How often do you make copies of music?

Protecting copyrighted music has become a major issue in the digital age, but we wonder how it affects audiophiles.

How often do you make copies of music?
Once or more a day
3% (4 votes)
Once or more a week
14% (21 votes)
Once a month
13% (19 votes)
Rarely
41% (62 votes)
Never
29% (44 votes)
Total votes: 150

COMMENTS
Anonymous's picture

No one should purchase any "product" that cripples your ability to access and use the information. The music industry is cutting off their noses to spite their faces with this copy protection kick. They will lose the most important asset that they have, the willingness of consumers to give them money. Their copy protected products will simply not sell and they will miss the chance to earn millions.

D.  Cline's picture

I used to copy a lot of vinyl onto cassette for the car. Now it's CD, CD, CD. Once CD copying becomes cheaper and easier, who knows?

Albee Tross's picture

Never. I'm just too damned lazy. BUT this copyright stink brings out my meanness. Maybe I'll start ripping off every digital source available. Yeah.

Samo Jecnik's picture

Public library + CD Writer = satisfied music lover and bank account.

Patrick Tracy, aka Svenbjorn's picture

I've recorded hundreds of analog tapes in the last decade. I don't record daily, and can't think of anyone other than studio rats who do. A good deal of my recording is done for archival reasons, or to "debone" records that have material that I'm not fond of. Analog tapes also come in handy for trips in the car and other mobile pursuits. I currently record mainly to MiniDisc, and am quite happy with the format. The flexibility and ease of use far outweigh any concerns about sonic losses in my mind. Especially when used in portable equipment, the differences are negligible. The ease with which compilations can be assembled really makes purpose-specific recording a possibility. Constructing a "soundtrack" has never been so easy. In addition to the various methods of manipulating my own musical library, I have been able to experience new music that my friends were listening to without having to buy a record that I didn't know if I liked yet. I don't feel that this is wrong. If I like an artist, I will buy one or more of his/her recordings. Especially if you live in a small town, it can be hard to find new music and keep abreast of the times. Without good radio stations or record stores, sometimes sharing music between friends is the only way to expand your knowledge. I'm sure that there are people who abuse copyright, and perhaps even make a profit from material that they have no right to, but there are abuses in all venues. The lamentable behavior of the few shouldn't be a license to take the majority's rights away. I oppose some of the reactionary policies that I've heard proposed recently to combat copyright infringement. The members of the populace who are likely to be exploitive will find a way to do so no matter what obatacles are put in their way, and so many of the controls would serve only to punish the basically honest. These are my thoughts on the subject. Good day, all.

John1417@aol.com's picture

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL

Charles Gordon's picture

I use a CD-R to copy CDs from friends and the library. If I really like a CD I will buy it, but I would not copy CDs at all if they were priced reasonably. If fact, with lower CD prices I would actually spend more money each year on recordings.

dick carney's picture

i make cassettes for my car stereo from cds,usualy compilations.

Lyman G.L.  DeLiguori, Sr.'s picture

I don't violate it, nor should anyone else. An artist is due his or her income, and if you're violating their copyright you're stealing. There really is no gray area. It's theft any way you cut it.

Dixon Lee's picture

Since 1993, I've been recording appearances of favorite artists on various television shows (e.g., Tonight Show, Late Night, etc.) on VHS tape. Over the years I have found that I rarely ever pull out these tapes to re-watch these performances. But I am enjoying them now, as I have recently been converting these performances into the MP3 format to be enjoyed when I'm at my computer (which lately is every day and all day). With a couple of audio-editing software packages and MP3 encoding software, I got to work. I have a Hi-Fi stereo VCR hooked up to my computer's soundcard (I'm dealing strictly with audio, no video). Once the songs are recorded onto the hard drive, I perform various editing duties, such as noise reduction (a lot of tape hiss in the older tapes) and normalization. I would not be able to watch these performances from the VHS tapes anymore as the tape hiss (and sometimes accompanying low audio levels) alone would drive me crazy. But now that they are cleaned up, they sound very good on my computer. (I have a very modest budget high-end system connected to my computer consisting of an NAD 314 35Wpc integrated amp powering a pair of NHT SuperOnes with Kimber 4PR speaker cables.) I've learned a lot about recording and audio, in general, by doing this. But now that I've become knowledgeable in this area, my desires for a new and more powerful computer (mine is a Pentium Pro 200 with 96MB of RAM and 21.5GB of HD space) and a better soundcard than my present SoundBlaster 32 is overwhelming. Perhaps, I've developed Computeria Audiophilia nervosa?

