RezN8 0 Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 As I make the move to the purely digital realm, I've been doing some research into the PPL & MCPS/PRS licenses. Since both licenses are being sold to us under the guise of protecting the interests of their members, it was interesting to read some feedback from producers in the Sound on Sound forum. I also found this interesting article - A Musician's Take on File Sharing, DRM, and Copyleft Licensing. Here's an extract relating to Kris "Thrash" Weston, formerly of The Orb and the problem that he is facing: "On further inquiry it seems that, as an artist signs an exclusive license to the MCPS for royalty collection, the MCPS are then unwilling to extend this license to include file sharing. This is somewhat understandable when one considers that the MCPS takes an 8.5% cut from every album or digital distribution in the United Kingdom. The MCPS are willing for their members to use copyleft licensing as long as they sign a waiver for royalty collection. But what made Weston's job difficult is that, under UK law, it is illegal to press an album without an MCPS license. And an album license will not be granted by the MCPS if the album uses copyleft material. " "So, yet again, we find that musicians who wish to work independently of the system are being locked out by a monopoly operated by the MCPS, who receive the major part of their commission through royalty collection for the Big Five record labels. This makes it hard to believe that the MCPS would be unbiased in their service toward musicians, even though it would take little effort for the MCPS to implement alternative forms of licensing." So if the PRS/MCPS are failing their members, exactly who are they working for? Also, I can understand and accept the need for a public performance license, but the "MP3 Tax" imposed on transferring my CDs to laptop just doesn't make any sense ... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wallbash.gif Link to post Share on other sites
Gary 0 Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 I'll be buying the PPL Digital DJ Licence, either late this year, or early next - to cover hard drive use - unless a better licence comes out in the meantimes. The current MCPS SG-6 is not impossible for DJs to utilise, but it is very very very difficult - it wasnt designed for library creation. Link to post Share on other sites
DJ Marky Marc 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I dont have one becuase I dont need one, but in the new year I shall be getting a Denon HD2500 so will be getting the licence needed to cover moving lots of music to the Hard drive.... <a href="http://www.djassociates.org"><img src="http://www.djassociates.org/anims/compres_banner.gif" alt="Join the DJ Associates Disc Jockey Association" border="0" width="468" height="60"></a> Link to post Share on other sites
spinner 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 QUOTE (DJ Marky Marc @ Oct 2 2006, 07:36 AM) I dont have one becuase I dont need one, but in the new year I shall be getting a Denon HD2500 so will be getting the licence needed to cover moving lots of music to the Hard drive.... Ditto. Er...maybe not -- see later post. Link to post Share on other sites
Tonsk 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 QUOTE (spinner @ Oct 2 2006, 09:14 AM) QUOTE (DJ Marky Marc @ Oct 2 2006, 07:36 AM) I dont have one becuase I dont need one, but in the new year I shall be getting a Denon HD2500 so will be getting the licence needed to cover moving lots of music to the Hard drive.... Ditto. Me too The Right Music - based in Norwich and covering all Norfolk and Suffolk Link to post Share on other sites
Kingy 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Like the folks above, I don't need one right now, I still use CDs. BUT, with the impending Denon unit......who knows. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/533.gif Link to post Share on other sites
spinner 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I reread the terms of the PPL licence. It's for DJs who want to transfer tracks to a hard drive and perform in public. No mention of private functions. So I phoned the PPL Licence Team helpline and asked for advice. The guy I spoke to said "you have a PPL mobile DJ licence already don't you?" to which I replied "no". I bought one once after being misinformed by PPL, but they're not necessary for private functions. The outcome was that I was told that, since all my gigs are private, I am not allowed to copy anything!!! Beat that for ridiculous. Link to post Share on other sites
Kingy 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 QUOTE (spinner @ Oct 2 2006, 10:45 AM) I reread the terms of the PPL licence. It's for DJs who want to transfer tracks to a hard drive and perform in public. No mention of private functions. So I phoned the PPL Licence Team helpline and asked for advice. The guy I spoke to said "you have a PPL mobile DJ licence already don't you?" to which I replied "no". I bought one once after being misinformed by PPL, but they're not necessary for private functions. The outcome was that I was told that, since all my gigs are private, I am not allowed to copy anything!!! Beat that for ridiculous. Typical!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/533.gif Link to post Share on other sites
