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LOL, some of the venues are certainly doing their best not to pay artist fees. A few years ago there was quite a stir in our local folkie community when the Borders Bookstore chain decided to quit paying their standard $75 for a live music show and started expecting acts to play for free. Now we know where the $75 goes (ASCAP and BMI licenses) when an act does agrees to play for the "exposure" plus any CD sales they can muster.
Before Borders came along, some of us local acts were getting $130 a show from another big bookstore in our area. The times have certainly changed, and one has to wonder how much the increased aggressiveness of ASCAP and BMI has figured into it. Gary Last edited by guitaniac; 02-24-2007 at 07:57 AM. Reason: spelling it out for the skimmers who may have missed it earlier |
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I'm ASCAP, but I did not register any of my songs with them after my first CD. We indies get so little airplay on surveyed stations that the royalty checks are negligible if we even get them. I used to get a $200 annual ASCAPAward stipend, simply for logging the songs I'd written, the places I'd played, and the airplay of which I was aware--until I found out that information was being used to "rat out" the venues who were kind enough to hire me. As a result, I did not ASCAP-register, just copyrighted, the songs on the last two CDs I recorded.
It's getting even more ominous. A noted local folk-DJ asked me yesterday at Folk Alliance where in the Chicago area I would be playing next (we play mostly out of town these days so there's no point in plugging those gigs on Chicago-based broadcasts). He will not plug Borders or any tips-only shows for the aforementioned reasons. I mentioned a prominent suburban house concert series which he used to plug--and he told me because of "liability issues" he can no longer mention those either. Apparently, I have been hearing reports that ASCAP and BMI have begun shaking down church basement coffeehouses and house concert series. Sheesh.
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Sandy http://www.sandyandina.com ------------------------- Gramann Rapahannock, 7 Taylors, 4 Martins, 2 Gibsons, 2 V-A, Larrivee Parlour, Gretsch Way Out West, Fender P-J Bass & Mustang, Danelectro U2, Peavey fretless bass, 8 dulcimers, 2 autoharps, 2 banjos, 2 mandolins, 3 ukes I cried because I had no shoes.....but then I realized I won’t get blisters. Last edited by Chicago Sandy; 02-23-2007 at 09:21 PM. |
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Whoa!! Does that mean I've got to put a quarter in the jar every time I play someone else's song here in my music room? Will it cost more if I sit on the front porch where my neighbors can hear?
I'm not paranoid. They REALLY ARE after me!
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more guitars and stuff than I deserve |
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I don't think a little coffee house or small club should have to pay much of anything to Ascap or BMI, or at least a very small fee depending on the size of the venue. This is the kind of crap that's killing live music in many small places. The coffee shops and several clubs I know of in this area are lucky to have 20 people in there when the musicians are playing. The musicians don't make any money to speak of, and the venues definitely don't make a killing. Many end up closing within a year or so.
In a way they are hurting themselves. I've bought a lot of music after hearing a good cover performed at a local spot, and I know many others have as well. While this may not amount to much revenue for the writers/ publishers etc., it's better than shutting down the little guys who are barely making a profit. Then Ascap and BMI won't get the licenses and will have fewer record sales. I understand completely the problem the industry has with internet music sharing, and I agree you shouldn't be able to download a song for free. I love I-Tunes, I'm completely happy being able to get a song for 99 cents. Heck, when I was a kid I was paying 1.49 for 45's. Ascap and BMI are great for the professionals who are making their living with their music. But they should base their licensing fees on the amount of income the venue brings in, rather than price the fees so high most little guys can't afford it, or take the chance and hope they don't get caught. It would seem to me 50 bucks a year from all the little places that are flying under the radar would be a lot of money, and much better than trying to shut them down or force them out of having live music.
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Dreamwarrior www.markspencermusic.com '07 Taylor 424ce SL '06 Taylor 414ce '03 Taylor 355 '05 Gibson 185 EC Special jumbo '91 Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite '96 Gibson Les Paul Studio '04 Fender Highway One Strat '06 Fender American Precision Bass |
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I'm kinda trolling here, but I'll try to be constructive, so please bear with me...
I know the sentiment among artists is that illegal file sharing is bad. And I'm not advocating it. I don't really do it myself, except for the occasional CD copy for a friend. What is the difference between my buying a book, reading it, then loaning it to a friend to read, and copying a CD for him or her to listen to. My friend didn't pay for the book, or the CD, and really, I'm "file-sharing" either way, right? Is the difference that with the CD I give him, he can make a copy (or 1000 copies) and sell them, whereas with the book, it's much harder to generate an illegal revenue stream? What about digital books? Why should they be any different that "analog" ones? It seems to me that artists should certainly be paid for the use of their intellectual property. On the other hand, I think that the vast majority of people who illegally download music are doing it for their own benefit, and not to intentionally deprive anyone of a future revenue stream. They are "reading a borrowed book", as it were. It is stealing? You bet it is. But do you feel like you should pay an author a royalty fee when you read that borrowed book? Is there a big problem with mass-duplication and sale of illegally downloaded music? Or is everybody just worrying about Joe Skaterboy who downloaded some Metallica to his computer because he spent his CD money on weed? Should we really try to stop all music sharing? Is it possible? Or should the powers that be come up with a new model for music distribution. One that puts revenue back in hands of the artist, and allows for some tolerance when it comes to the sharing of great music. And no, I don't have a solution. Serial Copy Management seems like way to go, but it, and anything we try to implement that involve Digital Rights Management, will be hacked. And the only people who will benefit from that are the people who are copying music in order to make money. Thanks for tolerating this lengthy post.
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Safe as Milk |
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I've got a curious question for the people around here who know about such stuff. There's all kinds of recordings here(on the forum) and elsewhere on the web of peoples own versions of someone elses songs. Is it legal to post something like that? IE, would it be legal for me to play and record "Stairway" and post that recording here?
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woody b politically incorrect since 1964 |
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Sorry my occasional CD copy makes you so mad. I'm not "kidding myself". I know that it's an unlicensed copy, and that I'm depriving someone of royalties. Sue me. I have over 2000 CD's in my collection. I paid for 99.99% of them. And I have no illegally downloaded music anywhere. People aren't perfect. I know I'm not. I'm very responsible about paying for music - again, I'm not perfect. Maybe you are. I was just trying to pose a question that seemed relevent to the thread. I wasn't looking for anyone to tell me how wrong, wrong, WRONG I am.
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Safe as Milk |
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Do schools have to pay fees everytime someone sings "Wind Beneath My Wings" or some other song at a graduation? I had never thought of that. Surely they wouldn't try to enforce something like that?
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Dreamwarrior www.markspencermusic.com '07 Taylor 424ce SL '06 Taylor 414ce '03 Taylor 355 '05 Gibson 185 EC Special jumbo '91 Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite '96 Gibson Les Paul Studio '04 Fender Highway One Strat '06 Fender American Precision Bass |