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Hula Rider
Lokahi
USA
215 Posts |
 Posted - 09/18/2007 : 11:47:04 AM
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E aloha kakou!
I recently gave a copy of the CD "Songs from Hawai`i Island" to a young friend who was just delighted with it. SO delighted that he offered to burn a whole set of copies for all of his friends!
I thought I would share the letter I wrote him so that anyone else who runs across this situation can pass the information on.
Dear ________
I am delighted that you enjoy our music so much! But I wanted to share some mana`o on copyrights with you, since so many people are unaware of the laws and, to me, more important ethical implications.
Legally, a song, painting, or other work of art is considered a property. It actually belongs to the artists just like a car or piece of land. Once the artwork is put in a recorded format, it can be easily shared (which we artists love to do!). But it costs a lot of money to do that, so that money needs to be made back. And, we also all need to earn a living! Selling our recordings, such as CDs, is how we earn our living.
So, every time an unauthorized copy of a CD is made and passed out, it is both legally and ethically the same as stealing from the artist. In the case of this new CD, by not buying the CD, and just making copies and passing them out, basically a person who does that is stealing from the bank account of the producer, the studio, and each artist on the CD. When a CD is "ripped," not only do we lose the income from the sale, but we are not paid our royalties (and if we are not paid for our music, we cannot afford to keep making music!).
Here is the legal language (The government takes copyright infringement very seriously!)
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Statutory penalties are found at 18 U.S.C. § 2319. A defendant, convicted for the first time of violating 17 U.S.C. § 506(a) by the unauthorized reproduction or distribution, during any 180-day period, of at least 10 copies or phonorecords, or 1 or more copyrighted works, with a retail value of more than $2,500 can be imprisoned for up to 5 years and fined up to $250,000, or both. 18 U.S.C. §§ 2319(b), 3571(b)(3).
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http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/foia_reading_room/usam/title9/crm01852.htm
So, if a person makes ten copies of someone else's CD in a six-month period, it could get them five years in jail, a fine of $250,000 or both.
I think "copyright infringement" has been a problem for artists from ancient times, because there are even pule from ancient times which pray for protection from this!
E Laka e, ua lawe aku o _________ i kekahi o kou mau mele.
E `olu`olu `oe, a ho`a`a iaia i kona manawa e hoa`o ana e ho`ike aku
E ho`opoina `oe iaia e hiki ole ai oia e ho`omana`i i na hua`olelo o ke mele
O Laka, __________ has taken one of my songs.
Make him stutter and stammer when he tries to use it.
Make his memory fail him so that he would not remember the words.
Not too many people know about this, so whenever you come across people who want to rip CDs, please spread the word! All recording artists everywhere will be in your debt!
Malama pono,
Leilehua
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 09/18/2007 : 12:18:29 PM
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I sure will.
What I'm glad about is that some of the money spent on a song or album from itunes goes to the artist/group who recorded it. |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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Hula Rider
Lokahi
USA
215 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 06:33:51 AM
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Mahalo!
Yeah - it's always nice to be paid for your work! :-)
Malama pono,
Leilehua |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2007 : 10:55:57 AM
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It is sad that the current generation often believes that computers, which connect us to the rest of the world, should provide us with free stuff. They expect the internet to help write their term papers (grumpy old man asks "remember books and typewriters?"), provide them with free music and help them copy CDs of various kinds. A little reminder from an artist can help them realize that a purchased CD is a compliment to the musician.
Jesse Tinsley |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2007 : 1:51:44 PM
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| Sad too is the fact that producing a work costs a lot of kala. All involved get their rightful cut. So more than the artist is getting robbed. It sometimes takes a while and quite a few sales to break even. Not everybody is the Stones or the Beatles or Elvis. So every copy sold counts. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2007 : 5:46:43 PM
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Jesse,
I remember decades ago while in school being in a "pool" with 2 other guys -- we each bought every 3rd record and the other two got reel to reel copies. Of course, back then, we really were short of money, etc etc.
Computers just make it easier and faster -- and, unfortunately too often, on a hugely broad and abusive scale. |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2007 : 6:23:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RJS
the other two got reel to reel copies.
"Home taping is killing music."
Remember those days? I'd wager the music industry would love to go back to the time when they were just worried about "home taping." |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 06:43:58 AM
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Dude - I'm way older than I think, too.
(Now --- where did I put those wax cylinders...?) |
Edited by - Retro on 09/21/2007 06:44:49 AM |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 08:50:29 AM
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| Probably plenty of players here have moved a phono needle back to the begining of a lick over and over so you could learn it. |
Bob |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 09:06:45 AM
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HB,
I always used the cue lever to move a needle, and also used the changer spindle to get continuous music.
Jesse Tinsley |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 09:15:22 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Retro
quote:
Originally posted by RJS
the other two got reel to reel copies.
"Home taping is killing music."
Remember those days? I'd wager the music industry would love to go back to the time when they were just worried about "home taping."
Y'know, Retro, I think that, unfortunately, the general anger and the cause of a lot of piracy by the public is aimed at "The Business", those types that control and manipulate what is recorded and what is heard. Artists generally get screwed by the business types, and so does the public. This goes over to the broadcast business, too. I know that you are very aware of this. I really like the idea of artists self recording and distributing directly over the Internet. I believe that this is what really scares the business types because they stand a good chance of losing their (very lucrative) livlihood. |
keaka |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 09:52:27 AM
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Thanks for the pule, Leilehua.
I didn't touch a computer for my first 3 years of college. I was in that brief window where I could use a Smith Corona word processor instead of a typewriter. Yet, I still have some vinyl and even 8-track tapes. While we did have electricity, we could still walk miles to school through snow and ice.  |
Andy |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 12:41:33 PM
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There was a great article posted on the internet a year or two ago that explained how little artists really get from the sale of recordings. I believe it was by Mimi Farina, but I can't find the links now. There was also some previous discussion on this site.
I have changed some of my views about this whole thing. I won't copy a disk which is self produced or which produced by a small publishing house. I have no qualms about ripping off Sony, BMI, Angel, etc etc. If those mega organizations didn't try to screw us consumers in the first place I would feel different. It's a lot different threatening an exec's quarter million, plus, salary that actually taking money from an artist.
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2007 : 5:34:43 PM
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I used to think nothing wrong with copying a record to a cassette or even before that, reel-to-reel. The record to cassette thing was also to put the record away and play the cassette, and to have good music in the car, since no can play records in the car. We thought it was a good way to preserve the vinyl because we knew eventually it would get scratches or whatever. Also, we did it to share music with friends.
A few years ago, though, I realized that it was not pono, regardless of who is or is not making profits from it. Kind of like saying OK to break into the rich guys's house and steal something because he has plenty kala and stuff, but not OK to break into Tutu's house cause she has no money or anything worth stealing. There are no degrees of pono. You are or you aren't and your heart will know which you are |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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