Song Construction Kits

I'm wondering how many people purchase and make use of Song Construction Kits, like those found at Big Fish Audio.
These kits can contain anything from drum or piano parts, to fully realized songs that provide individual tracks for each instrument, along with sections of the song broken down into verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, etc.  In these kits you can use all of the instruments and just add vocals, or pick and choose certain tracks and parts.

I've done combinations running from just one individual bass line, to using all the instruments (and perhaps adding an organ part)
Out of about 80 songs I've written, maybe 1/4 makes use of some percentage of a construction kit, or piano parts provided by EZKeys.

My question is, Do you consider this cheating?  Or more like a collaboration with an anonymous writer who contributed to these construction kits?  Many people use pre-written drum tracks or beats (broken into verse, chorus, etc.) provided by many virtual drum plugins like EZDrummer, Superior Drummer, or Addictive Drums.  However these song construction kits take it several steps further by providing other instrument tracks.  You can use as much or as little in your song.   I find this a great way to get a song started when I'm having trouble with writer's block.  But no matter how much I use of one of these kits, I'll always add at least one instrument part of my own, along with my own vocal (melody) track.  That way I can at least take some credit in writing the song.

But if I use too many tracks from these kits, I feel a bit guilty by putting my name as the songwriter of that particular song.
I almost wish they provided the names of the people who write these kits, so I can give them co-writing credits.

Any thoughts about the use of these Construction Kits?

Here's one of the Construction Kits I own and have made use of:
http://www.bigfishaudio.c...08;I512872;B60::530904

If really whole verses, choruses, intros etc. are from a construction kit, that's a bit too much for me. Even if you add some original stuff.  Using just a bass-line, on the other hand, or a drum track, would be easy for me to swallow. Whether you call it cheating or something else, depends fully on how you use the finished music and how much credit is gathered to the "composer".
I can see many uses, where such a method (relying solely on construction kits) is quite acceptable to me and simply practical. Like in educational purposes, marketing ..you name it.
 
Then again, if we're talking about the kind of stuff that the person could without difficulty produce by him/herself, and kits are used just to save time...well...grey zone...

The world is full of cheaters... Unless you stand out in a crowd, no one will notice you.
 
Am I cheating if I buy a ready made sandwich for lunch instead of making my own?! For it to be truely my own I would have to plant the seeds, grow the wheat, lettuce and tomatoes, make the bread, raise the pig and process it all myself before I could say "I made this". I just don't have the thyme so I cheat and buy one at Fred's. 
 
BTW, thanks for the link.

soens
Am I cheating if I buy a ready made sandwich for lunch instead of making my own?! For it to be truely my own I would have to plant the seeds, grow the wheat, lettuce and tomatoes, make the bread, raise the pig and process it all myself before I could say "I made this". I just don't have the thyme so I cheat and buy one at Fred's. 
 

 
First time I hear that a sandwich is a piece of art.
What is next? Nobel prize for the best sandwich?

dwardzala
Music has no rules.  Do what makes you happy and credit those who contribute (that part might have rules.)

+1  If it feels good do it as long as you don't violate the laws and licensing!
 

I'll use anything anytime anywhere to get a song done.
 
I've been known to pay online talent.
 
I'll use construction kits, MIDI drum loops, EZKeys, BIAB, strum libraries etc to get the idea across. Some songs start out that way only to have most if not all parts replaced. I even have some songs that all but vocal and bass were "composed" using any combination of those tools. I also have participated in songs (either my own or others) that were all live players.
 
FWIW: Construction kits as I see them are live players. I've hired someone to get the ball rolling (as in the price of the kit, VSTi or MIDI).
 
Am I cheating? No, I'm creating.
 
cheat
verb

act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination.
"she always cheats at cards

avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill.
"she cheated death in a spectacular crash"
 
 

I've never used a kit per se, and have usually seen it as cheating.  But that's just my own unimportant opinion.
It's also a very grey area.  
I'll always write my own music, but for example - i'm not a drummer.  After I've programmed the basic MIDI beat that I want, I'll often take the hi-hat line from a premade MIDI clip to add some realism.  I still consider it "my creation" even though it's not quite 100% true.
 
Taking tiny bits and pieces is on the acceptable side, however sampling the bassline from Under Pressure and saying that you wrote Ice Ice Baby is far on the unacceptable side.
 
 

bapu
I'll use anything anytime anywhere to get a song done.
 

That is pretty much it in a nutshell, barring any legal issues (most of the items mentioned above have none). Life is about time, so act accordingly.

As much re-engineering as I have done in life, the focus is never to "make from scratch" but rather "deliver product." One only needs to reinvent the wheel once to realize what a massive time expenditure (read "waste of time") it is.

Yep I've used Smartsound to score video - it's like a magic trick the way it auto trims itself to fit the video track. It's preferable to breaching copyright by scoring with contemporary music tracks like so many people do.

I agree with another poster about sampling though - not a fan - that's my red line.

Rob(at)Sound-Rehab
First time I hear that a sandwich is a piece of art.
What is next? Nobel prize for the best sandwich?

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/jan/03/cooking-original-artform-heston-blumenthal-rirkrit-tiravanija

The only SCK I've ever used is Sonar!