Many of us are very very poor. Someone brought up Waves Audio, so let's use this as an example...
Yes, because $7,669 for a stash of plugins is totally reasonable. Yes, the hell with a car, the hell with paying rent/bills/utilities, the hell with my student loans. The hell with life in general. All I need is this plugin bundle and I will be able to continue breathing. If I don't get this, my lungs will literally fill up with my own poop, my nose will become a second anus, and then satan himself is gonna rise from the hades and impregnate everyone, including the males. And the world will come to a complete end... at least for humankind. Raccoons will own the planet and the almighty god of deep fried raccoon colons on a stick will invade planet earth in the year 3017... causing yet more colossal damage to our home.
And all because I didn't buy that waves mercury bundle.

I'm sorry but I just can't help but logging into paypal, seeing my total as $7,599 and clicking "confirm & pay" and then being taken back to a product page where it says "Thank you for giving us what was probably your life savings. Please click the link below to download something that was clearly more important than your 401k, you overly wealthy bum-bag." If I'm gonna spend that kind of money all at once, I want it to be something exciting like a used (but nice!) car or something. I'd rather spend that kind of money towards my retirement or something. I'd like to spend that kind of money responsibly. I wouldn't even spend that kind of money on the most badass guitar. And I love guitars.
I acknowledge I will never make it big in the music industry. I acknowledge I will never become the next big thing. Think about the hit songs nowadays - do they sound appealing? I really don't think so.
Yes, I pirated that overly expensive plugin bundle. Yes, I'm admitting to my sinfulness. No, I won't buy it because I will never have that kind of money to blow on downloadable software.
Do I appreciate the developer? Absolutely. But would I sacrifice an arm, a leg, an eye, a kidney, 15 inches of my colon and $7,500+ for them? Ummm... hell no.

While we have millions of dollars in pro-audio content at our finger tips, let's not make the mistake of believing we also have millions of dollars in our pockets too. We all joined that site for a reason. Many for the same reasons... because we're poor and as a result, we wanna try stuff out before we invest everything we got down to the loose change under our couch cushions. Because after all, everyone deserves the gift of music. Making songs makes me feel good about myself, because I can put on some headphones and say "You here that right there? I fucking did that."
I grew up being convinced nothing I ever did was good enough. Making music helped me get out of that state. Yes, I am my own worst critic, but in a healthy way. I'm not egotistical, but I'm not a self hating basket case either. You have to look at it from that perspective too.
Would I ever be able to do that if I didn't have that stuff at my fingertips? Probably not.
Would I support these developers if I had the money? Oh hell yes. But I don't. And that's where the struggle comes in. Do I know what I'm doing is wrong? Yes. Do I feel bad? Yes. Will I stop doing it until I wake up a millionaire? No because I'd more than likely die of old age before I ever see this kind of money.
Wanna sue me for it? Well I mean I only got a little toilet paper left but an appetite for tacos so please pardon me if I let one rip during the court hearing.
Just my 2 cents.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 24, 2017

I am very, very poor. I have no money in the bank because I spend everything on my studio, because it brings me joy. Sometimes I get a break and get a co-writer credit on a single song on an album that sells a reasonable number of units. Said album made the Billboard top 100 (not as good as it sounds) and to date, after 3 years, I made $127. My last studio upgrade cost me $38,000. The saddest day for me was checking how much interest that album had on Piratebay and I think 3 people downloaded it illegally. I knew it was a flop right then. I would have been ecstatic if it was the number 1 download. That's how skewed our view of success has become. I would have loved to think millions of people were hearing my music. But it didn't happen. I'm not optimistic now since I've been in all facets of music since the late 70's and this is probably the most dire I've ever known it to be.

 

Just some thoughts:

We would love to by any software we use.
But I some of us simply don't have the money to buy anything right now.
So we use some cracked stuff beside bought software.

The most interesting ethical question is, where to you put the border of legal / illegal?
If using one illegal why not just use all illegal ?
But if you decide to go fully white hat how do you get stuff done, with just freeware and your bought stuff ?
But when using freeware and before using cracked stuff you know how much easier it was wit the cracked stuff
see the direction ?

Interesting is that we pay for download services such as uploaded.to or VPN Services instead of buying software with the money. Probably it is time for a new model.

 

Last edited: Jun 24, 2017

I simply cannot buy everything I have. Because I can't afford it. I'd have to go without a lot of hardware and then there's no point in having a legit Kontakt* I use Kontakt libs a lot. But I'd need a vast, vast, vast amount of money to go legit now. I know studio owners who do buy everything and their accountants claim it as a business expense, but these guys are writing crappy, soul destroying jingles selling dog biscuits. As I have said before, I make no money. I'm basically retired, but I still have one and one love only and that is making music in my studio. So if somebody asks me do I feel guilty obtaining a $3,000 violin library for nothing? Shit no, because I would never part with that kind of money for some strings I may find only get used once in 4 years. But if it's the right sound for my ears only, I'm glad I grabbed it and nobody loses out. There is no victim. Nobody lost a sale, because there would never have been a purchase in the first place.
*I was a loyal NI customer up to Komplete 6 when I realised the limitations of owning the product.

 

Wow 38, huh? In todays overflooded music market you probably won't ever be heard without proper marketing. Invest 1/4 from that budget in a proper music video or some kind of viral campaign and there will be significant increase in your piratebay downloads. I guarantee you this. And do some interviews. They only cost time.

 

For many of us, pirating is just part of life, has always been, it is a natural thing for us, like breathing. Starting with copying Commodore 64 game cassettes on a double decker tape player and then the Amiga scene swapping floppies the friends at school, dreaming of the day your buddy comes to your house with a whole box full of new games to copy.

