Should people be allowed to download music for free or should they have to pay for it? I think they should be more then welcome to download it freely. Artests make enough money off of shows, record deals and also acutal CD sales because I for one like to actually own the cd. But it does go beyond just the artests interests. The record company needs its money, I think they should be the promoters, and also the ones that set up shows and such.
Is it right to download music from a classical instrumentalist? These people don't make the money you are talking about, music is not just Aerosmith. What about a starving jazz musician trying to make it? I've experienced things like this before. Being an instrumentalist I occasionally play gigs or jobs if you prefer. Many of these can be for church services. I have friends that have been fired from a church (which was a normal job for them) because the church determined their gift of music should be free in a sense of worshipping god. I've also played gigs where churches are less than cooperative of paying for musicians. Does this mean that the Reverend, Father, Preacher, etc. should not be payed for writing and giving a sermon? His/Her gift from God was to preach so it should be done for the love of god, right? It's his/her gift to society? I agree that Aerosmith for example makes too much money, but so does a ton of other people. Most people that really should make more money usually don't. It is the same for musicians. I'm referring to professional musicians. Most musicians are not as popular as Aerosmith, don't have a tour schedule, record deal, etc. They should not be robbed because of their gift to society!
This goes along with my feelings on art work and artests. Anyone can scuplt, anyone can throw paint on any object. But what makes one peice of work more important than the next? I don't care that I have to pay for music to download it off of iTunes because I prefer to buy the cd anyway. But what urks me alot, they're trying to take away Guitar Tabs. They're saying that Guitar Tabs should be illegal because than you can play the songs... And as for the big band people, they make money from playing Concert Halls, just as Operas do. Jazz musicans, from playing jazz clubs. And if anyone is making music to make it big, then they shouldn't be allowed to play. Music shouldn't be about making the money it should be about the emotion you put into it. I don't really like to support the large bands because of this.
If you were a professional musician, would you want your music free to print on guitar tabs? Why should it be free for you? All art should be free? Jazz or Classical instrumentalists really don't make much money playing concerts. If they used to, it is diminishing. A small number of musicians/groups make a large amount of money, like: Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, etc. The concert sizes are getting smaller as the older generations pass away. If you ever go to a Jazz or Classical, Opera concert look in the crowd, most people attending are 50-75+ in age. Classical and jazz ensembles are folding everywhere as their crowd diminishes. Other people attending are rich or music students/lovers. Rich go because it's the status quo thing to do, and music students/lovers go because they really enjoy it. The student/lover of music crowd is very very small as little younger people appreciate these music forms. This creates a problem, so the larger orchestras have supplemented their income by CD sale royalties from these students/lovers and teachers purchasing CD's. This is an increasing mode of keeping the ensemble around as the audiences diminish. They also rely more and more on donations or sponsors. I agree with you that musicians that are only in it to make it rich should not be signed or promoted. However, a large part of the music world is business. There would be no professional musicians or teachers without the business side. CD's would hardly ever be recorded without the business side. An instrumentalist, who is not signed to a label like big rock bands, is not going to pay for a CD to be recorded and mixed, made and released for free. Music to most musicians is filled primarily with the emotional side, but without the business side, music would not continue to progress as it has in the past. There is almost no incentive to play or practice unless you will be appreciated or make money for a large portion of the music world. Of course, that doesn't apply to everyone. Some would still practice, write just for the fun of it. A large progression in the world of music would be lost. I also am not a big fan of huge promotion bands.
loveyouto, I agree about the downloading. I don't download music, because if I like it enough I'll buy it. Plus, I don't like listening to music on the computer. I just use CDs and vinyl, which you can't download. But as far as guitar tabs being illegal, that's bullshit. Being able to play a song is no replacement for owning a recording. And what are you complaing about, Breakxeggs? In your proposed society no one would be allowed to play or listen to music. They'd be too busy working, to keep the society efficient.
