Should music be given away free?

[Smear]

Another question worth asking, i dunno if this happens at parties that are a lot bigger, but it obviously doesn't at smaller parties.....if you play a record in a club, should the DJ pay royalties to the artist, just like a band who does a cover would, or a pub with a jukebox?

[p_brane]

very interesting reading all the comments on this topic

IMO music is never free. It costs for software, hardware and it costs for the time put into it most of all.

however, i think cost free music at a consumer level can be a really good thing. There are a few labels out there putting great music out at no cost to the consumer and thats sweet, you will usually find that many artists on these labels are also signed to various other labels, be it digital or vinyl that charge.Personally i see it as a gift from the producers to the scene, because like i said it didnt cost nothing.

i can see where the full time producer/DJ's are coming from but in all honesty i dont get it.

the scene has changed a lot since i got into it. Its now more accessible than ever and surely thats a good thing, IMO this in part is due to the accessibility of forums like this that like minded people can get together and promote their 'sound' to the scene,if its free then count it as a gift, it aint gonna make people buy less records from the established artists. there is a progression in the air , you just got to embrace it, gone are the days of the super star DJ, the elite few who can afford equipment, software, studio costs. its as it should be; an open ended environment in which people of all financial situations can express themselves, and with a bit of hard work get good enough to one day make a bit of money from it, but the scene dont owe you a living, you have to earn that.

just my tuppence worth:)

[TechMouse]

Another question worth asking, i dunno if this happens at parties that are a lot bigger, but it obviously doesn't at smaller parties.....if you play a record in a club, should the DJ pay royalties to the artist, just like a band who does a cover would, or a pub with a jukebox?

Technically you should submit tracklists to the venue, who should then submit them to PRS. Any producers who are PRS registered will receive a percentage of the money in the PRS pot.

As it stands, the big name pop acts get the majority of the money because of radio plays and big club plays, but if all the little guys registered and submitted tracklists we'd claw some of it back.

It's especially worth it if you ever get stuff played on Radio (e.g. I had a track played on Annie Nightingale's show a couple of years back, and if I had been PRS registered it might have meant a little bit of cash - maybe enough for a pint or something).

[RDR]

Technically you should submit tracklists to the venue, who should then submit them to PRS. Any producers who are PRS registered will receive a percentage of the money in the PRS pot.

As it stands, the big name pop acts get the majority of the money because of radio plays and big club plays, but if all the little guys registered and submitted tracklists we'd claw some of it back.

It's especially worth it if you ever get stuff played on Radio (e.g. I had a track played on Annie Nightingale's show a couple of years back, and if I had been PRS registered it might have meant a little bit of cash - maybe enough for a pint or something).

the PRS doesnt require tracklists from clubs, it pointless, they just pay a blanket fee which they then apportion out on a average basis according to whatever formula they are currently using.

also did you have a track played on radio?

[TechMouse]

the PRS doesnt require tracklists from clubs, it pointless, they just pay a blanket fee which they then apportion out on a average basis according to whatever formula they are currently using.

AFAIK, the payout is based on a weighting assigned by PRS based on the number of public plays. This includes in clubs. Clubs should submit tracklists. It may seem pointless in individual instances, but if everyone did it it would quickly become more meaningful.

also did you have a track played on radio?

Yes. Years back I did a remix for someone and they played it in a mix on Annie Nightingale's show on Radio 1.

It's a weird thing, hearing your stuff coming out of a radio.

[RDR]

AFAIK, the payout is based on a weighting assigned by PRS based on the number of public plays. This includes in clubs. Clubs should submit tracklists. It may seem pointless in individual instances, but if everyone did it it would quickly become more meaningful.


Yes. Years back I did a remix for someone and they played it in a mix on Annie Nightingale's show on Radio 1.

It's a weird thing, hearing your stuff coming out of a radio.

+1 on the track listing. Radio does it because most of the playlists are computerised with the bigger stations and also because it benefits their listeners to know which tracks they are listening to.

The chances of it happening are pretty low unless there is a sea change in the way clubs manage themselves. The very nature of club management is a bit more than haphazard at best. I could see it being rejected instantly unless there was a system that really takes the effort invloved in the process away from club manager/promoter/dj

Can you imagine them all trying to piece track lists together after the night finishes??? :lol: :lol: :lol:

The tune recognition systems that are currently in play might possibly work but it needs the following to be in place:

:: Each tune played to be registered on the database that the system calls on.
:: People to register those tunes
:: Enough money to make it worthwhile

In theory copyright protects people but it is also there to provide a signpost as to who should be paid for the exploitation of that copyright, through collection societies and the publishers of the respective artists.

So who might pay for such as system? The majors? The indies? the collection societies? How does the money get apportioned?

I can seriously see this being of benefit to little artists and those who play live. I can also see it being an excuse for club owners to pay their DJs less as the PRS/MCPS would certainly use this as an excuse to bump up the prices they charge clubs for licenses.

just my 2p

OH AND...

Well done for having a track played on radio! Can i hear it?

[TechMouse]

OH AND...

Well done for having a track played on radio! Can i hear it?

http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF1301153-02-01-02.mp3

[RDR]

Nice one mark, i like it!