Should music be given away free?

[JamieBall]

That's not my problem. The fact is, when I want to, I can and do. I drive 600 miles a week for work. I'm going to be out until at least 3am tonight doing a VJ set, and will be at work which is an hour drive from my place by 9am. When I'm inclined to write music in my spare time, I do. You don't don't hear me bitching about that, or blaming someone else for why I have a 9-5. I'm fine with what I do and know I can pull it off when I want to. Also, I don't care if people choose to do music or art as their fulltime job. I'm all in support of it. Just don't act like the fact that while I'm also doing art, but giving it away for free, is hurting you. It's bullshit and, even if true, I'm not about to care. Any respect from me is going to end the instant someone has the odacity to make me a scapegoat for what they perceive as their own failures. Fact is, I really am not part of any music industry. There's not a soul here running a label who can say I've sent them a demo. So, to somehow pretend it's people like myself that is cutting into their action is simply silly. We're on entirely different ships in the same ocean and I'm not fishing in it.

LOL - u misunderstand me I think, sir (as so many do...)

Wasn't making or trying to make you a 'scapegoat' - that would be >RETARDATION<

I appreciate fully that you can do what you do on your own time, I also wasn't making the example of full time musicians about myself - don't get me wrong. I just know a lot of people as mark has said earlier who have simply stopped producing now there's no income in it. Also some people can't 'work' and 'do music' it's as simple as that. Fact.

Fair play, maybe people shouldn't be looking to music for a 'living' in the first place but when you DO then subsequently go from making money (which is not my concern, rest assured) to not in the blink of an eye I can appreciate they may well find this annoying - surely you can see this too, no?

It's not anyone in particulars FAULT of course*, but you can't deny that the playing field has changed dramatically for music (esp underground stuff) in the last few years. I think it's a great thing in a lot of ways but some people don't, simple as that.

I like to try and see things from everyones point of view, ya know...

*actually it is the fault of AL GORE. He "invented" the internet, I believe

[tocsin]

LOL - u misunderstand me I think, sir (as so many do...)

Wasn't making or trying to make you a 'scapegoat' - that would be >RETARDATION<

I threw a couple general "you" instances in there. A poor writing habit of mine that comes out online every so often and causes confusion. I didn't think you were scapegoating me at all. I apologise for that.

Fair play, maybe people shouldn't be looking to music for a 'living' in the first place but when you DO then subsequently go from making money (which is not my concern, rest assured) to not in the blink of an eye I can appreciate they may well find this annoying - surely you can see this too, no?

No, I don't really see it when I become blamed for it. It's just a repeat trend. The first time I ever remember hearing it was probably around 1995 or 1996 where larger name DJs were whining about "new" DJs, or DJs who charged less or played for free, as cutting in on their bookings. It ignored the very real fact that none of these people playing for free or cheap were ever leaving their home cities at the time and were never considered for any of the slots that these guys were. But, they stopped getting bookings so, rather than admitting that maybe, in some cases, their fees were merely out of reach for the promoters, they instead blamed a bunch of unknown new kids playing for free or cheap in venues they'd never bother with. It's the same dumb argument were seeing made right here involving producers now. "Free" music can simply never compete, since it doesn't cost anything. If the producers who aren't seeing the same income anymore think they are losing sales because other artists write music on their own for free, they're just mistaken. Though, again, it's easier to blame someone else than to simply admit that one may not be creating something that is all that appealing anymore in the same way it was before. If it was still good, the fact that so much other stuff is out there for free would enable people to still buy the music from those who are currently insecure.

It's not anyone in particulars FAULT of course*, but you can't deny that the playing field has changed dramatically for music (esp underground stuff) in the last few years. I think it's a great thing in a lot of ways but some people don't, simple as that.

I like to try and see things from everyones point of view, ya know...

The field has changed, and it's all for the better, since more people are able to create and share. That's a beautiful thing. That's what technology is supposed to enable. I see the opposite view, see why it's essentially wrong, and don't care for it as it's passive aggressive nonsense. It's a "you damn kids" argument. ;)