Quick Judge's Panel question (No debate)

[Meteo Xavier]

I'm seriously only interested in an answer and am not seeking any debate towards any judge or judging process. This is for my benefit because I often find myself trying to arrange bits that only have less than 40 seconds of music.

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At what point does a song section become original and not recognizable from the OST?

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As in, if I take a song that is roughly 28 seconds of source and turn it into a 3-4 minute waltz, I can't keep using the same melody line verbatim and a classical waltz, from what I studied, really likes to jump around in its structure and change up. To make the recognizable melody, I would have to take liberties with it, add some extra notes or a trill, or trail off as the ending chord changes to fit with it.

I'd like to get several opinions if'n I could because this really seems like a gray area.

Thanks.

[Liontamer]

Just create some interpretive, unique variations of portions of the source throughout the arrangement and you should be fine. It doesn't matter it the source is short as long as it's used throughout.

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01403/

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01842/

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01719/

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01583/