This question isn't being posed in order to encourage the usage of cracked or copied sample libraries, but it seems to be in the interest of the sort who hang-out here:

Which sample libraries made for Native Instruments Kontakt (both NI and third-party) are digitally watermarked?

This question is for those who know for certain which libraries are watermaked.

I am also - even moreso - wanting to know if there might be lists of watermarked libraries posted on line - or to compile such a list here.

(If such a list has been posted elsewhere on Audiosex, forgive me, but I am posting this because I could not find one.)

 

Good question, I was thinking the same just the other day.

 

Perhaps a better way to put it would be: "which manufacturers of libraries for Kontakt embed watermarking in their samples?"

From casual investigation, I came up with these:

SOUNDIRON
SONOKINETIC
CINESAMPLES
SPITFIRE AUDIO
SOUNDIRON
TONEHAMMER/8DIO
EMBERTONE

Using cracked, or even second-hand, samples in commercial productions (if/when detected) can result in prosecution:

http://prorec.com/2012/04/watermarking-the-answer-to-the-digital-piracy-problem/

 

It's saying:

If that's possible, there should be no iLok. I have just red an article to avoid people using warez material.

 

I hadn't been intending to draw readers' attention to the article and concerns extenuating from it, which is at best secondary to my question: which sample manufacturers embed digital watermarks in their samples for Kontakt?

 

It doesn't work at all. It's just scare tactics to legit customers.
When a "pirated" library is linked to specific user, most of the time that user is simply banned from devs website. Running an international court process is super expensive if not impossible at all, especially in African, Asian, Middle Eastern countries. And should the purchase is made through multiple VPNs, they can't do anything.

Plus how can devs confirm the validity of user data? Close to impossible.

I've read most license agreements for sample libraries, and nobody is restricting anyone to provide user-generated content to another person. Yes, the license mostly concern only one person (you) but you can always render stems for a friend.
That being said, some agreements are very close to being unconstituonal.

Also Stevich, that's untrue. No developer (as of now) embed watermarks in waveforms. Only metadata are altered, most of the time only NKIs/NKMs - that's how Continuata works. Cinesamples used to embed watermarks in WAVE headers, but still the sound remain unaltered.

You know what made watermarks possible? Proprietary/closed source software .

 

Some license I've read do not allow that. Overloud for example:

Q. If I compose or produce with someone else - can he/she use my plugin in their
computer?
A. No....the license to use Vintage Keyboard FX is on a per person basis. They would
need their own copy.
Q. I and several other composers/producers have our studios in the same facility.
Can we all use Vintage Keyboard FX from our main server?
A. No, Each user needs to have his or her own registered copy of Vintage Keyboard FX.
Q. Can I install Vintage Keyboard FX on my studio or rental computer for clients to
use?
A. No....the license to use Vintage Keyboard FX is only granted to the buyer. Your clients
aren't licensed to use it on their own.

Everybody says what you can do or cannot do and there are sensible differences, which are annoying to say the least for somebody who simply wants to make music without much hassle. -.-

Even beyond that.

 

Well, it appears that I've answered my own question, as I've been the only one to have cited any manufacturers at all.

This is like those Bluetooth earpieces that they give to schizophrenics, so that they won't appear to be talking to themselves.

I suppose I should have begun this thread with "Is all this so-called digial watermarking on sample libraries for Kontakt legit, or should we not get our panties in a bunch about it?"

Kirk out.

 

Chopin4525, even in that excerpt, there's nothing about providing renders/stems to another person, only that the plugin is licensed for use to the owner. Yes, you can't provide the plugin/library itself, but you may render friend's track with it on your PC. That itself in fact cannot be forbidden.

BTW, here's my list:
AudioBro
Evolution Series
Cinematic Strings
Sample Logic
Orchestral Tools
Heavyocity
Fable Sounds
Hand Held Sound

 

Bottom line if you use it to have fun at home or some minor productions for non famouse chart artist etc.. there is no fear using this watermarked libs.. if u ask me. However they do put some fear to people who upload this stuff.. But as somebody said. How would they proove the watermarked author actually uploaded the lib himself? He could have been hacked and the lib stolen and uploaded anonymously by some hacker.. it would feature his watermark.

And also how is then CineWinds PRO avail everywhere? Isn't that lib suppous to be watermarked?

I just thing this is a pile of BS. This suppously watermarked libs are poping out all the time. The only stuff that doesen't get shared is the new USB dongle stuff.. which is actually hard to emulate. (eg. nexus 2.21+)

 

sample logic do not watermark

also SONOKINETIC

SOUNDIRON are mostly safe to share..there maybe 2 of their not are not

orange tree samples are safe

Ilya Efimov are not..they watermark

Hand Held sounds I am not sure...I could not find any in my library

If a nki can not be edit in a hex editor that could be a warning that it is watermark

saying all this you can never be sure . I have been fooled a few times

more important is the developer...some play hardball...some just send you a nasty email

Heavyocity plays hardball..you don't want to play with them

also what part of the world do you live..if you live in the usa or uk you may not want to share

If you are in Russia you may not care...you get the idea

 

Now I see a confirmation to my last year post's statesment of watermarking in audio:

http://audiosex.pro/index.php?/topic/13897-watermarks-in-audio-files/

...and it does work, right?

 

Hi,

and how did you know this? Could you see their WM, or just got trapped with it by product vendor(s)?

 

a long time ago a supplier got caught sharing

Also I had 2 copies of another library from Ilya Efimov and looked at both with hex compare and found the data was different

If I have 2 copies of the same library I sometimes can find and remove the watermarks

 

well, and which hex editor do you use? There are a lot of them...
and the next, is it more simple to use hex, when the project is done?
I.e. one time to remove WM
instead clearing each library that is used

 

If I have 2 copies of the same library I can use Hex Comparison

Then check the same NKI files

If there is a watermark it will look like what you see in the pic




If there is no watermarks both windows [Top and Bottom] will look the same

 

Thanks for your reply,
still, I have doubts if this works,
first, I beed 2 copies of the same library, where do I take the second library?
Well I found them, what if they both have watermarks?

At least AWT gives an opportunity to test their watermarking software for free 2 weeks...
then I download the software and record something (hope my own guitar recording doesn't have any watermarks ), save 2 copies.
then I take AWT and apply watermark to 1 copy,
next: I do as you advised, comparing 2 copies,
the difference between them will show where and what is watermark

 

Hey fellow composers! I've just found this old thread and I'm desperately trying to find any more (updated maybe) information about how (and IF even) they watermark the libraries? No one really explained or confirmed this here so I wonder..also links posted above been deleted. I will appreciate any reply!

 

Interesting subject. Maybe I'm going to go out of topic here, but can someone explain me how the watermarking thing works?

I mean, let's say I've used a Heavyocity product to create some percussion and some pads on my track and then I have released it plubicly in some streaming platforms, how do the developpers will find out if my track is watermarked? And, there's a way to avoid this kind of detection?