Gary 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Yes...this is a problem for some of us. PPL only have "control" of public performances of a tune eg: Pub gigs, pay on the door gigs, "open to all" gigs, and restaurant/dinner dance gigs, such as say, single or multiple companies descending on a venue for Christmas Dinner Dance nights, or a load of happy couples booking tables for 2 with music afterwards on Valentines nights etc. PPL Dont have jurisdiction (this is a "Plus" and a "Minus") to grant anyone copy-priviledges for Private functions- eg: Ripping CD's for a Birthday, a wedding, a christening etc... Gotta be a loophole that makes every single private gig, public... eg: if your roadie (who wouldn't have got an invite) nibbles a vul-au-vent from the buffet and has a 5 second boogie on the dancefloor, then hes effectively made the gig "Public" rather than private... Ta-daaa! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/notworthy.gif ....yeah.... I doubt the "A Gatecrasher make any gig public" idea will stick...shame... Like many other DJU members, and indeed many DJs across the UK from what I've gathered - I do a mixture of Public and Private gigs - therefore, I'm buying the PPL DDJL to go with my Denon DN-HD2500 as a way of getting myself as close as possible to legit, in terms of adhering to music copyright and performance. Still, if I do 50 gigs a year that are private, and 50 gigs a year that are public, then I only need to keep a warey eye on the door for the PPL night inspectors (already exist, and number of officers set to increase) at half my gigs - rather than all my gigs. Its like if you had 4 bald tyres on your van, and you went along to Kwik-Fit and they only had 2 of the tyres in stock that you needed - would you buy nothing? No, you'd probably buy the 2 that they had, and get them fitted there and then - that way, if nice Mr Policeman stopped you that night - you'd be able to flash the receipt for the two new tyres and be able to explain that you did as much as you reasonably could. Sure...you're still only half in the right, but you've tried to comply, and you're as right as you could be, within reason. Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisPointon 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Maybe we should all club together and hire a Solicitor who is the copyright equivalant of Nick Freeman http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif (As long as Caprice doesn't become a DJ we should have a good chance!) Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Westcott 0 Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I just think the law needs to be changed to reflect modern technology - no idea how that would be initiated though. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/533.gif I use CDs and vinyl, so for the moment it doesn't concern me, although I would like to see some movement regarding condensing an existing collection onto CD-R. Link to post Share on other sites
RezN8 0 Posted October 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Just to clarify then, does everyone take out their original CDs? I certainly don't, but I do take out a file with all of my receipts, which is left in the van. Link to post Share on other sites
Gary 0 Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 QUOTE (RezN8 @ Oct 3 2006, 08:20 AM) Just to clarify then, does everyone take out their original CDs? I certainly don't, but I do take out a file with all of my receipts, which is left in the van. Yes, I do - and still a table full of vinyl - and 1 eager-to-retire Technics SL1210 (Free to anyone who wants to transfer my vinyl to hard drive for my PERSONAL home use) - currently it's the only legit way of playing the music that I've already bought originals of. Whilst taking receipts of purchases of physical music formats, and even print-outs of legit .79p downloads is most definately logical its as legal as trying to pay for your working pint of Orange juice and lemonade with a £100 Monopoly money note. Maybe part of the issue that the various authorities have is "...and who's earning money using the originals tonight sir/madam, whilst you're using the copies?" Obviously not a problem in some other countries, who have a "fair use" policy, which allows 1 x backup copy of any music (and I think software) that you own. Link to post Share on other sites
DJ Marky Marc 0 Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 QUOTE Just to clarify then, does everyone take out their original CDs? I do.... <a href="http://www.djassociates.org"><img src="http://www.djassociates.org/anims/compres_banner.gif" alt="Join the DJ Associates Disc Jockey Association" border="0" width="468" height="60"></a> Link to post Share on other sites
Kingy 0 Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 QUOTE (DJ Marky Marc @ Oct 3 2006, 09:09 AM) QUOTE Just to clarify then, does everyone take out their original CDs? I do.... Me too.......it's my livelyhood. To be prosecuted is the last thing I need or want. Thats why I get bitter when I .....oh forget it. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wallbash.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wallbash.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wallbash.gif Link to post Share on other sites
Tonsk 0 Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 QUOTE (Kingy @ Oct 3 2006, 09:18 AM) QUOTE (DJ Marky Marc @ Oct 3 2006, 09:09 AM) QUOTE Just to clarify then, does everyone take out their original CDs? I do.... Me too.......it's my livelyhood. To be prosecuted is the last thing I need or want. And me The Right Music - based in Norwich and covering all Norfolk and Suffolk Link to post Share on other sites
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