbey Road Website (the “Website”). We may not notify you directly of changes to the Licence Terms and so we encourage you to check the Website regularly for any updates. The date of last modification is stated at the start of these Licence Terms.
10.
NO WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY
10.1.
The Sampled Instrument is provided “as is”. To the extent permitted by law, we do not give any warranties about its functionality, compatibility or fitness for a particular purpose.
10.2.
Nothing in these Licence Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or fraud, or any liability that cannot be excluded under law.
10.3.
If defective digital content that we have supplied damages a device or digital content belonging to you, we will either repair the damage or pay you compensation. However, we will not be liable for damage that you could have avoided by following our advice to apply an update offered to you free of charge or for damage that was caused by you failing to correctly follow installation instructions or to have in place the minimum system requirements advised by us.
11.
HOW WE MAY USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
11.1.
How we use any personal data you give us is set out in our privacy policy available at https://www.umusic.co.uk/privacy.html. It is important that you read that information.
11.2.
As stated in clause 5, the Sampled Instrument is designed to operate using the Third Party Software. Native Instruments will also process your personal data and such processing shall be subject to the terms of their separate privacy policy available via its website.
12.
OTHER IMPORTANT TERMS
12.1.
You may only transfer your rights or your obligations under this Licence to another person if we agree in writing.
12.2.
This contract is between you and us. These Licence Terms do not give rise to any rights to any third party to enforce any term of these Licence Terms.
13.
GOVERNING LAW
13.1.
These Licence Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and you and we hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts as regards any claim or matter arising in relation to these Licence Terms.
13.2.
If mandatory statutory consumer protection regulations in your country of residence contain provisions that apply by application of applicable law:
13.2.1.
such provisions shall apply irrespective of the choice of English law; and
13.2.2.
if such mandatory provisions entitle you to bring any judicial proceedings relating to this Licence before the competent court of your place of residence, you shall be entitled to do so.
13.3.
Please also note that you must comply with all applicable laws and regulations of your country of residence. We will not be liable for any breach by you of any such laws.
14.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions about the Sampled Instrument or these Licence Terms, you can contact us at thebignessie@abbeyroad.com.