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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "Kevin Gandel" <oddsmanink@yahoo.com> |
| Subject | copy protection / mp3s / CDs |
| Date | Thu, 10 Jul 2003 11:57:16 -0400 |
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Time for me to chime in. Warning, this is a rant. I'll probably be
flying all over the place in this email. If you don't like reading
these type, stop now. you've been warned.
Portrait of an Audities member:
Like most people on this list, i'm a music nut. I own over 1000 CDs. I
am frequently seen at concerts in the area. I feel fortunate to call
many of the local musicians in the area my friends. I've spoken with
them for hours and hours about the state of the industry, state of the
genre, and state of the econonmy. Each conversation has been like a
puzzle piece for me, and after each one I feel that I'm that much closer
to seeing the big picture, from both the vantage point of the musician
who wants to earn a living, to the label who wants to turn a profit, to
the fan who wants his music with no strings attached.
The first thing I do when I buy a CD is rip it as 192kbps mp3s. The
next thing I do with the CD is put it in my CD wall unit where it never
gets touched again unless someone wants to borrow it or i've got a
concert stub to stick in the back of the case.
This is not a joke nor is it an exaggeration. *occasionally* I'll put
CD's in my 6 disc car cd changer, but I usually only change them about
once every 4-6 months. I don't listen to FM radio anymore. There is no
diversity. I usually listen to AM sports talk in the car, hence the
reason for the infrequent changing of CDs.
I live for mp3s. I have an IPOD that I take to work with me every day.
I constantly change the music I've got on there. I've ripped about 60%
of my CD collection, which accounts for roughly 58 gigs of mp3s. I've
downloaded lots of free mp3 concerts from bands over the years. I will
be honest and say I've downloaded some albums over the years that I
listen to some of the time, and have yet to purchase. But I've also
downloaded albums and listened to them and gone and bought them. I'd
say about 70% of the music I download I end up buying legit eventually.
I find that the format I listen to music breaks down as such:
80% mp3s on either computer or IPOD
15% live shows at clubs/bars/etc
5% on CD
Anything that prevents me from listening to my music as mp3s (or some
other form of compressed audio) simply infuriates me. I have already
spent my money on the music, I will do what I damn well want with it and
play it how I want to play it and listen to it how I want to.
I'm so sick and tired of the major labels pushing their crap on us about
copy protection that I'd just assume see them all go bankrupt. NONE of
the bands I listen to need major labels. They get their publicity from
creative internet ventures or word of mouth (music lists) or small
labels (not lame, etc). The "larger" acts I listen to want nothing to
do with the major labels really anymore (Pearl Jam, Aimee Mann, Ben
Folds). Some would argue that without the big labels, those bands
wouldn't be in a position to succeed now without them, but I contend
these bands would have made it on their own anyway.
I'm not sure what the solution is to balancing an artist's right to earn
money and protect their royalties on work vs. the consumers right to do
with their music as they see fit, but I can tell you the following
things:
a. preventing consumers from using a product the way they want is not
the solution
b. suing your customer base is not the solution
c. continuing to perpetuate a negative image of your organization will
not win you support
d. refusing to identify OTHER POSSIBLE REASONS for the decline in your
industry will simply drag out your dipping sales (hello? Recession?
quality of music? Diversity of music? Cost of product? Waste of
resources?)
The RIAA and the labels just don't get it, and sadly never will. It
takes some thinking outside the box, and these people don't possess it.
turning the head valve off now.
-kev
_________________
Kevin Gandel
Computer Consultant
Oddsman Ink
410.992.3893
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