i-j-c Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Okay...we've all become acustomed to the fall out regarding illegal file and music sharing in recent months... ..but now the MPA (Music Publishers Association) want a slice of the cake too! They are targetting sites like guitar tabs etc...and other sites that provide lyrics...! I have used various guitar tabs sites in the past to download some tabs...but as the tabs say..they are the authors own work - to be honest, I think users of such sites are in all innocence..so this is a heads up to you all.. Here is the BBC News article on the sibject from todays news BBC News Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 In canada you're pretty safe. As with file sharing they have ruled that it is no different than a library. But with this only one word comes to mind....pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Are they talking about tabs that are directly copied from a book and posted on the web? I guess I could understand that - maybe but if they mean that nobody can listen and tab a song and post it - that's insane. That thing about "throw in some jail time" - that really pisses me off. As if jail time were a trivial thing to just "throw in". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 thats the most *insert any politcally uncorrect term for stupid* thing i've heard all year. as dave said i can understand ilegalizing copied tabs, but someones own work that they figured out on their own. what beginner guitarist doesnt use the internet to learn songs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i-j-c Posted December 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 It's totally ridiculous...whatever next in their repetoire of condemnation..next...they will target those who practice songs in their garage, bedroom, house whatever without licence... I can see egg on face...but what really gets me is the smokescreen they are prepared to use with comments like: Unauthorised use of lyrics and tablature deprives the songwriter of the ability to make a living I would therefore like the MPA to explain exactly how much of a cut they give the artist...and how many struggling artists do they publish tabs, scores and lyrics for...NONE! They may do so for popular artists...but it is very rarely the artist sits down and writes his score...no someone else does it...and as a result the artists cut from such sales will be miniscule...and since when does such popular music from popular artists depend upon income from music score sales....??? Time for the music industry to wake up and smell the coffee..instead of complaining...join in and grow up - make their own sites and allow subscriptions if they are that concerened... I see much egg on face..and yet another method of alienating the music loving public... You snooze you loose.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 It's totally ridiculous...whatever next in their repetoire of condemnation..next...they will target those who practice songs in their garage, bedroom, house whatever without licence... ← Similarly, are they going to start posting agents in every bar in America so they can fine every band that does a cover of another band's song? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sepultura999 Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Lame. Crap like this makes me not want to even play music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 It's totally ridiculous...whatever next in their repetoire of condemnation..next...they will target those who practice songs in their garage, bedroom, house whatever without licence... ← Similarly, are they going to start posting agents in every bar in America so they can fine every band that does a cover of another band's song? ← In most of Europe, at least for 'proper' gigs, the artist hands in a setlist, the rights association looks at what the cost of performing each cover is, pays, and things move along nicely. It's not too insane, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 About 10 years ago BMI threatened On Line Guitar Archive (OLGA) with litigation. OLGA was forced to shut down in North America and clean up their act. I DID see some scanned pages of songs in their archives, like Black Mtnside by Led Zep, right out of a magazine. That is blatant copyright infringement. But at the time, tabs figured out and submitted by the average Joe were still acceptable so long as they were being used for educational purposes and not being sold. The OLGA mirror sites, in Europe and elsewhere, remained open. I guess they figured all the home-made transcriptions are too close to the mark so now they want the whole enchilada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 In most of Europe, at least for 'proper' gigs, the artist hands in a setlist, the rights association looks at what the cost of performing each cover is, pays, and things move along nicely. It's not too insane, really. ← Do we have that in the US? I've known a couple of touring bands who did covers, and I don't remember them ever having to pay a fee to perform a cover live, only to record and sell a record with covers. I've also seen bands who break into at least a small part of a cover that wasn't on the set list during a break in the set. And speaking of covers, my favorite live cover has to be Moby's punk cover of Sweet Home Alabama that he did on the Lollapalooza tour back in 1995 when he was doing his transition back to guitar rock with Animal Rights. It was just surreal, and surprisingly good. GBT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 The venue (bar, whatever) is "supposed" to pay the royalties. Probably some of that falls under "fair use." But I'd ask our resident lawdog for a better answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Venues in the US pay for an ASCAP and/or BMI license so they *can* play live music in their building. You'll usually see the stickers on the front door. If not, ask the manager or owner. Imagine if Mozart or Beethoven didn't write anything down for fear of being copied and spread throughout the globe. Pretty soon, you'll be thrown in jail for whistling. "FREEZE! Hold it right there! That was the chorus to 'You Give Love A Bad Name.' You're comin' with me son...