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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
 Posted - 02/19/2008 : 05:12:38 AM
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Amy Stillman, Ph.D. was born/raised/educated in Hawai`i -- and is an acclaimed ethnomusicologist, now teaching at U Michigan's Ann Arbor campus and she's a kumu hula too. For more about her, please see http://www-personal.umich.edu/~akstill/. She has written the following, which I'm posting in this particular forum (with her permission) because it speaks directly about Hawaiian music and musicians:
On Supporting Recording Artists
I am a staunch advocate of our kuleana to support recording artists by purchasing legitimate copies of recorded music.
Recording artists are entitled to compensation for their labor in creating the songs and arrangements that go into commercial recordings. The companies that produce the recordings are entitled to compensation for bearing the costs of production and marketing.
While many people hold opinions that the costs of CDs are too high, or that artists receive very little from the sales price of a CD, NEITHER POSITION JUSTIFIES DENYING THE ARTIST OR THE PRODUCTION COMPANY OF FAIR COMPENSATION FOR THEIR LABOR.
In the Hawaiian music and hula communities, we have a particular kuleana to support our musicians. They produce the recordings that halau and dancers are able to use in hula study. Imagine a world without new recordings. How would haku mele be able to share their new song compositions? How would musicians be able to share new talent or arrangements? How would hula dancers be able to learn new songs?
From a broad economic perspective, Hawaiian music is a small market. Nobody makes obscenely huge profits. Bumper sticker sighted: Real musicians have day jobs.
It follows, then, that if we wish to continue to enjoy Hawaiian music, then we all have a kuleana to do our own part in helping it survive and flourish, by purchasing legitimate copies of recorded music.
It distresses me to see how widely people circulate copies of Hawaiian music. In the hula world, it is particularly disturbing to see one person buy a CD then make 20 copies for his or her classmates. It is equally disturbing to know that a copy of a track made and shared in a workshop then gets further circulated when the mele is taught again, and the cycle repeats again and again. What is disturbing is when the origin of the recording becomes totally unknown, and the track continues to circulate, but nobody knows who the artist is.
This is highly disrespectful of the artists who produced the music. It is also highly irresponsible to students, who cannot name the artist to whose music they are dancing. Shame on people who perpetuate this shameful situation.
If Hawaiian music is to survive and flourish, we must all do our part to support the artists. That includes purchasing legitimate copies of the music, and always acknowledging the talent behind the music by identifying the artists when their music is used.
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Auntie Maria
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My "Aloha Kaua`i" radio show streams FREE online every Thu & Fri 7-9am (HST)
www.kkcr.org - Kaua`i Community Radio
"Like" Aloha Kauai on Facebook, for playlists and news/info about island music and musicians!
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 06:11:09 AM
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| Hear hear. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 07:19:51 AM
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I would just add:
Where possible, buy direct from the Artist, such as at a concert.
(Not to slight Maria at mele.com... She is the best source for
recordings if you cannot get one direct from the artist.)
The artist gets a much better return from direct sales than through
normal distribution channels,
(and of course you can have it autographed!)
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/19/2008 09:33:31 AM |
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 10:35:09 AM
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| I agree with you completely, Lawrence. Please go to the source first -- either at a gig, or via their website, or on cdbaby.com This is where the musicians make the most profit -- and they deserve it! |
Auntie Maria
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My "Aloha Kaua`i" radio show streams FREE online every Thu & Fri 7-9am (HST)
www.kkcr.org - Kaua`i Community Radio
"Like" Aloha Kauai on Facebook, for playlists and news/info about island music and musicians!
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 2:06:51 PM
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Concur wholeheartedly.
Auntie Maria,
I especially like the "preview" part of your web site. I can know I am purchasing the what I am looking for when I am able to listen to a snippet first.
Besides, when you purchase the CD at a concert you can usually "talk story" with the artist and have them sign the jacket or CD for you -- a Win/Win situation. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 7:07:09 PM
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I totally agree. I always by the artist CD at a concert, or at a gig that they are doing. I always get them autographed and they are always there to "talk story" with you. I support Hawaiian music all the way because it is such a small market, and there are many Hawaiian artists/musicians out there that are trying to perserve the language and the culture.
