The Copyright of Opeth Tabs

Nuk3m

AKA Porn-Fingers
Jun 29, 2003
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Australia
www.cort.com
I was aware that the site "http://www.powertabs.net" was in a legal battle.

I assumed at the time that it was over Copyright laws pertaining to the tabs on their site. This was then confirmed by a petition going around in their favor of the matter. I added my name and hoped for the best. It seems they have lost and....

Now it appears that due to that, EVERYONE has now lost to ability to provide electronic tab files without the permission of the artist.

"http://www.mysongbook.com/" has had to follow suit ...

"In the waiting for a regularization with the copyright owner of this score,
its download is no more possible."


…disallowing files of many artists, in particular Opeth.

Personally I think this has gone to far. It seems too ridiculous that people cannot share an interpretation of a song. And yes "an interpretation", too many a time have I downloaded one of these tabs and found I had to fix it up myself. I think if artists want any right over these files THEY should tab them themselves and at least when they charge us for them it won’t be a waste of my time. Muhammed from Necrophagist and John from Vehemence tab multiple songs and give them freely to their fans.

I can see some reason for artists not wanting people playing their songs live and in doing so profiting. I can see some logic in that, but I don’t believe this is the way. I can see the point of all the copyright laws on artists actual music records but this seems to be way out of hand.

I can also see this being something they think they can cash in on. These sites render tab books useless. But I still don’t see them having any grounds as their fans tab this stuff and most of the time tab it wrong.

Early last century many artists did not record their music when the technology came around because they didn’t want a situation where someone could copy their stuff or know exactly what notes and keys they used. I believe if artists feel the obsessive want to protect their music to that extent then they should do as these people have.

I would like to know what everyone thinks about this new legislation?

And it would be nice to hear some word from Opeth regarding this matter and what they plan to do.

I dont know about "http://www.powertabs.net" but "http://www.mysongbook.com/" is still waiting on their permission.
 
I too beleive this has gotten out of hand. I'm just glad I saved every tab I downloaded, which includes most Opeth songs.

What I also find strange is that www.mysongbook.com has also restricted tabliatures from artists that are long diseased, such as beethoven etc. From what I remember hearing some time ago, copyright lasts 50 years, and after that time their music (films, images etc) can be used whenever and wherever it is wished without having to pay royalties for it. Correct me if I am wrong with this.

They have also stopped sharing various excersizes, in which I use to improve my guitaring skills.

There are still sites out there that have files up for download, but I guess it's just a matter of time until they are contacted.
 
lmao, these big companies trying to screw everyone for a penny nowadays, what a sad fucking greedy world we live in

they've never stopped me from downloading music or movies, they sure as hell are not stopping me from getting free tabs on the internet... lmfao @ them thinking they can control any of this
 
I also think its gone too far, absolutely ludicrous. As you said its an interpretation of how to play a song, and anyway what are they going to do next, stop people like myself from just replicating a song in a bedroom somewhere?

what a fucken joke.

However, I think there is hope. I think it will spawn quite a few illegal sharing downloading sites like emule etc, where guitarists can share what they have. Perhaps the cost of taking these sites down will be too much (legally), as more and more pop up. I mean they spend enough already monitoring mp3 torrents. As one falls, another will open...at least this is what i hope will happen.

as someone said, the world is such a greedy place these days.
 
I've never understood it.

Sharing tabs is part of guitarist culture... how many of these same artists who's songs we are prohibited from interpreting used song interpretations themselves back when they learned?

It's a decision motivated entirely by greed. Whereas I can see why someone would have a guilty conscience for downloading mp3s... there's absolutely nothing immoral about sharing in someone else's interpretation of a song.

This is simply the music industry doing what it does best... trying to exert control of every facet of their clients that can possibly bring them profit. I wonder how many of the actual artists care about people interpreting their music.
 
Well, I really think they should just go ahead and ban listening.

Music can be on at loud volumes in crowded places and thats it! Otherwise, you might make out notes, and thats copyright infringment my friend!

We also should ban music study, because it teaches people how to "decode" and pirate songs with their brain!
 
In the future, singing songs in the shower will be probihited too. As well as teaching your friends a song. Or playing a song. Etc.

Plain bullshit this is, a great restriction to this generation's guitarists.
 
yeah and ultimate-guitar has everything anyway. This is really old news. someone needs to get on that Twighlight is My Robe PowerTab though.
 
Yes this is definitely a rediculous matter, but there are still other sites out there with guitarpro tabs on them... and apparently that link above me has all the tabs from mysongbook, so we're still good :)

I really don't see how it should be illegal to make a tab for a song. Its fucking midi.
 
With the Internet and broadband access the digital cat is well and truly out of the bag though. Of course there will be people with money invested in digital media who try to contain distribution (usually in an hysterical, overreacting way) but the bottom line is that lossless, infinite duplication of these things is here to stay and people need to work from a business model that acknowledges this.
 
It's not like it's hard to compete with internet tabs. Put out a package with a nice book, and a cd with electronic tabs in whatever version, that are confirmed by the artist, and many people will buy it.
Of course paired with instant online purchase of the electronic version.