SoundCloud pirates? Is nothing safe?

[andygabrys]

spicy discussion.

I would bet that all your watermarked tracks still show up as downloadable.

I have a feeling there is no quality control. They just harvest everything.

No Kayle - haven't looked directly on publishers websites to see whether that stuff is also available on these sham sites. I guess at that point, its out of my hands........

[kclements]

Yeah. There is only so much you can do. And as I said, at this point, it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to worry about it too much.

kc

[TheElement]

yeah watermarking would work. however for me if they are going to rip and steal I figure might as well give them a download link. that way they can download files with my meta data in them and I get free advertizing. or do they also rip the meta data along with song? I dont know but I dont mind if my music goes viral just once I get credit.

Now for use in film/tv ..or basically any commercial usage..if someone is making money from my music I will send a lawyer to collect for me.

[ochaim]

Personally, I really don't think it is an issue for us.

For the site owners, they are trying to generate traffic ie. those who are looking to download undownloadable SC tracks to generating ad revenue.
1) How are people going to find YOUR track to download? People who search "track name, artist, download mp3 free" in a search engine are not going to buy your music anyway, or any music for that matter.
2) The pages generated that contain our music aren't being used as "points of entry" to their sites. They are only used to present to search engines to appear as a legitimate site with loads of content. Their point of entry pages are going to be those of popular artists people are actively searching for.

For any alleged pirates who will download tracks to sell as their own:
1) you can download music from SC without these sites.
2) how much would they be willing to spend on advertising to promote their "release" if you think they will be selling them on iTunes?
3) name a music supervisor/library that will sync or accept a 128kbps MP3 file into their catalogue
4) do royalty-free sites accept low res MP3's? ( I don't know the answer to this but, again, if they do how many videographers are going to buy low-res mp3's for their clients?)

I saw some comments elsewhere how this situation puts an exclusive at risk. Unless the contract spells out that the publisher is the only entity allowed to post the track online, where is the concern? The exclusivity in an exclusive contract is usually pretty clear that the publisher has exclusive rights to pitch the music, not where it can be available for streaming/download. If it's not in writing but they request that you refrain from posting it online. You honour their request knowing that it's still not a breach of contract if you do. Keeping them happy and staying on their good side is obvious.

In the end, you make much more money from using SC as a promotional tool than anybody stealing your music from it.

Just my $0.02. Except we don't have pennies in Canada anymore, so it rounds down, unfortunately.

[themichaelscott]

That explains the sudden jump in SC plays. I was starting to think I either had a FB stalker or my mom was really digging my Rock Instrumentals Playlist. Definitely makes me think twice about what and how much I put on SC. But in the end I agree that the pros out way the cons. The sites I have found my tracks on at least give me credit and look so sketchy no one respectable would risk downloading.

Anyone tried downloading to see if you actually get the song and not a virus?


Michael

[AmandaJane]

I am torn both ways regarding using SoundCloud as a publicity tool, and I have had tracks stolen/downloaded and offered for free too. As a lyricist my options for showcasing work are very limited, and Soundcloud fills a gap, alongside my website (WIP).

However, as an 'add on' to the piracy of our Soundcloud tracks issue, I think I found something a bit scarier. I manage my husband's music and songs, and so far he has just 1 album released via cdBaby (several more pre iternet). So, via cdBay this album is put out on iTunes, Amazon etc, and streamed on payment only sites.

A few weeks ago, I must have been bored because I decided to search a certain track on Google. About 3 or 4 links down was a website which has the entire album, being sold as an album, with the full cover graphics and all the text associated with it. This has been issued or uploaded NOWHERE else apart from cdBaby and therefore iTunes etc. They were offering the tracks, or the full album for free. I played a track and the entire track was there, whereas I only have the 30 secs demo or whatever stipulated on CdBay/iTunes.

I contacted cdBaby, and they basically said there is nothing they can do, that it's rife across the net.

So guys, even your cdBaby albums aren't safe - even if you have them nowhere else online at all

[daveydad]

In the past few years, I've had several tracks used in YouTube videos without permission. Some were exclusive with libraries. The only place they could have be "stolen" was SoundCloud or right off iTunes/Amazon where my music is widely available for sale. Don't know a way to totally combat this problem. The exclusive library I'm with did contact YT and had the video taken down.

[ttully]

Personally, I really don't think it is an issue for us.

For the site owners, they are trying to generate traffic ie. those who are looking to download undownloadable SC tracks to generating ad revenue.
1) How are people going to find YOUR track to download? People who search "track name, artist, download mp3 free" in a search engine are not going to buy your music anyway, or any music for that matter.
2) The pages generated that contain our music aren't being used as "points of entry" to their sites. They are only used to present to search engines to appear as a legitimate site with loads of content. Their point of entry pages are going to be those of popular artists people are actively searching for.

For any alleged pirates who will download tracks to sell as their own:
1) you can download music from SC without these sites.
2) how much would they be willing to spend on advertising to promote their "release" if you think they will be selling them on iTunes?
3) name a music supervisor/library that will sync or accept a 128kbps MP3 file into their catalogue
4) do royalty-free sites accept low res MP3's? ( I don't know the answer to this but, again, if they do how many videographers are going to buy low-res mp3's for their clients?)

I saw some comments elsewhere how this situation puts an exclusive at risk. Unless the contract spells out that the publisher is the only entity allowed to post the track online, where is the concern? The exclusivity in an exclusive contract is usually pretty clear that the publisher has exclusive rights to pitch the music, not where it can be available for streaming/download. If it's not in writing but they request that you refrain from posting it online. You honour their request knowing that it's still not a breach of contract if you do. Keeping them happy and staying on their good side is obvious.

In the end, you make much more money from using SC as a promotional tool than anybody stealing your music from it.

Just my $0.02. Except we don't have pennies in Canada anymore, so it rounds down, unfortunately.

I have had 2 different music supervisors use forwarded mp3 tracks directly from Taxi.
They did not want higher resolution versions sent to them....they used the 128K mp3 directly from Taxi.
That is why I removed all my stuff from SC.
Some TV shows will use 128K mp3's.