Doug Kanter wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
Doug Kanter wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
RCE wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
What the music industry needs is a copyright pricing structure that
fairly compensates the actual producers of music AND doesn't rip off
consumers of that product...and they don't have it yet.
One of the reasons midi sequencers like myself stopped sharing some
files on the 'net is because of the threat of lawsuits. Actually, not
threats, but real litigation in some cases that shut down most sites
that featured midi files. Midi files are not music recordings like
mp3s or .wav files. They are a series of instructions to a sound board,
card or instrument that can receive midi instructions. The sound card
or instrument then plays the sequence using it's own, on board voices.

Royalty collectors like ASCAP and BMI quickly (and perhaps correctly,
depending on your personal feelings on the subject) started to
threaten web site owners that had midi files of popular music
considered to be subject to copyright protection. Even though it was
not technically a recording or performance by a musician, the fact that
someone sequenced a series of instructions for a midi compatible
instrument to reproduce, they claimed copyright infringement.
Original, copyright free compositions are encouraged of course and
often stolen as a basis for new music by songwriters in the industry.

RCE



Sheesh.

Well, most of the music I like was written by guys who have been dead
for more than 100 years, so I assume any MIDI sequencers who code it are
beyond the reach of the ASCAP liars, er, lawyers.

My understanding, based on really limited info, is that iTunes forks
over 70 cents of each 99 cents collected, to the "owner" of the tune.
That's waaaaay too high. A dime is more like it, with a nickel on top of
that for administration, and a nickel on top of that for Apple's
profit...twenty to twenty-five cents a tune is sufficient.

What a silly thing to say. How do you know what's "way too high"? Based
on what?

IF a CD has 12 tunes on it, and the royalty is 70 cents a tune, that's
what, $8.40 in royalties for a CD download? Any bets that on a CD selling
for $12.00 at a store, the artist is getting 75% of that? If the typical
hardcover novel is selling for $25 these days, how much of that do you
think the typical author receives? And I know it costs more to physically
produce a book than a CD, but even so, a typical author's deal might work
out to a buck or two a book, maybe a bit more for a proven best-seller
type author, and even more for a major leaguer. But nothing approaching
70% of gross selling price.




I have absolutely no idea about any of these numbers, and how they filter
down to the artists (writer, performer, band members, etc). Neither do you.
So, I choose not to engage in any conjecture.


The truth of the matter is no price for a CD or Download is too high or
unreasonable. If you don't like the price, don't buy it. They will
quickly lower their price if enough people agree with you.

--
Reggie
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That's my story and I am sticking to it.

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