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Pretty soon, you'll be thrown in jail for whistling. "FREEZE! Hold it right there! That was the chorus to 'You Give Love A Bad Name.' You're comin' with me son...." ← I don't know which one I'd be embarrassed about more. Whistling it, or getting caught. GBT (That's not to say I don't like the tune, mind you) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i-j-c Posted December 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 OK...I thought I was joking in my earlier comments about how far this will go....but.........it's gone tooooooo far this time.. I caught this on BBC R2 news on my way home tonight: 3. Guitar shop in royalty row A music store in Macclesfield has been warned that it breaking the law by letting customers play well known tunes without a license. The Performing Rights Society [PRS] has threatened action against Jones Music. This effectively means...you go into a guitar shop, try out a guitar, and should you dare do what has been done for donkey years...like play Smoke On the Water...the shop is going to get fined.. I'm just waiting for the next news that some passer by heard a band practising in their garage..and recognised the tune...or heard the kid next door practicing in his own home....effectively according to PRS (hmmmm something ironic about that..) that's illegal...and will fine you.. Is it me or has the whole of the music industry completely lost it's marbles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 You know, it wasn't too long ago that Garth Brooks was whining about not getting royalties on the resale of his CDs. Like, used merchandise. Like, stuff he'd already been paid on once. They'll try anything if they think they can get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sepultura999 Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 I never knew that about Garth Brooks. I'd pay him royalties to lay off that flaming shirt I always see him in lol. In the end, I think the MPA will lose, because if they win, then the entire internet should be shut down since one person is typing up information of news, how tos, what nots and references, which is simply what tabs are; a how-to what-not, and lyrics are references. Imagine this, authors should be paid royalties for a student to reference their book? Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 I never knew that about Garth Brooks. I'd pay him royalties to lay off that flaming shirt I always see him in lol. In the end, I think the MPA will lose, because if they win, then the entire internet should be shut down since one person is typing up information of news, how tos, what nots and references, which is simply what tabs are; a how-to what-not, and lyrics are references. Imagine this, authors should be paid royalties for a student to reference their book? Crazy. ← Well, quite. Although you're being overly dramatic, since what little power the MPA has, they wield only in the US. Lest we forget, there's a whole world out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bytrix Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 I've noticed that mxtabs.net has been offline for about a week now, I'm wondering if this is related. That was my main source for tabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoughtless 7 Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Powertabs have also stopped their downloads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avan Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 (edited) and now it seems that also taborama and guitartabs.cc are no longer operating. between those and mx i dont have a clue where to look now...thats my main source of learning and improving...so what now? *edit - nevermind guitartabs.cc is working...they aren't based in the united states even it doesnt look like so the mpa probably doesnt have jurisdiction.. Edited December 19, 2005 by avan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TenderSurrender Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 As if powertabs have had to stop... powertabs is brilliant However powertabs havent said they are down permantly.. so theres hope Power Tab Community - News [December 17th, 2005] Due to the recent actions of the MPA (see here), we had to change the available content temporarily. More information will be posted soon. Sorry for any inconveniences this change may cause. Thank you for your understanding and patience. ~~ TS ~~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Does anyone know how to contact these people or a way to express - umm, ....... let's just call it an "opinion" directly to them? I'll try to remember not to use any sentences or groupings of words that may have been in any song ever written in my correspondence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Does anyone know how to contact these people or a way to express - umm, ....... let's just call it an "opinion" directly to them? I'll try to remember not to use any sentences or groupings of words that may have been in any song ever written in my correspondence. ← http://www.mpa.org/about/officers.html Google is your friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 http://www.mpa.org/about/officers.html Google is your friend. I'm horrible at internet sarcasm. I hope you didn't spend too much time with that. BTW - does anyone use anything other than google nowadays? Is there any way MPA can sue for the use of that word? (that's more of that sarcasm again - no need for reply) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 http://www.mpa.org/about/officers.html Google is your friend. I'm horrible at internet sarcasm. I hope you didn't spend too much time with that. BTW - does anyone use anything other than google nowadays? Is there any way MPA can sue for the use of that word? (that's more of that sarcasm again - no need for reply) ← I clearly need to turn on my neon 'warning: replies filled with snark' sign m'self ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.