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Music & MP3 Information
The Dark Side of P2P File Sharing
P2P file sharing programs are free. Period. But there are P2P scam sites out there
that want you to pay them instead. P2P scam sites are rogue companies that have
set up shop to fleece unsuspecting music downloaders looking for file sharing
programs by charging a fee for an otherwise free service.
No P2P file sharing software costs money. Exceptions would be a site asking
members to make a monetary donation to help pay for bandwidth, hosting costs,
and other administrative costs.
Some P2P file sharing programs offer "pro" versions of their free software. But again,
their basic service is free to the public. I want you to fully understand this, because
paying a P2P scam site money can not only make your wallet a bit lighter, it can also
make your computer vulnerable to dangerous spyware.
That's right. These scam sites are only interested in making money off you. As well
as actually taking your money by fooling you into paying them, they'll make money
off you by installing spyware on your PC, so that they can get paid by sharing your
online habits and personal information with others.
For music download beginners, all of this can be very confusing. Why? Because
these scam sites advertise all over the Internet. Search engines return results
chockful of these scams alongside the real P2P file sharing programs; their banner
ads riddle the Internet landscape; sites are promoting these scams to get their piece
of your money.
Most real P2P programs don't advertise much on the Internet. The reason is that
they're not money makers. It takes money to advertise, and who has more money--
the free P2P file sharing programs or the scam artists? You guessed it. P2P relies on
word of mouth. The scam sites rely primarily on advertising.
How Can I Tell a P2P Scam Site?
This is the easy part, if you know what you're looking for. P2P scam sites often use
phrases like 100% Legal, which is absolutely untrue. This is a trick they use
to prey on people interested in P2P file sharing programs, but who are worried
(rightly) about Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lawsuits. Keep in
mind that sharing and downloading of copyrighted files is, at this moment, an
illegal activity.
Another tactic is to use fake endorsements and recommendations from legitimate
companies. Other cons are to use phrases like Direct Downloads!, Get Access
Now!, Download Unlimited Free Music!, and other phrases that are promising
you things they absolutely CANNOT deliver.
How Does It Work & How are They Doing It?
To be honest, I do not know the ins and outs of P2P scam sites. But I know this: all
P2P file sharing programs are free. Think about it a moment. It is because music
files are being shared free of charge (without artists receiving royalties) that
organizations like the RIAA are mad and suing.
These P2P scam sites are merely taking your money, downloading a little spyware to
your PC, then connecting you to one of the real P2P file sharing programs.
This is all convoluted by the nature of P2P, which is a series of servers networking
files to one another. Unless you're buying your music MP3 downloads from a
legitimate company, either per song/album or through a monthly subscription, you
cannot be sure where your music is coming from.
The legal status of P2P file sharing programs is confusing. We know that MP3 files
themselves are not illegal. For example, it's legal to possess MP3s, to rip your CDs
to your hard drive, and to burn CDs for your personal use. But, by sharing and/or
downloading these files, you are breaking copyright laws. To my knowledge, P2P
scam sites are not actually breaking any laws. But why pay for something you don't
have to?
One of the most common techniques these scam artists use is to set up sites that
are misspellings or derivations of popular P2P file sharing programs. KaZaA is
probably the most hijacked name being used these days.
Other sites may not actually charge you anything at all, but they'll "give you the
software for free" if you give them your email address. This too is a scam.
Because once again, they're just sending you along to a proper P2P program, but
after collecting your email address, they're selling it to third parties. Don't give
these scammers any of your personal information!
If you're on a website you trust, even this website, you may see ads by these scam
artists, preaching their lies about 100% blah, blah, blah. For your own security, don't
click on the links. They're still scams. (Many independent websites rely on ads to
pay the bills. We don't always have full control over what advertisements appear on
our sites. Keep in mind that most online advertisements are arranged and
distributed by third-party companies who pair up advertisements with appropriate
keywords. So a page that discusses "music downloads" is likely to have an ad from a
scam site singing their own false praises.)
On this note, there are sites all over the Internet that actually promote P2P
scam sites. Why? I have my opinions. First, these scam sites are paying large sums
of money to affiliates who promote their sites. For example, a scam site may be
charging you $29.95 for their non-service. Well, they're paying affiliates over half
(I've seen the pay-out as high as 75%) of that just for getting you, the visitor, to
their scam sites.
I Think I've Used One of these Scam Sites. What Do I Do Now?
Stop! Right now, stop using that service. If you've got some type of monthly
payment with them, stop paying them. Cancel your "membership," contact your
bank or credit card company, and stop paying them immediately! Secondly, your
computer has probably have been infected by spyware, and you need to remove it
right away. I recommend purchasing spyware-removal software like Pest Patrol
because they do the best job at clearing out spyware parasites.
If you've been pulled into a scam site, just rack it up to experience. Their ad copy is
very convincing, and you just wanted to "be legal" while downloading. Take heart in
knowing that you're not alone. But you're better off now, with this information at
your disposal.