Yan Rauch's picture

The more money they spend on copyright protection, the more expensive discs will be, so I'll have to copy them more often . . .

Dan Landen's picture

Maybe not even once a month. But since I put in a new cassette player in the car I may be recording a few more CD's and LP's.

claude whiting's picture

I used to make copies of cd's on cassette for the car, but now that cd players in cars are the norm, I don't bother.

Francois's picture

I copy tracks from CD to hard disk so that I may test DSP algorithms and make sure they're true to the music. Once that's done, the files get scrubbed because disks, while cheap, aren't infinite.

Glenn Bennett's picture

If I hear a song I like, I just buy the CD.

Vernon C.  Exnoll's picture

If I ever copy a piece of music (or other art), it is strictly for my own use. I do not hesitate to purchase new technologies, and own several authorized versions of the same art in some instances. I do not think most real people are out to rip off the artists or the publishing companies, but simply want to enjoy what they have already paid for at least once.

David Morse's picture

I copy CD's to tape for my car and walkman. I never make copies to give to others.

Tom Gibson's picture

I am in the process of recording all my popular music (everything except classical) onto CDs using a Philips recorder and recording the digital stream directly. This gives me compilations of music that is all in the proper absolute phase, all at the proper volume, plays for 74 minutes, has the music in the order I find pleasing, and quality that is the same as the original CD. In order to do this, it is best to organize your CD collection according to desired playback volume. This doesn't take much time, provided you already have written down the proper volume for each CD. If you haven't, you should seriously consider selling your rig and buying a $1500 rack unit. You're not listening to high-end hi-fi unless you have the volume set right. The copyright protection doesn't bother me much, because I can make analog copies for friends, family, and the car. I can't hear the difference in the car, and my friends and family can't tell the difference under any circumstances.

Brad Bryant's picture

I don't need to make copies very often, now that CD players are everywhere.

Bruce Broussely's picture

Protecting copyrighted music is a non-issue for the most part. A small segment of the population would gladly save a few bucks to put together a collection of music that has been saved off of the original without ever purchasing the original. However, if the music is good enough, most of us would rather own the original source, usually a CD, and then make copies for conveniently consolidating music from various sources.

mats neander, sweden's picture

I store classical (and some other) music on minidisc, recording it from fm-radio broadcasts.Sometimes of course I let friends loan me a cd or two to copy it, but not to the extent to worry record-label execs. I rather think I buy more cd:s than most people, just because I

Scott Aronian's picture

MiniDisc copies of vinyl LP's I've bought

Joel Bellingham's picture

I'll make a bunch as soon as I pick up a CD recorder---for my own use only.

tomas k.  tuto's picture

i don't think,it is good, but i don't have money to buy every original cd, i want

A guy in Louisiana's picture

I make copies of CDs my friends buy, so that I don't have to pay for them.

Allan Thornton's picture

I currently make "best of" compilations of hits onto MiniDisc. I think that the music industry needs to walk a fine line on copyright issues. In my college days there was a lot of taping via cassette of music that was technically illegal. In general, I think this stimulated sales more than it hurt sales of albums. People taped a lot more than they could ever have afforded to buy---but the stuff they really liked they went out and bought on album.

Paul Foley, Whiteman AFB, MO's picture

A few tapes for the car, from CDs that I own. If I hear music I like and there is something going for it (more than one good tune), I will buy it.

Bernie Sawickis's picture

I copy CDs onto cassette for use in the car. Sometimes I will record a live event off the radio. This copyright stuff is getting to be overkill. The real problem is overseas.

Rob Cornelson's picture

I don't even own a tape player but I have a large assortment of radio recordings from the 80's on cassette that I want to transfer to Minidisc. I stopped litening to my old tapes not because they sound bad but because I've had too many of them get eaten up! The durability of Minidisc is something I've been waiting for. Sure I may end up getting a portable player for my current music on the go, but I don't see recording as anything more than archiving the music of the times for my own personal pleasure. I don't see copyprotection affecting me much as I listen to CD's and LP's that I BUY and anything I record will ultimately be something unique such as talk radio.

Richard H.  Araujo's picture

If the music industry would stop charging nearly $20 for discs that cost less than a dollar to make, people could buy their damned products instead of occasionally making their own compilations. Why don't these companies head out to Asia where piracy runs rampant and the government does nothing to stop it?

Pages

X