Hello Music World!
It has been in mind as well as on my agenda to pay a visit to the issues we face with music etc., in this digital download age. In order to get a good point of view, let’s go back in time. Say we get started with the major success of the vinyl 45 & LP record. They sounded great, sold at a good consumer price, and today countless recordings are treasured as serious collector items. The joy of going to the local record store to find the latest hot release was in fact a physical experience, coupled with unique musical atmospheres. The vinyl still lives.The portable 45 player was introduced to the market, a few months later turned out to be a real joke. Vinyl remained strong throughout the portable era, but turntables remained only in fixed locations…Clubs, DJ rigs, homes, etc.
Then came the 8 track player which served as the perfect alternative for the troublesome portable 45 player, truly a bad idea. For the portable 45 player met its demise like an ill fated flight that crashed & burned soon after take off. The 8 track for that matter held its ground for a few years making it now possible to be installed in all vehicles…what a cool idea at the time. Tape manufacters soon realized the total consumer dislike of the problematic bulky cases and systems, flawed with prematuer wear and machines that would eat tapes like a pac of wolfs. The ability technically to get the best source sound I think kinda started with the recorder version of this 8 track model. Using blank tapes, it was able to record 45’s, LP’s and anything on vinyl…the general population then could share their favorite music with family-friends-etc. Many made huge profits underground selling copies and mix tapes.
The cassette crushed the 8 track until the digital cd appeared in Japan, late 70’s. The sound was awesome, but the technology needed improvement. With the internet being a decade and a half away, media sharing was limited to a small circle. And the only way you could get songs were to buy them, record them on cassette, then share locally. A mist government and local laws the bootlegers & conterfieters had a very small playing field.
Getting to the point of the matter. With the shut down of Napster, Limewire, Bearshare, and countless other free sharing services, prompted
the Music Industry to protect as much as possible that PUBLISHING…. the aspect which is where all major revenue in music is kept under control. Soon after 10’s of millions of songs were shared with not a dime going to the labels as well as the artist. The Industry had to move fast for fear of loosing their asses. In which now as we see now a few majors, and countless indies. Yes the digital revolution has greatly effected many areas of everything.
As my point gets closer to home. Now that the sharing issues in that area seem to be calm, upsprings the torrent download. Here we are right back where we started, but deeper into the crap. Now as you know, it’s very easy to download your favorite anything digital for free.
This goes on to say in the case of say an Artist like myself and most Artist are basically poor…have small budgets to do projects, then pray and hope it yield some profits….in many cases, it doesn’t.
But then again lets forget about the few major labels and their quest to beat down the sharing craze. With the age of the torrent sites, which are virtually impossible to regulate and control. Any digital work can be uploaded & downloaded. Problem for the torrent geeks is the time it takes to up load content…now stuck with uploads on music cd’s taking from 2 to 4 hours to complete a full 16 bit upload. Movies even more!This makes the mp3 perfect, 8 bit and shorten upload time.
Mp3’s has been the chose for now, with its narrow band, chopped down, & compressed sound which has been a hit with those not up to speed
with what they hear. iPod’s, iphones, etc. sound okay, but you really should listen to the actual cd vs the mp’3. Not to even mention the 45 or LP. A near deaf person should be able to tell the difference. But when you can get it for free, then what the hell.
Here’s the: CONS FIRST… You see I, a victim as well with self produced product on the open market. The music business being extremely fickeld, and over-runned with haters throughout the world, not only are geeks uploading artist cd’s for free, it’s sad to say some smaller music related interest could have a hand in it as well. Yes that’s right!!! Everyone with product becomes a target. Think about it…..Competitors, commrads, anyone, can hide behind a computer to upload a cd, etc., and you will never know who did it without spending shit loads of cash.
Okay say for example, it cost $30-35 grand to produce a great sounding competitive cd. Some jealous competition, or other entity upload that cd to a torrent site for free thinking they can kill or slow down it’s success. Some individuals have began to buy that cd, scan the art work, reduce it down to funky sounding mp3’s then upload it to the world. Sadly to say once more, we as Independent Artist are not only beat back by industry related guidelines, but by our own world of musicians too!!!! For the major labels this is an obvious problem which can still hurt their huge stream of revenue. But here’s the flip side to all of this.
THE: PROS
98% of torrent cd uploads are of good quality product, and great sounding productions. Upon releasing my cd a few years back, there were many purchases all over the world. Some music lovers just wanted a great sounding cd from a new artist on the scene. And there were some that purchased it to listen, copy ideas, etc. This is common, imitation is a great thing, for I have imitated all the great artist who came before me. Muddy, Wolf, King, Hendrix, Sly, and the list goes on & on.
While the haters, geeks, and all those who participate in the activity of uploading cd content of Any Artist…especially unsigned Artist like myself to torrent sites…EXAMPLE simply Google….Leo Key Unlocked.
I would like to personally THANK the STUPID IDIOTS, it has brought more attention to my music & profile. Cheap sounding mp3’s only help the Artist to sell the high quality cds, tee shirts, pens, key chains, posters, banners,etc., at live gigs and tours. It’s what real music lovers deserve…. MERCHANDISING directly to fans….. And that is where the artist has been making revenue for many years.
So the flip side is really a two way street. While this torrent craze continues with no end in sight. One things for sure, they are only uploading Music that Sounds Great!!!! I guess that includes ME TOO!!!
Remember to “Enjoy the Journey”!!!!
Thanks for dropping in!!!
Peace, Love, & Happiness