Alana :) |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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KäneKïHö`alu
Akahai
64 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2008 : 6:58:11 PM
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| Yes, We all need to do our part in supporting nā mele Hawaiʻi!!! It's so sad to see how much illegal music is going around nowdays, and how many people think it's no big deal. You wouldn't go steal a CD from Uncle Led, Uncle Cyril, Uncle Dennis, etc. if it was sitting next to them on a table during a gig...why then steal it from them in a different manner? |
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DaKineViking
Aloha
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 03:18:23 AM
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| I'm not a professional musician, but I play da bes' I can. As one who does NOT benefit financially from Hawaiian music, let me add MY support to this post. If those who work on this art form are robbed of their rights to earn from their beautiful labor, they will have less time and inclination to create their art. Even if the art is not killed in this manner, it will be far less than it COULD be. The diminishing of an art form so beautiful for ANY reason diminishes us all. Don't "take away"..."add to" by supporting the artists...purchase legitimately...thou shalt not steal. Mahalo to those who create and sustain this wonderful music. |
Lona |
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kawikasurf
Aloha
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 10:22:22 AM
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| I think it’s a matter of personal honor and common sense. I was appalled, recently, when I learned that my fiancée’s hula teacher was selling a compilation of tracks from various artists to her beginning students for $15 apiece. That’s not just dishonorable, it’s downright illegal. But is it wrong to make yourself a back-up copy of a CD you’ve purchased in case your original gets lost or damaged? Or an extra “traveling” copy to play in your car while the original stays home in your CD changer? I personally feel that both of these are reasonable. But here’s where things get a bit murky. Can you make an extra CD copy for a spouse? And how about occasionally sharing an individual audio track? I’ve done this – e-mailed an individual track to someone who might not otherwise have heard of the artist – or else to a musical partner for the purpose of helping him or her to learn to play or sing a particular song with me. (Auntie Maria – I know you’re working on this but I’d love to be able to purchase individual tracks from Mele.com.) I’ve also received isolated tracks from friends and on several occasions I’ve been inspired to purchase the entire CD – and other CD’s by that same artist. I’ve had the opportunity to ask a few Hawaiian musicians how they feel about this and I’ve generally been told that they are happy when someone shares their music with a friend – they appreciate the exposure. But nobody wants to have copies of their CD’s widely distributed and certainly not sold. And so, while I believe you most certainly should NOT burn yourself a free copy of a CD you don’t own, just to avoid spending the money, and neither should you hand out multiple CD copies to an ukulele, slack key, or hula club, I’m not sure that it is always wrong to copy or share music. Like everyone else on this site, I believe that Hawaiian musicians – and wonderful people like Auntie Maria who make the music available to us - are a treasure and should be respected and supported. Yes, I know it’s easy to rationalize but I think there is still room for good judgment within the bounds of good ethics. |
Edited by - kawikasurf on 02/21/2008 10:27:00 AM |
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bubba
Akahai
72 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 11:21:51 AM
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| I hoping this means that its OK to buy a used CD or a used LP because someone has already paid for it. Of course that means the artist gets nothing from the sale and the person making the purchase most likely would not be making a purchase of the same CD new. It wouldn't appear that it is illegal to sell used CDs as there are stores everywhere doing it. |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 12:04:05 PM
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Dave,
Welcome Aboard! |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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kawikasurf
Aloha
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 12:53:42 PM
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| Mahalo, Cap'n. And thanks as always for the great music you play on Tuesdays. |
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mahimahi
Aloha
USA
43 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 1:39:16 PM
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| I agree with kawikasurf & hawaiianmusiclover06 and the rest...there are always more than two sides to the situation...if the musician wants his/her music to be spread thruout this planet one must concede that copying of CDs with continue...hopefully for every few CDs that do get burned the next person will want to purchase their own...this also occurs in bookstores....and what about Youtube...are the musicians receiving residuals?....exposure is what's happening here...look at how many hits Jake has received on Youtube...copying CDs will not go away...but supporting the musicians in any way, shape or form will only see that the Hawaiian culture continues to strive...you don't want to be stunted nor stifled, but to evolve and grow. |
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Darin
Lokahi
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 3:03:24 PM
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Bubba, it's legal to purchase a used cd. It's the illegal replication that raises so many problems. Happy shopping, hopefully at mele.com. :)
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Darin
http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/ |
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 8:37:43 PM
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Darin, sincere congratulations on being named a Pacific Century Fellow by Mayor Mufi Hanneman!!! Caught your name on the list. and smiled at your description there:
Darin Robinson Leong, associate attorney, Marr Hipp Jones & Wang; self-employed musician...
(small quote from news article, for those unfamiliar with the fellowship):
The 10th class of Pacific Century Fellows has been selected. The program, based on the White House Fellows Program, aims to identify, encourage and develop future Island leaders. It was the brainchild of former White House Fellow, Mayor Mufi Hannemann. The appointees are selected on the basis of education, career, special achievements, community involvement, communication skills and strength of character. The hope is that participants' association with senior community, social and government leaders will foster relationships among individuals committed to finding creative solutions to society's problems.
...for the whole article:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/20/bz/hawaii802200373.html |
Auntie Maria
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My "Aloha Kaua`i" radio show streams FREE online every Thu & Fri 7-9am (HST)
www.kkcr.org - Kaua`i Community Radio
"Like" Aloha Kauai on Facebook, for playlists and news/info about island music and musicians!
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Darin
Lokahi
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 9:21:01 PM
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| Thanks Aunty! I'm meeting great people in the program, and the mayor loves to sing! Sorry to take this off topic. |
Darin
http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/ |
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