In my opinion, this is another reason to consider not using P2P file sharing
programs as a means to get your online music. I think that these P2P scam sites will
increase in number, and will use more clever tactics to get your money and your
information. Until the peer-to-peer communities are regulated in some way, I fear
that these types of activities will get worse before they improve.
Music Licensing: The Cold Cash Facts About Money for your Music
Where music meets licensing, there's money to be made. How much money? "I have synched quite a few thousand songs into productions over the years," states Peter Jansson of Janssongs, Inc., "and have charged anywhere between US$1.00 and US$250,000 for each one."
Music Business Contacts: Music Business Registry connects artists, managers, publishers, producers &
"The difference between success and failure is information," notes Ritch Esra, and he should know. Along with his partner, Stephen Trumbull, Esra is a leading part of the number one most-reliable source of information on "who's who" and "who does what" in the music business. Best of all, they can tell you where everybody is located.
Music Industry Insider: Tess Taylor of NARIP and LAMN
Members of LAMN (founded in 1988) and NARIP (founded in 1998), are able to more quickly gain the insight, knowledge, and contact information they need for career development and career enhancement.
Flaming Guitars! Minarik Fuels The Excitement of a New Generation of Musicians
From the Telecaster to the Flying V to the Iceman to the Warlock, some guitar designs are forever branded on our consciousness, and now there's a new one: the Minarik Inferno X-treme. The body shape erupts in furious fingers of flame. If ever there was a guitar design destined to ignite the imagination of young players, especially boys and girls who want to rawk, this is it.
Tips for a Great Recording Session
You know your songs are great (and so does your girl/boyfriend, family, pets etc), and you finally decided to record an album in a real studio. That?s great! But what actually happens when you get there?
How Has Eminem Risen to the Top?
How is it that a little white boy from Kansas City has become
the most well known rapper in the world? Starting from nothing
and eventually moving up to a multi-millionaire, Eminem over the
past seven years has been in the eye of the public everywhere
you look. He has essentially entered a black man?s business and
gone to the top over the course of a few years, but how?
Is it Possible to Download Music Legally Anymore?
Throughout the past few years downloading music on the internet
has increased in popularity. At the same time though, it has
become illegal through many companies to download music as
musicians and artists have been losing money on their CD sales.
With many people being sued in the past couple years for
downloading music, is it really possible to download music
legally anymore? If so, at what price will it cost you to
download music?
Its Jewish Music, But Is The Music Jewish?
A while back I was driving along the Jerusalem highway scanning the radio stations. On one frequency, a very intense dance beat was exploding out of the speakers. I was about to move the dial some more in search of a Jewish tune when the vocalist started in. Shock of shocks, he was a heavily Hassidic singer, complete with eastern European pronunciation. And what was he singing? "Kumee oy'ree ki va oy-reich.." from 16th century Rabbi Shlomo Alkavetz' classic Sabbath poem, L'cha Dodi. Before he had began his rendition I had been expecting something like "Oh baby, the way you move with me ..."!
Guitar Tuning Tips
Most new guitar players and even some experienced ones have trouble staying and playing in tune. I'll try listing here some of the common mistakes and there solutions.
How I Learned How To Play The Guitar After Giving Up In Disgust
I was 17 at the time (the Beatles era), and it was considered cool to play the guitar. I had a little training in music in elementary school where I had learned how to play the trumpet. I remember that the only reason I started the trumpet was because my daddy had run across an old beat up horn that a woman was selling for $10.
Free, Legal Music Online
Almost everyone has heard about the massive crack down on Internet music piracy that has been occurring over the past few years. Napster was taken down (although it has now returned as a pay service), other file sharing programs now require users to pay for a license and the RIAA and other similar organizations are doing their best to hunt down copyright offenders and put an end to their crime sprees. The consumers on the other hand argue that their actions hurt nobody, that there is no damage done to anyone by their not buying an album. Furthermore, they claim, MP3s allow them to sample a CD before purchasing it, thus actually helping sales.
Establishing Your Mix
Now that you?ve spent hours and days and weeks and months recording your musical masterpieces (and you?ve also read my article ?Tips for a Great Recording Session?), you have arrived at my favorite time in the studio; The Mixdown.
Guitar Buying - The Pros and Cons of Vintage vs. Reissue
To most people, owning the "genuine article" is the only thing that will suffice. As a guitar player, and one who appreciates classic "vintage" instruments, I can fully understand this point of view. I can't think of a single guitarist who wouldn't absolutely adore playing a real 50's Les Paul or Stratocaster. However, becoming the proud owner of a true vintage instrument does have its drawbacks.
14 Ways Musicians Can Increase Their Tips
I was listening to NPR the other day when they did a report on tipping in the restaurant industry. One they had a list of tips on how wait staff can increase their tips.
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