Webview: The Blue Meanies strike again
Amateur guitarists can be placed into two distinct groups. A buys a CD, listens to the songs, choses a couple to learn and then plays them for friends. A might write the words and music down, using chord symbols or even tablature, so she can show B how to play them. B buys a CD, choses a couple of songs he wishes he could play, meets up with A and with her help, also learns the songs.
You will note that they both bought the artists' CD. There might have been a lyric sheet with the CD, which wouldn't have cost extra and which would have been a help with learning the songs. They looked around for music but there is not a lot published - and even less is published in tablature, which is a system of notation based on a visual representation of the six strings of the guitar. But they found loads of it on the Internet, where like-minded individuals post and download tablature and song lyrics on a variety of websites.
But not any more...
The Blue Meanies have struck again. The National Music Publishers' Association and the Music Publishers' Association have threatened numerous tablature sharing sites, including Olga and Guitar Tabs Universe, with legal action on the basis that sharing tablature constitutes copyright infringement. As Guitar Tabs manager Rob Balch says: "When you are jamming with a friend and you show him/her the chords for a song you heard on the radio, is that copyright infringement? What about if you helped him/her remember the chord progression or riff by writing it down on, say, a napkin?"
I am neither a thief nor a dealer in stolen goods. The music industry couldn't even be bothered to publish tabs until they suddenly realised their potential as a "revenue stream". Most music books still just have words, standard notation and chord diagrams. But tablature is much easier to follow. And it is big on the internet, which as everyone knows was set up for the free exchange of information. We need to stop corporations from chosing which information we can share.
According to David Israelite, president of NMPA, unauthorised use of lyrics and tablature "deprives the songwriter of the ability to make a living, and is no different than stealing." Olga has been around since 1992, so it sounds as if Sir Paul McCartney can expect a divorce payout from Heather.
BBC News says that Cathal Woods, who runs Olga, plans to fight the order: "They're forcing everyone off the net but as far as I know they don't have anything that would fill the need for guitar tab online. My other objection is that for the music publishing companies, it's as if the internet never happened. The internet changes everything and we need to think about what's permissible in the context of the internet."
To join the effort to fight for the freedom to tab and share, check out the Music Student and Teacher Association, MuSATO.
You will note that they both bought the artists' CD. There might have been a lyric sheet with the CD, which wouldn't have cost extra and which would have been a help with learning the songs. They looked around for music but there is not a lot published - and even less is published in tablature, which is a system of notation based on a visual representation of the six strings of the guitar. But they found loads of it on the Internet, where like-minded individuals post and download tablature and song lyrics on a variety of websites.
But not any more...
The Blue Meanies have struck again. The National Music Publishers' Association and the Music Publishers' Association have threatened numerous tablature sharing sites, including Olga and Guitar Tabs Universe, with legal action on the basis that sharing tablature constitutes copyright infringement. As Guitar Tabs manager Rob Balch says: "When you are jamming with a friend and you show him/her the chords for a song you heard on the radio, is that copyright infringement? What about if you helped him/her remember the chord progression or riff by writing it down on, say, a napkin?"
I am neither a thief nor a dealer in stolen goods. The music industry couldn't even be bothered to publish tabs until they suddenly realised their potential as a "revenue stream". Most music books still just have words, standard notation and chord diagrams. But tablature is much easier to follow. And it is big on the internet, which as everyone knows was set up for the free exchange of information. We need to stop corporations from chosing which information we can share.
According to David Israelite, president of NMPA, unauthorised use of lyrics and tablature "deprives the songwriter of the ability to make a living, and is no different than stealing." Olga has been around since 1992, so it sounds as if Sir Paul McCartney can expect a divorce payout from Heather.
BBC News says that Cathal Woods, who runs Olga, plans to fight the order: "They're forcing everyone off the net but as far as I know they don't have anything that would fill the need for guitar tab online. My other objection is that for the music publishing companies, it's as if the internet never happened. The internet changes everything and we need to think about what's permissible in the context of the internet."
To join the effort to fight for the freedom to tab and share, check out the Music Student and Teacher Association, MuSATO.
posted by Graham at 8:37 am
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