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Hey, Mr. DJ! (Pay for and) Play My Song! (Or, Because I love music)

6/30/2010

8 Comments

 
--Before I start this note, I need to own up to something. I am a hypocrite. I am weak- I'm inclined to steal. I watch pirated TV/movies on the internet. I feel bad about it, but I do it. I'm cutting back, because I recognize that it's outside of my moral code. I am, of course, quitting.--

I've long had a problem DJs who trade libraries. It's a common thing- new DJs are starting out, they're looking to build a library. Another DJ "helps out" by giving them their hard-drive full of music. DJs who admire each others music will swap gigs of music at a time. Even I used to accept a mixed-CD as a gift, and not re-download the music. 

The longer I've been aware of it, though, the more uncomfortable I've become with this practice. There are several blatant problems with it. First off, you're stealing. What if the artist is dead? Well, the record company isn't, and if it's remastered, those guys probably aren't. And then off course there's the possibility of an estate of the deceased, possibly doing something nice for the world of music. Additionally, when you pay for blues and jazz, you create an economic statement of "Blues and Jazz will sell! Support them!" Second off, you're stealing- and selling those stolen goods for money or admission to a dance. You're asking to get paid to play stolen music. Even from a DJ-quality point of view, will you really get familiar with a 20gig library that they got over a 2-week period? I know a lot of DJs who don't have good notes, bpms, etc, because they're overwhelmed by their massive libraries. There's nothing like the joy of nurturing your library- getting an album or two at a time, and making notes, learning the songs, and then adding more. Yes, it takes time, work, and money. Life is hard. Try bing a composer/arranger/studiomusician/remasteringtechnician/etc.

But at least it's honest work- both building a real collection, and being an artist.

I came across a composer's blog recently (link below- read it!), and while I've said this privately in the past, I'm saying it publicly now: I'm not ok with pirate DJs. I'm totally ok with helping out new DJs- rather than copies of the music, give them lists of musicians/songs/albums to look up! Teach a DJ training class! I'm calling on DJs to re-acquire paid-for versions of their songs, and quit wholesale swapping of music. Think of this as an opportunity to build a collection from scratch, and manage your library as you go, instead of getting overwhelmed. And I'm calling on organizers to support DJs who care about their music, and the music industry, and shy away from pirate DJs. 

Here's the link, in case you want to read a better argument:
http://www.jasonrobertbrown.com/weblog/2010/06/fighting_with_teenagers_a_copy.php

Because music, musicians, jazz, and blues matter,
-m.
8 Comments
Christine link
9/2/2010 02:55:39 pm

Thanks :). My thoughts exactly.

Reply
Glen
9/3/2010 07:42:54 am

I generally purchase music from amazon, because I want to support the artist, and it's cheap. The ease of it makes the purchase worthwhile.

However...

Every argument I've heard regarding why it's 'wrong' makes a relation to physical items being stolen. It makes sense, except that music is not a physical item.

It's not stealing. It's copying, because nothing has been taken. Stealing describes something very different, wherein the condition of the owner changes. It's important that we make the differentiation, or we're as ungood as the worst bureaucrat from 1984. It may be immoral, but morality is completely subjective.

Jason Brown's reference to the fair use doctrine is a perfect example of this - it didn't exist before 1976. It was created because it was 'common sense'. Culture came to accept something as 'fair', and it was instantiated into law. Like morality, fairness is subjective, and changes with the culture, just as our culture is changing now.

Most arguments I hear are people saying what others 'should' do based on their ideas of how they want the world to be. For example, "People 'should' not copy music so that that artists can survive the way they always have".

I hate Windows. It's stupid. People who use it are ignorant…or are they? The truth is, they have different priorities than I do. I think it's sad. People *should* stop using it. And yet, they won't. It's actually my problem, not theirs.

Maybe they 'should' change. That would be ideal for me, but it's not going to happen. Regarding music, the game has changed forever, and consumers, record companies, and artists have to adjust, and they will. They are.
It was a sad thing when all the CD shops closed down, right? Except, nobody cares, except those interested in nostalgia, and the people who owned those shops. They're the same people that Walmart shut down when they took out mom & pop shops. It's the nature of progress. Things change. Adjust or die.

People will find a way to profit off their skill. It happened before there was digital copying, it will happen after it.

My point is that it's all subjective. The market will continue. People will continue making music. Money will continue to be made, and 30 years from now, no one will care about these issues, because there will be a new 'should'.

Reply
Greg Avakian
9/3/2010 08:28:35 am

Nice commentary mike.

I do want to add that something IS being stolen, not at all copied: the money that the artist would get.
Yes, I agree that the music itself is simply copied, not stolen, but anything that is mass-produced and sold is copied ...and then SOLD. In this case it is not sold, it is given away without (and probably against) the permission of the artist.

just a thought.
-Greg

Reply
Glen
9/5/2010 12:53:16 pm

Greg, that would make sense, if there were empirical data proving that money would have been transfered had the song not been copied - but no such data exists.

Again, let me point out that I'm not arguing for the continuation of freely copying music without remuneration to the artist; I am, however, pointing out the difference between opinion and fact.

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Chris
11/8/2010 11:00:17 pm

My question is, what about music that you cannot find. I have an extensive vinyl collection and a lot of the music I have been unable to find for purchase in a digital format. I have been ripping the vinyls to mp3 and a lot of people want copies of songs that are unavailable. I would really love to have some other input in this particular situation.

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