Every Lick / Riff has been done by somebody at some point, even some drunk garage band kids one night and they never recorded it, so in reality there is no original music, just variations of stuff that has been done before.
Trying to get copyright rights on a riff...?
I've played that same C walk down in different tunes, at different beats, with different fills thousands of times. So has anyone else that has played long enough. It doesnt take much to change one song into another.... whether you are trying to or not.
Peace,
Kenny