Soundcloud Copyright Disputes Part 2

In case you missed Part 1, the following is part of a conversation I had with the Soundcloud Copyright Team about a dispute over one of my “official” remixes…..

Hi Copyright Team
Thanks for your reply. I’d guessed it may be some sort of automated system that ID’s content. However, I’m concerned that it just seems to be comparing something like “artist name / song title” and coming up with a possible breach of copyright. In which case, I’ll probably be getting a few more emails from you for my other legitimate official remixes, and so will everyone else who has ever done a remix, a DJ mix, official or otherwise. I’ve also heard of other artists using legitimate acapellas for their own tracks and getting dispute notices.  You’re surely going to get a lot of annoyed label owners, publishers, etc., who’ll have to take the time to reply when you contact them to confirm that someone’s official remix is actually official.

As for my own claim to which you refer – I’m confused, as the latest one (xxxxxxx) hasn’t been settled in the disputes page (“Your feedback is currently being reviewed.”) but is actually live on Soundcloud.

Finally, as for the additional step for uploading my sounds, the remixes concerned have been up for more than a year, so I hope you’re catching up with everyone else’s tracks, especially the ones who appear in my dashboard as uploading a new remix of a Beyonce song or something, which is certainly not an official version!

Thanks

Their reply….

Hi Tim,

Thanks for writing back. These are definitely all concerns that we are focusing on, and we thank you for your feedback about the matter. Please understand that we must have a relatively strict copyright protection system in place in order to operate legally. With that being said, please know that we are always working on improving this system so that it is less painful for all of our users while also reassuring to rights holders that their content is being protected.

Thanks again for the feedback though, and I hope that it isn’t too much of a hassle to dispute your uploaded tracks with a quick explanation of how you own the copyright. We would always be happy to review these quickly and get your tracks back to you.

Thanks again for writing in, and feel free to get in touch anytime in the future.

Best,

SoundCloud Copyright Team

—

I don’t know what the answer is regarding Soundcloud and copyright, but I’m surprised that none of the major record labels hasn’t come chasing them for hosting so many unofficial remixes that quite obviously contain copyright material.  How long is it going to take them to find every single one of them and issue a dispute? That’s just for remixes. Don’t get me started on mixtapes…..

In case you missed it, here’s Soundcloud Copyright Disputes Part 1

And here’s one of the offending remixes…

Soundcloud Copyright Disputes Part 1

The following conversation recently took place between myself and the Soundcloud Copyright team, after I received the third copyright dispute about official remixes I had uploaded to their website. I’d just become a little bit annoyed that they were questioning my rights over the remixes at the same time my notifications were full of “unofficial” Brittany Spears and Justin Bieber remixes. Part 2 follows later.

Hi there, I’ve received messages from Soundcloud disputing 3 of my remixes and I’ve sent information to you about them, confirming that they are officially-approved tracks and given you the name of someone to contact at the label which commissioned me. I’m happy that you are checking up on “unofficial” tracks, but unless some other artist or listener is deliberately picking on my tracks, I’m concerned that you seem to be picking on small-timers like me with not many plays and followers, whilst continuing to allow thousands of other seemingly unofficial cover versions and remixes that rack up 1000′s of plays. Unless you are checking on every file that is uploaded, I fear that Soundcloud is heading for the wrath of the major labels in the same way that happened to Youtube, and we’ll all have ads splashed across our pages. Sorry if it sounds like a rant, but can you please explain your policy about uploading tracks and how many more times I may have to settle disputes on my official remixes.

The reply came a few hours later:

Hi Tim,

Thanks for writing in and for submitting this dispute. I can see that it has already been processed, and that the track is back on your profile.

Really sorry about this temporary inconvenience, and thanks for hanging in there while we fixed this problem.

At SoundCloud, we strive to ensure that everybody’s rights are respected. To help achieve this goal at scale, we work with a third-party content ID system that is the best in the market. What happened is that your track was flagged by our system as containing copyrighted content.

We understand that you have to take an additional step and fill out our dispute form to clear your sounds for uploading, and we’re sorry if this is an inconvenience, but we hope you’ll understand that it will help to keep your sounds safeguarded.

Thanks again for your patience,

SoundCloud Copyright Team

I didn’t leave it there, and decided to write back to them, which you can read here….

Continued….

 

Ultravox Live vs Nosferatu – Video Mashup

 

Is remixing the new X-Factor?

Or Is remixing becoming the new X-Factor? Whatever you want to say about them, tv shows like the X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, etc., are becoming the major way for kids to become pop stars. The temptation to audition for one of those shows is often too much for the budding singer, girl band, boy band, or guitarist, and when they finally reach the live shows, there’s the chance to get free publicitiy, exposure, critique of their style and ability. Even if they don’t make it all the way to the final, there’s always the chance of being signed by a record company, however well they can sing.

So, why do I think that remixing is becoming the new X-Factor? Well, compare the two: someone advertises a talent contest where you don’t need any industry form or prior performance experience. You just need your instrument (voice or digital audio workstation – Ableton Live, anyone?); the material to perform with, either a song or some audio stems; and you need some time to get your performance right, but not necessarily to a high level. There are so many talent shows out there – X-Factor contests run by pubs and bars, holiday hotels, local tv and radio stations, probably a new one every day somewhere in the world. There are so many remix contests out there too. There are even websites dedicated to advertising the latest contests. Somewhere in the world, someone will enter all of these contests, but usually budding remixers, who see it as a quick way to get signed by a record label, will enter one or two a month, hoping that this will be their big chance.

But, like the X-Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, the really talented, dedicated, hardworking remixers will miss out, only to be beaten by the “popular vote”, in terms of the ones with the highest number of plays or likes will be shortlisted. Talent probably does come into it if they’re in a contest that is looking for particular techniques and it’s about ability rather than what sounds good to some people. However, like in the real world of becoming a popstar, it’s the approaching people in the industry and showing them what you can do, that gets you the opportunities. Ok, so some people who win remix contests may be famous and find a way in to the music business, but more often than not it’s the talent that is wanted and that’s what gets you the gig.

So, two things from all that. First of all, anyone can make a remix. It may not be good, but it may be what someone is looking for. Even my 8 year old can make a remix in Ableton Live. Secondly, I still enter remix contests, despite having done “official” remixes for some bands I know, and appearing on compilations etc. Why, because there’s a very tiny part of me that still sees them as a way to get famous, despite that fact that I always ridicule shows like the X-Factor! My latest remix below, is one I did in about 6 hours for the Ableton 24 hour remix contest “Beat the Clock”. I downloaded the parts for the track, most of which you could only open in Ableton Live and you had to make the remix with the same program. Having only used Live for a few days before, I probably proved my theory that anyone can make a remix, so here’s the result:

Contest Page:

Beat the Clock – Ableton Remix by Tim Blackburn/mistrust

Listen in Soundcloud:

By the way, if you’re a Soundcloud user, and like the track, please favourite it,and share it, thereby making me win the popular vote! If Pudsey the dog can do it, so can I!