As far as you read this, it means you’re interested somehow in the tracker community and you probably are a composer yourself.
There is, certainly, a question that you’ve been puzzled by:
What happens if I publish a song somewhere?
Will people be stealing my song? Will they copy my ideas?
I’ve been discussing about this many times, so I think you might appreciate my contribution.
Point 1
Most probably your song is NOT as GOOD as you suppose it to be
Most of the time you compose with your own taste in mind so you might end up with a song pleasing you… but that can’t please other people.
While this might be usefull to boost self-confidence and aesthetic it might be unpleasant while competing in a Mod-Compo. You can probably post your song for people to download it and listen. You will be amazed when you’ll notice that -nobody- will even consider the idea of ripping your song.
Getting REAL GOOD music from the net is not as easy as it might seem.
Point 2
Much work to be done to rip ideas and leave the shell
You can hardly imagine how many people is giving a try at the music business. People is near to music because of a lot of simple tools to write it… so the idea itself becomes “Easy” to write down today… what is hard is to make it “Sound” great. Sound quality is the keyword today.
I would not be concerned about releasing songs… unless my music is not only a great musical idea but is delevoped with super-high-studio-quality as well…
Point 3
Great ideas are protected by fame
Remember Jogeir with Guitarslinger? I don’t think he ever concerned himself about registering that song somewhere.
That was a great idea -for real-… and people felt it. I would be an idiot in trying to rip such a success.
If your idea is TRULY good, it will be much easier for you to prove it’s your if the whole world downloaded and listened to that song.
Point 4
Face it. You can’t register ideas. Influence happens every day
Any musician, even the most honest musician of this planet, can easily tell you that there is nothing to invent. We all listen, we all manipulate and then spit back our own idea. We’re all influenced by musics we heard in our past. You have to accept this. People, less experienced users mostly but also experienced users, will listen and replicate your style and ideas if they are good. You should be proud of this, not afraid. Most of the times this is something they do with great respect for the artist.
Point 5
Double blade. If you’re SO lame to rip music…
If you’re such a lame leech, compelled to steal music ideas from other people, your life in the music scene is going to be short.
VERY short. I guarantee you that.
Music skill is what you need to survive. Skill and passion. DEEP passion.
You can skip skills only if you’re a successfull pop-star already and have tons of money to PAY other people to write songs for your “successfull” image. How many tunes can you steal before being caught? Sooner or later you’ll find yourself face to face with someone asking you to show your real skill. If you had none, be prepared to be the laughing stack.
So, any honest music writer should be assured that leeches have a very short life in music, even when they rip your great tune. If they do, what do they stolen? You still have the POWER, the SKILL to write such tunes… they don’t.
Point 6
Great idea, good sound, what to do?
I’m not telling you that your work is safe. You know by yourself that your posted works are -not- safe. That’s the web brothers and sisters. If you made it to this point it means you have a REAL GREAT IDEA for your tune… if you managed to have it ready to listen in a GOOD quality… hey, it’s up to you! Even so, it’s very very hard to see it ripped by anyone more serious than a young lamer… as I said in point 3 …but if you still are concerned with it… what can we say? Don’t post your music! If you write such masterpieces it will not be hard for you to convince producers and sell and publish your own music. If you have the top selling song in the world and you still publish it in a popular forum instead of making money from it… you’re a jerk!
Point 7
If you’re a musician you know it can’t be done
Most musicians are self-proud. It means they feel SO proud about their productions they would never xchange it with anything else. Even the lamest musician is proud of his own productions.
They might sound lame… but they are “HIS” productions… and he loves them. You might not think they are good value in terms of sound quality… or even ideas… but any music is a creature of your, a doughter, a son… and in the end it’s your opera. So be sure… no real musician is ever going to rip your music. If one does… it means he is not a musician… and however, the story will end like in point 5.
Conclusions:
Post your songs with no fear!
If you’re a noob you’ll surely have PRECIOUS feedback.
If you’re an experienced composer you will help noobs understand and develope their musical sensibility.
. Music theory is not a simple beast, and there are always different ways of interpreting.
