EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

Kaveh Cohen wrote:

> Many composers and producers would be rendered literally mute were it
> not for indispensable artists like Eric Persing who toil for months on end to
> bring us the most realistic and cutting edge sounds in a small package for much
> less money and time that it would take us to do it ourselves.
>
> [snip]
>
> To this end, I am happy to purchase the libraries I use to support brilliant
> people in the field like Eric Persing who have given us the most imaginative
> and inspiring palettes.  I suggest you do the same.

I must say that this discussion sure hits close to home, for many of us. While I fully
agree with all that you say, there are moral (not legal) ambiguities that exist that
make the issue one small shade lighter than pure black and white for many.

Suppose you run a small modest semi pro home studio. You earn a small portion of your
income from this. Not enough to "quit your day job", but let's say, a few thousand
bucks a year. What percentage of your studio based income do you want to turn around
and re-invest into sample libraries? The more you re-invest, the less profit you end
up with, the further you are a way from increasing your true earning power of your
studio.

One could then say that by owning these libraries you are increasing the earning
potetial of your business. This is true. But a leap of faith is required. Like in any
business, how much do you invest into  your business before realizing the profits you
want to see? What's a realistic balance of investing in sample CDs versus income you
generate from them. And factor into this business descision that many competing with
you have large sample libraries available (not legally aquired).

Now here is where the issue becomes less than black and white. Suppose you have access
to some sample CDs of stuff that is useful to have around, in case you may need them
some day. ie: extra drum loop CDs, ambiance and FX CDs, detailed expensive orchestral
CDs, etc. But you don't use these on a day to day basis, and couldn't possibly justify
the cost of purchasing them all legally based on what you will earn from them, and
because you don't really need/use them regularly. Yet they are handy to have around
for those odd times. And of course let's not forget; fun to play with!

You want to be moral about it and realize the clear legal ambiguities of the different
possible ways of aquiring use of these sounds, but you rationalize it by telling
yourself that you wouldn't be buying these CDs anyway. So having them to play around
and experiment with and maybe even occassionaly use on an income generating project
isn't really costing the sample makers any lost profit because you wouldn't be buying
them anyway. All of a sudden the crime you are committing seems a bit more distant.
You feel removed from it.

Bottom line of course is that we all know that if you aren't paying for them, then you
shouldn't be using them. At all. You don't pay the money, you shouldn't be part of the
party. Anyway, I don't have any real point to get at here; I'm just commenting on the
moral paradigm I see around me all the time; which affects me and that I am required
to function within. And after all is asaid and done, at the end of the day, most
everyone I know finds a way to sleep decently at night.


--
Eli Krantzberg
Nightshift Orchestra / Almat Productions
http://www.nightshiftorchestra.com