Wow i did not know that about my society... Maybe you should tell me what else you know about it. Because honestly thats one thing I did not know... Hmmm kinda makes me wonder whatelse you know. And if I was a professional Musician, I wouldnt' care how people got my music. As long as I was still playing and making music thats all that would make me happy. I don't care about money or anything else like that, and if you think I do... than you don't know me and shouldn't say how I think or what I do or anything like that.
most of my social circle is in art and music. I've had lots of late night discussions about music sharing in various modes. Some love taping and distribution, some don't care and some are picky and either want to control the show recorded, or not allow it at all. Some are fine with sound, but not images (video or still). That is fully within their rights. But I know of VENUES that do not allow it, even if the band does. Now, if someone takes a released album and distributes it, I do think that is basically stealing from the artist. That was created to support touring efforts, to make money. I think offering some music is good for building a following and getting your work to as many people as possible. Once you are Big Corporate Touring Act on the Radio, Inc. you probably don't need the "underground" aspect of crowd building.
Here theres several "pirate" radio stations around southcentral. Staffed and supported by volunteers. Their all low power, 25 watts or so, with a 10-15 mile range. The ones I've had a chance to catch have had a interesting mix of music. Not like the commercial stations. So far the F.C.C. hasn't paid any attention to them, hope it stays that way. The coolest one I've visited is in Girdwood, about 40 miles south of Anchorage. Their studio is in a tree house. Long live private radio........
No way, downloading IS theft. Plain and simple. You're thinking far too mainstream. Yeah, the mainstream artists get filthy rich from what is largely just very shitty music. But what about the struggling indie musician? Every penny counts for them, and in turn they can use that to further develop their talents and their sound. So, purchasing music benefits you in the long run. I have a massive CD collection. To me, the feeling of purchasing a few new indie CD's is awesome, just knowing that my measly $13 is going to help them out in the long run. Plus, CD's are a dying breed, most artists now recieve over half of their profit from digital music stores like iTunes. When I'm like 60, I want to have a nice music collection to look back on, something material to show for all the money I put into music. Purchasing on sites like iTunes doesn't appeal to me at all, I like to have the actual CD, the insert, lyrics, etc. SUPPORT YOUR MUSIC PEOPLE!
Gotta agree with fourwinds, most artists are not that big and filthy rich. Think about the little guys, the struggling musicians. Plus you gotta remember that just like everyone they got bills to pay. If they can't pay the bills by making music then they gotta take on another job and time spent on the day job is TIME AWAY FROM MAKING MUSIC. So you come across the situation where artists make less music cos they have less time. Everyone else makes money doing what it is they do, why should musicians be any different. And by extension I guess you mean anyone can make music, esp. with the technology available today. Speaking for myself, as much as I love music I have NO inclination to make music, I'd rather pay others to make it for me. Just like I'd rather pay others to make my appliances, clothing and most other products. I just don't have that kind of time or energy. My artistic expression comes out with dancing and I'd rather have ready made music to dance to rather than make my own cos making my own music would take time away from other things I'd rather do... like dancing.
Unlike others on this post I'd rather not own the CD for the following reasons: * my sound card is connected to the receiver so music on the comp is played on the stereo, which sounds pretty good. * I prefer to get my music a la carte cos the vast majority of albums have too much filler, the artists can't please everyone, but there is always 1 or 2 tracks that I really want. * CD's, as compared to current technologies, have a HUGE footprint and frankly I don't have that kind of real estate downtown Toronto. The 'Compact Disk' is a bit of a misnomer in the year 2007. * I don't need the inserts (you're paying for the cover art whether you like it or not, it's a bundled package so the consumer has no choice), lyrics can be DL'd To date I haven't been able to do business with online music stores cos: * the selection is poor, I don't listen to mainstream music and haven't found what I like on iTunes, etc. * don't like the file format of the song files The industry is making slow progress on these issues and I hope some day I can give support to the artists who have made my life so wonderful edit: one more reason why I'd rather have a digital music file over the CD is that the digital is WAY more environmentally friendly than the CD. This is not to be interpreted to mean free digital files as I have no problem paying for music that I want on my terms.
