27 replies to this topic

[Link]

http://www.forbes.co...ted-generation/

[ekianjo]

Pretty good idea! I wonder how it will turn out.

[kojack]

In fact, I hope this idea generates an entirely new medium for other artists to copy.

Umm, sheet music isn't really a new medium.

[ekianjo]

The way it's marketed, without selling the actual song with it, is new, in a way.

[FZERO]

I don't really get this...
So it's just the sheet music that will be sold, in the form of a colour booklet?

Those that pirate and can play music, will just pass around the PDF format of it over the shares.

Those that can't play music, or can play a guitar perhaps but don't have friends to hand that can play drums ... what do they do?
What's the point of buying the sheet music, besides a collectable thing?

I can see the idea of other artists doing their own interpretations of it, sort of a nice way of getting some promotion and a letting your track live in different styles [by the dif artists that do covers of it] ... but then people will just d/l those artists versions of the song, no?

In a piracy prevention way, I don't really get it.
In a new model for getting your track out there though and in the ears of people who might not typically buy any Beck stuff, this sounds a good idea.

[kojack]

I have more respect for what Trent Reznor did with Ghosts I-IV. Uploading the first album to pirate bay himself, releasing it all as creative commons, having commercial versions ranging from $5 for downloadable files all the way up to a $300 "ultra deluxe limited edition" that came with 2 audio cds, a dvd of the original garage band files for all the tracks, a bluray, 4 LPs in a fabric slipcase and a 48 page book.


If I was a Beck fan, I would be rather disappointed by this release. I can't play any instruments, I don't know an entire band that can play it for me, and I wouldn't want to listen to anybody other than Beck sing a Beck song.
Except maybe Mike Masse, any song he covers is awesome.

[dreamer]

The way it's marketed, without selling the actual song with it, is new, in a way.

Not at all. This is the way music was distributed in the classical period and the primary method of income for some composers.

There was even a kind of drm for sheet music where small changes in different versions where placed so you could hear where someone got the sheets from (if they where duplicated). These versions could then be tracked and could put a particular buyer in a bad light with a content provider.

Still, nice concept to distribute your songs in this day and age. Hope he'll still perform his own versions of the songs live

[milkshake]

Genius or Lazy?

Hard to tell.

[Fr Dougal McGuire]

Fail article is fail + selling sheet music, what a novel idea, why Beck most certainly is a genius. *rollseyes*

[MrChops]

As a drummer with musician friends this idea appeals to me. If I did not play an instrument I could see this as being annoying, but only until versions started hitting the net. At which time, if the music was good, I'd get excited for the inevitable tour and subsequent actual album release. So, no, I don't think it's lazy at all because I'm sure a real album will follow. In the mean time Beck will profit from the sheet music, a very anticipated tour, and the actual album release. I'm sure it will all be way more profit than simply releasing a standard album that gets immediately pirated. So, yea, a Genius way to fight piracy, while getting free promotion that leads to a hugely profitable concert tour. Of course it all hinges largely on how good the music is.

[Link]

^
Agree. I'm not a musician, but I have many friends who are.

Beck is a great commander of the stage. Never seen someone wear so many shirts.

I look forward to see and hear what comes of this sheet music.

[kojack]

So, yea, a Genius way to fight piracy,

It would be if we didn't live in a world where flatbed scanners are fairly cheap and widespread.
Within an hour of release, it will be available for download somewhere.

I guess most people really won't be bothered pirating a book of sheet music, but I don't really think making something most people don't want can be described as a successful anti-piracy method.

[MrChops]

I've never been to a beck concert but I already want to go to the next one pretty bad. It worked on me and I haven't even seen or heard the new music yet.

Even if people have no musical talent, how hard would it be to run this through a midi sequencer? It will undoubtedly get people to try out music software that never touched it before, possibly discovering a hidden talent. For people like myself, it will get them off their ass musically, provide excitement where it's easy to get in a rut and not touch your instrument for months. It could inspire people to pickup an instrument or dust off an old one. Works on many levels, very genius indeed.

@kojack, you missed my point. I agree that copying sheet music is as easy if not easier than copying mp3's. However, from the artist point of view, he will see more money from his new music than the next musician that simply releases a standard album. So I guess he's not really stopping piracy but monetarily it's the same end result.

[Znirk]

Why all the talk about pirates? Did anybody relevant (i.e. other than that Forbes journo) ever suggest this was about how easy various media are to copy?

[MrChops]

[edit] oops, i should read before posting

I can't find where Beck himself ever said this was an attempt to thwart pirates but it does appear to be at least a nice side effect.

[DaMummy]

renting out a studio to mix/master/produce an album is quite expensive. this is a cheap way of doing it where one turns a negative into a positive. people will jump on in just like any other gimick

[b_o_b]

Interesting. People might hear copy cats first before actually hearing the 'original'. They go to his concerts, lots of media attention and then he sells a huge amount of live cds. Good idea.

[2bit]

A genius is someone who sees simple answers to complex problems - sAy hmmm ... Ghandi !

[kojack]

However, from the artist point of view, he will see more money from his new music than the next musician that simply releases a standard album.

I find that rather hard to believe, but it's certainly possible. Depends on who the "next musician" is I guess.

Trent Reznor released his own album on pirate bay himself, told everybody it's fine to copy for free, put it all under a free license, and still got $1.6million profit from it (no record label involved, all that money went straight to him).

(Note: I'm not really a NIN fan, only like maybe 2 songs. I used to like Beck, until I realised any money he gets is going to be supporting scientology. I haven't listened to any of his music since then. So... umm, I guess I'm biased against Beck, but I'm not mentioning Trent in here twice because I'm a fan. Even if Electric Six (my current favourite group) did this sheet music thing, I still wouldn't be in favour of it)

[2bit]

However, from the artist point of view, he will see more money from his new music than the next musician that simply releases a standard album.

I find that rather hard to believe, but it's certainly possible. Depends on who the "next musician" is I guess.

Trent Reznor released his own album on pirate bay himself, told everybody it's fine to copy for free, put it all under a free license, and still got $1.6million profit from it (no record label involved, all that money went straight to him).

(Note: I'm not really a NIN fan, only like maybe 2 songs. I used to like Beck, until I realised any money he gets is going to be supporting scientology. I haven't listened to any of his music since then. So... umm, I guess I'm biased against Beck, but I'm not mentioning Trent in here twice because I'm a fan. Even if Electric Six (my current favourite group) did this sheet music thing, I still wouldn't be in favour of it)

What is Scientology ?
Speaking of pirating we all are emulation enthusiasts ... And It don't take me long to count all the emulation enthusiasts I know that rip their own Roms which I totally do - or even make " back up copies " which i tottally do as well . Even though Popular science printed instructions for the way of thiefs .