Comments on: How to end piracy http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:54:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: jeff http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6159 jeff Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:31:10 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6159 For DVD's, on-demand distribution services such as amazon's are working well. I agree that some DVD's are worth way more than others (ie. planet earth type documentaries should be worth 2-3 times blockbuster movies). But for music, that's a little grey, because John Mayer can sit down with cheap equipment and still put out some great hits, so its hard to measure the costs of such performances. But at the same time an artist with expensive equipment may put out trash. If your proposal happens, artists will negotiate their cut off each download, and I bet you they will want a lot. If Apple or amazon controlled these negotiations, there would be no RIAA. OF course I'm not sure if their cuts will improve since Amazon is known to be very very lucrative (they take 50% of the sale price for on-demand books/DVD's). For DVD’s, on-demand distribution services such as amazon’s are working well. I agree that some DVD’s are worth way more than others (ie. planet earth type documentaries should be worth 2-3 times blockbuster movies). But for music, that’s a little grey, because John Mayer can sit down with cheap equipment and still put out some great hits, so its hard to measure the costs of such performances. But at the same time an artist with expensive equipment may put out trash. If your proposal happens, artists will negotiate their cut off each download, and I bet you they will want a lot. If Apple or amazon controlled these negotiations, there would be no RIAA. OF course I’m not sure if their cuts will improve since Amazon is known to be very very lucrative (they take 50% of the sale price for on-demand books/DVD’s).

]]> By: Bob http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6158 Bob Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:05:56 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6158 Interestingly, I've talked to a VC acquaintance who says that they've been tryoing to get the music industry to do something like that for a long time. Apparently, there are a lot of people in the music industry with a vested interest in counting each and every bean. Think about it... bulk licensing would save a lot of money just in accounting costs. Or, phrased differently, it would kill some jobs. Interestingly, I’ve talked to a VC acquaintance who says that they’ve been tryoing to get the music industry to do something like that for a long time. Apparently, there are a lot of people in the music industry with a vested interest in counting each and every bean.

Think about it… bulk licensing would save a lot of money just in accounting costs. Or, phrased differently, it would kill some jobs.

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6152 Eugenia Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:07:16 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6152 I don't use sites that are of questionable legality. This is why I wrote this blog post to suggest a universal, legal, solution. I don’t use sites that are of questionable legality. This is why I wrote this blog post to suggest a universal, legal, solution.

]]> By: jeff http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6127 jeff Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:08:22 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6127 everything is on there dummy, just do a search of any band, you'll find it. everything is on there dummy, just do a search of any band, you’ll find it.

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6125 Eugenia Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:00:29 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6125 Imeem does not do what people want. They want popular artists, not just indies. Imeem does not do what people want. They want popular artists, not just indies.

]]> By: jeff http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6123 jeff Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:22:24 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6123 Just go to imeem.com. Its a social music site, You can listen to any song someone wants to share, and you can create your own playlists also. I found a playlist "coffee starbucks 2 jazz fusion" that I'm in love with. I believe that big corporations aren't filling all the voids in the market place. There is some really good stuff coming from South America that Target and Walmart don't feel like it would be profitable enough to sell. The problem is with distribution. In reality, I'd say a CD is only worth like $5. The old CD price is way to high, with online distribution they should be dropping by they haven't. I Enjoy it while it lasts, and don't have a drop of sympathy. High school kids don't have a lot of money but have the most drive for music, that's a fact based on life experience. Just go to imeem.com. Its a social music site, You can listen to any song someone wants to share, and you can create your own playlists also. I found a playlist “coffee starbucks 2 jazz fusion” that I’m in love with. I believe that big corporations aren’t filling all the voids in the market place. There is some really good stuff coming from South America that Target and Walmart don’t feel like it would be profitable enough to sell. The problem is with distribution. In reality, I’d say a CD is only worth like $5. The old CD price is way to high, with online distribution they should be dropping by they haven’t.

I Enjoy it while it lasts, and don’t have a drop of sympathy. High school kids don’t have a lot of money but have the most drive for music, that’s a fact based on life experience.