Then came PC and more than just games, Even Windows itself. Pirating helped us learn more, Photoshopping, video editing etc etc. Then music making. I started with an AdLib card that had Band in a box got interested in the music, then I got a Roland MT32 for games (Sierra games damn dude, were awesome, always had custom made instruments and on screen text, lol), it needed a midi interface, so I started thinking, what else can I do with this midi? Found Cakewalk and the rest is history, Gigastudio, Akai samples etc etc. All thanks to pirating.

It was not until much later, with the possibility making some money with music one day, I started buying the things I use the most, also for the reason "if someone asks about how I made the track, I can give them a bunch of legimate answers.

Also Windows, did not buy until Windows 7 and was because wife uses the same pc for her music, which does make some money, so we got all things she uses legit.

But piracy is still a major part of our way of life. I have about 200 games in Steam, but over 400 cracked ones on my NAS. I buy maybe 1 or 2 AAA games per year, but get all of them off warez. Movies, TV shows, music, jailbroken ipad, rooted android, emulator games with all games ever released for some some console...

We are pirates for life. But we also buy stuff we like and use the most, mainly if it is about making money with it. (Or talking games, the very best like Witcher 3 and Fallout 4 and Skyrim)

 

Last edited: Jun 24, 2017

"Demos are inadequate" is the biggest bs I've ever heard tbh, and you're not the only one pitching that. Are you actually incapable of making a decision about buying a piece of soft after
1. having tried the demo itself, which is usually fully-featured (!)
2. reading reviews
3. watching 1 million youtube vids?
Just say you love free stuff and dont care about those who make it, grow some balls. If you make money with it OR even use it frequently, then buying it is the right thing to do, by any civilized standard.

 

Last edited: Jun 24, 2017

If you are "very, very poor", should you be building a home studio then? If you're out of cash simply because you spend everything on your home studio, that is not being poor. At all.

 

Last edited: Jun 24, 2017

I've been heard. I have achieved more than I ever expected as a self taught musician back in the 70's. I have had top 5 dance charts success here in Australia. My achievements have lead me to be involved with Grammy Award winning artists and my production and composing skills have been sought after by many. I apologise if I gave the impression that I am personally frustrated. My frustration is with the way the music business is failing the talented people with a lot to offer.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 26, 2017

The only reason I came to this forum was to give something back as I always did in my life. My comment was intented to show two perspectives and not a one dimensional. Which one dimension do you think I am seeing? Yes I am radical. And you only see two perspectives? What about the teams? They are the only reason this forum exists. And I think the thread was only about one perspective (ungrateful leechers)
Just so u know, I know a lot of software engineers who don't give a single f*** about their code being k'd. And I know of specific firms in the audio business who don't spend any time thinking about that. Coding after all is a kind of art. If you are too attached to it when your product isn't selling you can quickly lose perspective and get frustrated. That's what amateurs do all the time. I think it is not a professional viewpoint to be frustrated if your shit is getting k'd.

 

Last edited: Jun 24, 2017

I retired due to Ill health and I was able to withdraw my superannuation funds. Now most people would take a holiday or buy a car, but my studio is sacred to me, so I did what I wanted. I bought a house with a basement for a studio. I already had a pretty good set up but I wanted a no compromise collection of gear to make the music I wanted to make. Yes, I spent all of my money on the thing I love. If any of you are truly committed to your music, you wouldn't be questioning why I spent it all. So yes, I am broke, but I don't care and I am very content.

 

Did not know about this. That's interesting. Maybe that particular interview is a bit too hard to find? Today I would always do them live in front of a camera and put them on youtube. Don't know about your genre but there are a lot of specific channels with many followers. There you can truly reach everyone.

 

The whole thing is dramatized, no one says your an asshole if you dont buy...

 

Thanks. I don't really have a genre. I've done so many things and I'm just happy to still find new ways to make music that I find challenging. I don't care about "success" anymore. If I can find sounds that make me feel I'm discovering something new..... that's all I want.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 26, 2017

Ok, now I have enough of You @dashfiss ...

How many times I have to write that I buy the stuff I use ?!? ... You feel butt hurt that I don`t need more than a few plugins and that I will never buy a cat in a bag... well "grow some balls" and get over it... there is no market for You at my home... look somewhere else for naives that You can fool with Your millions of views on YT and reviews.

I am perfectly capable to decide if I wanna buy a piece of software, and after the "1,2,3 + AZ" reasons You pointed out, I decided not to! (unless You are the developer of The Hammersmith, PCM Native Reverb, GSi Vb3, Lounge Lizard EP-4 or Amplitube)
Your thing is not among them ? ... well, pity for You.

Anyway, You are totally Off topic... the discussion is not about developers or the scene; it is about the community and the comments section at AUDIOZ!

 

It's music guys. It's not religion or politics or even sport. Music transcends. It lifts us up and makes us great. It unites us. We are lucky to make music and we should not fight amongst ourselves. We speak a language others will never understand. There is no reason to turn on each other in our community.

 

As many of you have seen, the Developers are lurking in these forums also. Some are speaking their voices openly, some are using anonymous accounts, and others are never to be seen around...
When we post something in the comment section we are trying to be as respectful as we can be to the teams and often we forget that this software was not made by them.
My point is I believe that we should be free to express our honest appreciation in a similar manner towards the developers. That way even when they look here they wont feel additionally offended by the attitude towards their work. And I am not talking about butt-kissing (that often happens in the comments related to the teams). Constructive criticism is always welcome but insults are never helpful.

 

I wouldn't consider it very sane for devs to feed of positive comments about their product, coming from this forum and I think there are better places to give positive feedback. And ultimately, like many others quoted the nfo's and mentioned before, the best way to support devs still is buying their product.

 

relocated... especially for you .. you know who you are..

too bad you spent it all already on vintage classic hardware synths ha ?

they might put a lien on your gear...