Hi Guys,

This might be the Dumbest/Weirdest Query -

But if some other Professional Producer teaches me - while I "share" my screen of ableton/vsts
- can he Figure out if I have warez plugins ?

I have tons warez, including Waves full + Few genuinely bought like Soundtoyz.

NOTE - Ive spent enough time for learning Basics - produced my 1st track.
BUT ive reached a Stage where things are going slow.
Im 100% SURE I need professional teacher who can resolve my queries sooner and speed up/resolve my work process.

But, if they figure our I use Warez daw/plugins - Reaction is expected in don't know which form.

Please Suggest

Thanks

 

There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

Professional producers usually know that many of their customers use cracked software, but they usually overlook it, after all, they are the customer and the customer pays for the services they are supposed to provide.

If they are asked about it, they can say that it is nobody else's business what you have on your PC privately.
Or you can simply say that when you make some real money you will buy the program again.

As Team Air once said: Because we are not millionaires.

Legally you can install whatever you want on your PC, you just cannot upload cracked software to the Internet and offer it for download. Only child pornography - i.e. images - is punishable.

 

If you have "a tons" of them installed it's pretty obvious unless you are very rich ;-)

Some VST's may show registration name in menu ("About", "Info") as well ... and some may be not registred with you real name/email ...

I agree that "nobody else's business what you have on your PC privately", but it could have a negative image of yourself ...

 

Last edited: Feb 17, 2025

This is the Reply I was looking for !!! Thanks a million brozai.

I exactly thought same thing - like they will Frown upon if they found out - but if i've paid for Course - its none of their Business anyways.

I will also hide my Huge Libraries I think LOL :D

Honestly tho, I will never Accept on Recording that Its warez - I will say I work on a Friends PC - I know they know that I know they know - but still at least in recording I won't have any proof for any hassle in future.

Really appreciate your support bro. This community is Great !! <3

 

Yeah exactly, I mean who buys Waves Complete :D :D Hehe

If they ask, I will give them Stupid reply but won't accept it. Thanks bro

 

Yes, they can, but I doubt they will care if your plugins are registered to Pascal and Guenter. On the other hand, if they look legit, you're a mark for getting rinsed cause they might assume you've got deep pockets.

 

If you're paying, they're taking the money, it might be awkward or a point of convo but I would just go with it, esp if it's private over the internet. If however this is in person and you have a reputation locally in your city or whatever then I would be more reserved about doing it or who the instructor is

 

• I read an article several years ago on SoundOnSound - they were visiting someone's studio (it was a column back then), and they commented on the long list of plugins, and suggested (their host and their readers) might want to streamline that list to only those plugins they use.

• What this (list of all the Waves plugins) usually meant back then (when Mercury bundles were super pricey), was that those were cracked (especially on Windows, and VST running DAWs).
  Back then, we (producers, engineers, and musicians) kept the boxes (remember those), on a bookshelf in the studio, so that visitors could see we had bought the stuff.

• With that said, 1) you should not care (if you're not a pro, or a commercial facility), and 2) some if not many pros pay for plugins and then use the cracked versions. You might ask why: it has to do with iLoks (the older ones), reinstalling on new machines after your main one died (and you can't reclaim those licenses, and don't have time to wait for iLok to reply "you should contact the manufacturer," etc., etc., etc. You get the idea.

Bottom line, focus on making music, and if anyone asks, just be honest, and say: I can't afford to buy them yet, but I will as soon as I start making money from my music - which was your honest heart's intention from the start, right?

 

They probably have more of them than you do.

 

"Can production teacher know if I use wares plugins?"

Nope, unless a warez is visibly registered in another persons' name while the software is open, and the teacher notices. Even then, so what?

Ex: u-He Hive registrant name is visible on main screen.

Personally, I went through engineering school(2 Years) with regularly updated warez T-Racks Bundle (It was the only thing I could get to work in legit Pro Tools at the time). Nobody cared.