dj paul f
Hi guys
I'm sure that this question as already been put and discussed in the forum but I need to know what you people think.
I have been playing around for some 20 years, from small parties to big disco clubs, and now I'm faced with the question about what's legal and ilegal.
Some people say that if you have the original recording and make an MP3 out of it, thats LEGAL and can be played, others say it's ILEGAL, I'm confused.
Also why are we spending lots of money buying fancy equipment if then cannot be used?
During all these years I met a lot of DJs, and 95% of them carry copies and home made compilation of songs, of course that's ILEGAL, I carry a laptop with MP3 files some I have the original, others don't and cannot play?. THAT'S BULL SH......
I stayed in South Africa for a few years and always played without any problem, of course I had a license from SAMRO and paid all my fees, I think that 's the way it should be done.
Now I'm back in Portugal, and that license does not exist, it's only for the owner of the place where you are going to play, in my opinion, if you take this bussiness serious we should have a licence to play when and wherever it's needed, it didn't matter what format of music you play.
From what it seems each country as it's own law regarding this matter maybe it's time to came toghether.
There is an option for the MP3 that is downloaded ilegal from the net or copied from a cd that you don't have, BUY IT, but that it's also ILEGAL, what proof do I have that can be played, so where we stand.
Please someone give a good explanation, otherwise I'm serously thinking of selling all my equipment and retire.
Thank's for taking time to read this post.
Best regards
DJ PAUL F
I'm sure that this question as already been put and discussed in the forum but I need to know what you people think.
I have been playing around for some 20 years, from small parties to big disco clubs, and now I'm faced with the question about what's legal and ilegal.
Some people say that if you have the original recording and make an MP3 out of it, thats LEGAL and can be played, others say it's ILEGAL, I'm confused.
Also why are we spending lots of money buying fancy equipment if then cannot be used?
During all these years I met a lot of DJs, and 95% of them carry copies and home made compilation of songs, of course that's ILEGAL, I carry a laptop with MP3 files some I have the original, others don't and cannot play?. THAT'S BULL SH......
I stayed in South Africa for a few years and always played without any problem, of course I had a license from SAMRO and paid all my fees, I think that 's the way it should be done.
Now I'm back in Portugal, and that license does not exist, it's only for the owner of the place where you are going to play, in my opinion, if you take this bussiness serious we should have a licence to play when and wherever it's needed, it didn't matter what format of music you play.
From what it seems each country as it's own law regarding this matter maybe it's time to came toghether.
There is an option for the MP3 that is downloaded ilegal from the net or copied from a cd that you don't have, BUY IT, but that it's also ILEGAL, what proof do I have that can be played, so where we stand.
Please someone give a good explanation, otherwise I'm serously thinking of selling all my equipment and retire.
Thank's for taking time to read this post.
Best regards
DJ PAUL F
Posted Sun 17 Sep 06 @ 12:06 pm
Superstom
Paul, if it is legal or not is depending on the country you live in. What is legal in the one is illegal in the other. Most coutries have some organisation which looks after paying fees for broadcasting and so on. Please find out who will fulfill this in your country and contact them. Then you know for sure.
Ewout
Ewout
Posted Sun 17 Sep 06 @ 6:47 pm
Supacon
If you are using a computer or data files to play music, it's almost guaranteed that in some way, shape, or form, somewhere, you are breaking laws. But I wouldn't be too concerned. The laws are only really established and enforced to protect the interests of big business anyways. The more important questions are:
1. Are you comfortably within your own ethical boundaries?
2. Is there any REAL liklihood of significant legal or financial repercussions against you?
#1 Is tricky to answer. For myself, I would say that if I own a CD with the song, even if it's a Promotional CD that technically isn't legal to copy, I have an obvious right to make an MP3, and I feel that this is morally justifiable, even if not always technically legal.
As for #2, that also depends on a number of factors.... what your country's laws & enforcement agencies are like, where you work, who you know, who you've successfully pissed off in the past, etc, but for the amount of people that are using ALL pirated material to DJ professionally these days, I'd say that the odds of getting caught and prosecuted for downloading a few MP3s are generally pretty slim.
1. Are you comfortably within your own ethical boundaries?
2. Is there any REAL liklihood of significant legal or financial repercussions against you?
#1 Is tricky to answer. For myself, I would say that if I own a CD with the song, even if it's a Promotional CD that technically isn't legal to copy, I have an obvious right to make an MP3, and I feel that this is morally justifiable, even if not always technically legal.
As for #2, that also depends on a number of factors.... what your country's laws & enforcement agencies are like, where you work, who you know, who you've successfully pissed off in the past, etc, but for the amount of people that are using ALL pirated material to DJ professionally these days, I'd say that the odds of getting caught and prosecuted for downloading a few MP3s are generally pretty slim.
Posted Mon 18 Sep 06 @ 2:21 am