Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Copy-protection schemes... From CNet: Software, music and movies that employ copy-protection schemes must be prominently labeled with consumer warnings, according to a bill introduced in Congress this week. Yes, and then consumers should boycott such music CDs! 10:13:48 PM    comment []; Copyrightfight Quote: Our Constitution used to say that copyright was for limited times. This has been erased by our Supreme Court. Copyright has grown 11 times in the last 40 years. The most recent extension was for 20 years. Why is it that governments keep extending copyright? 8:09:33 PM    comment []; HyperSonicSound I have been thinking about HSS - see earlier post. If one could use HSS at a concert venue, very little or no sound would reflect back to the stage which would mean no feedback problems and a much purer sound. It would also mean that concerts could be held in better areas of town because there would be no noise bothering the neighbors. On the other hand I imagine that an HSS apparatus attached to a billboard could project sound at people within view of the board beckoning them to look at the image...like people in swimsuits whispering for the bystander to join them in the Caribbean... 5:04:05 PM    comment []; Traditions An interview I gave yesterday made me think about traditions and their place in the future. The theme of the article for a local magazine is the emerging sound of Santa Fe and it's expansion of the latin sound.... I think it's a lot like the Net and the blogging culture. Referencing a reference and such. I think the music of today should carry many such referrals, references and sign posts because we are no longer just born into a family that belongs to a village, a race, a tribe, a state, a country...no, we are all referencing lots of other cultures, e.g. a person born in Santa Fe may beside his/her "localized" upbringing with its local culture/traditions have an affinity for Japanese poetry, Chinese food, Italian design, French movies, Turkish coffee, British literature, American Jazz etc...and I feel that their art/music should reflect that, all of that. And as we all digest more and more cultural references they will become more subtle and more like tiny accents rather than a clear referral. Carlos Santana: Mexican loves the Blues will turn into a next generation musician enjoying Santana (sub level: Latin rhythms + Blues), R&B singers, French rappers (sub level: Hip-Hop) and techno with Indian rhythms (tablas and such). The blues element might become more subtle and a little harder to distinguish because it is now one level removed. Actually Santana has been around long enough to make an interesting subject for a study. How many artists/musicians from how many different cultures on different continents have been influenced by him and in how many different styles to they work...from folk to rock, from Jazz to R&B, electronica etc.....this would make an interesting chart! I think rather than loosing any traditional accomplishments (plenty of people will make sure they are not gone plus everything has been recorded anyway!) we are creating new tentacles/limbs/towers arising from those traditions, new palettes of colors and references...like blogging! Referencing a reference and creating a large web of connected information/music.... 12:47:18 PM    comment []; Mexico might abolish the public domain The Mexican Congress is about to consider a revision to its copyright law. Among it many changes, the law will extend the term of copyright from life-plus-70 to life-plus-100. (And no doubt thus beginning yet another cycle of “harmonization” around the world.) Worse, at the end of the copyright term, the government has the right to charge royalties for works in the “public domain.” via BoingBoing Life PLUS 100 years!!! It used to be life plus 25 years in the early part of the 20th century. I am sure this new rule could create a lot of trustafarians! As modern life changes faster and faster we are making copyright last longer and longer? What's the logic behind that? 12:42:34 PM    comment [];

© Copyright 2003 Ottmar Liebert. Last update: 8/25/03; 11:51:24 AM.