]]> By: Jim http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6098 Jim Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:03:24 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6098 It is my understanding the market for independent music is as large for commercial music. The fact is most musicians that are producing CDs, writing and recording their own music will never make more than a couple hundred dollars in their lifetime from it. Considering that independent music is as large as commercial music this is a huge factor. Rodney Dangerfield the comedian (so you folks under 40 will know) used to say that he doesn't get much respect. Commercial music is getting all the attention, but I surmise that one of the reasons that independent music is so huge is because of the greediness of the record companies and the music produced by independent musicians is for the sheer joy of it. The music I am recording now for my upcoming Musical, I am putting in a few bucks and hiring some special musicians because I want that extra polish, but world class musicians are even working for me for cheap. I think that in making predictions for the music industry that they have cost themselves market share, by hogging the economy and forgetting who their customers are, the customers are going elsewhere. BTW Eugenia, thank you for being so honest about yourself and JBQ is fortunate and rich man for sharing life with you. for the rest of us, let us share some music both around the campfire and the stereo It is my understanding the market for independent music is as large for commercial music. The fact is most musicians that are producing CDs, writing and recording their own music will never make more than a couple hundred dollars in their lifetime from it. Considering that independent music is as large as commercial music this is a huge factor. Rodney Dangerfield the comedian (so you folks under 40 will know) used to say that he doesn’t get much respect. Commercial music is getting all the attention, but I surmise that one of the reasons that independent music is so huge is because of the greediness of the record companies and the music produced by independent musicians is for the sheer joy of it. The music I am recording now for my upcoming Musical, I am putting in a few bucks and hiring some special musicians because I want that extra polish, but world class musicians are even working for me for cheap.
I think that in making predictions for the music industry that they have cost themselves market share, by hogging the economy and forgetting who their customers are, the customers are going elsewhere.
BTW Eugenia, thank you for being so honest about yourself and JBQ is fortunate and rich man for sharing life with you.
for the rest of us, let us share some music both around the campfire and the stereo

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6097 Eugenia Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:16:44 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6097 Yup. Besides, if you are Madonna or Green Day, and therefore too popular, you can always re-negotiate your cut from RIAA. This way, the popular artists can still get rich -- if this is one thing that artists do like a lot from the current business model. So in reality, nothing changes in terms of profit for either labels or artists, it's just that the way they distribute and differentiate music products does. Yup. Besides, if you are Madonna or Green Day, and therefore too popular, you can always re-negotiate your cut from RIAA. This way, the popular artists can still get rich — if this is one thing that artists do like a lot from the current business model. So in reality, nothing changes in terms of profit for either labels or artists, it’s just that the way they distribute and differentiate music products does.

]]> By: Dave Rosky http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6096 Dave Rosky Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:12:24 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/28/how-to-end-piracy/#comment-6096 I think this is a good idea and I think we will eventually get there. Some services are already starting to remove DRM from music (albeit they do charge a little more). In particular, I find interesting the comment about artists touring more to make money. Recording and broadcasting are, in fact, relatively new on a historical time scale - only 100 years old or so. Before that, *all* music was either performed live, or you played music yourself on your own instruments. Around 80 or 90 years ago, recording then became the dominant delivery of music, but who's to say it has to stay that way forever just because it's been that way for the past 80 years or so. Recording will obviously always be here, but maybe there will be a closer balance between recording and live performance, which might not be a bad thing. I think this is a good idea and I think we will eventually get there. Some services are already starting to remove DRM from music (albeit they do charge a little more).

In particular, I find interesting the comment about artists touring more to make money. Recording and broadcasting are, in fact, relatively new on a historical time scale - only 100 years old or so. Before that, *all* music was either performed live, or you played music yourself on your own instruments. Around 80 or 90 years ago, recording then became the dominant delivery of music, but who’s to say it has to stay that way forever just because it’s been that way for the past 80 years or so. Recording will obviously always be here, but maybe there will be a closer balance between recording and live performance, which might not be a bad thing.

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