Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

http://arstechnica.co.uk/business/2016/03/kanye-west-caught-using-pirate-bay-to-download-music-software/

by empressplay • 10 years ago

335 157 10 years ago

arstechnica.co.uk

Kristine1975• 10 years ago

Just because he had a tab with ThePirateBay open doesn't mean he downloaded a pirated copy of the software.

He really should install an ad blocker though, to get rid of those "Mac Keeper" and "Attention" tabs.

varjag• 10 years ago

Amen. He could well be seeding his own indie tracks.

kristiandupont• 10 years ago

Not sure if you are joking, but the tab title ends with Xfe[...], so it seems pretty likely that it's about Xfer Records Serum.

S_A_P• 10 years ago

Agree it isn't proof, but still seems fishy. I agree with the article though that he should take the chance to plug Tidal and should be playing his music through the service he is using, no?

pricechild• 10 years ago

TorrentFreak comments in more detail on the screenshot: https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-offers-tech-support-to-p... and makes it seem less likely.

coldtea2• 10 years ago

A tab with Pirate Bay, a tab of the software vendor's website, an article with "50 best VST plugins" open...

And on the Pirate Bay tab he had searched for Xfe... (the name of the plugin vendor, so probably typed "Xfer records Serum").

Sure looks like he was downloading it...

(Btw, I recommended anybody interest in electronic music product checks it out, it's an excellent wavetable/additive synthesis audio plugin with crazy good filters to avoid aliasing).

LgWoodenBadger• 10 years ago

He was only in there to get directions on how to get away from there. Right Principal Skinner?

pfarnsworth• 10 years ago

To be fair we don't even know if this is his computer. It could have been in the studio or maybe on of his assistants told him "Hey Kanye listen to this" and he just took a pic of it.

softawre2• 10 years ago

That "Attention" tab..I get that when using my VPN and hitting any CloudFlare site.

marvel_boy• 10 years ago

Let's start a Kickstarter to help kanye west afford a copy of Serum.

Piskvorrr• 10 years ago

Source: https://twitter.com/deadmau5/status/704878038937243648

Kenji2• 10 years ago

It could have been worse, he could have had a tab open with midget porn ;P

Seriously, guys, sanitize your screenshots. Every screenshot I take, I crop down as much as possible and check for stuff like that thoroughly. Bookmarks, tabs, windows, system tray, notification, they all could potentially contain very private or even incriminating information.

distances• 10 years ago

Or just take a screenshot of the intended content instead of the whole screen. Most (?) screenshot software have a feature for choosing a specific window / section of a window.

raverbashing• 10 years ago

On MacOS it's builtin, Cmd + Shift + 4 lets you select a screen area

(yeah, not as intuitive as having a PrtScrn button)

coldtea2• 10 years ago

But I thought only criminals had something to hide /s!

syberspace• 10 years ago

you expect someone who doesnt even know how to actually take a screenshot (with some software) to know how to crop said screenshot?

gnufied• 10 years ago

Except he used probably camera phone to take screenshot because his Monitor's brand is in it.

jpindar• 10 years ago

On Android phones at least, it's trivial to crop a photo before sharing it.

newscracker2• 10 years ago

Edit: This is about taking screenshots of a device fro the same device. I see in another comment that the screenshot here was a photo taken by a smartphone (which is a different topic).

This is really an issue most people aren't aware of. People somehow learn how to take screenshots of their entire desktop on computers and share them, but also somehow fail to learn how to take screenshots of a window or crop/blur them appropriately. Or perhaps they're always in a hurry and don't have the time to look up how to deal with it.

I have learned which banks some people use (online banking tab open), which browser they use, which programs are running on their system (from the task bar), which Facebook pages they have open, whom they're messaging with on Facebook, which other articles around the web they're reading, and so many other details just by looking at screenshots. It may not be an issue that I got to know these, but it's an information leak that should've been avoided.

Since people aren't going to change quickly, the only solution I can think of is having the screenshot feature or software on all platforms ask the user with a simple UI what they would like to black/blur out and then save that. Dear Apple, here's a cue to build this right into iOS and OS X to continue with the "privacy matters" motto for users (of course, it would be great if Google and MS also embrace this across all their platforms).

Vendan2• 10 years ago

In windows, try snipping tool. Comes stock with 7 and up, lets you select a window, or a rectangular area, or even a free form "draw a circle around what you want" mode. And then you can save it or copy and paste it somewhere. So yeah, MS has had this handled for years, just people don't know about it.

sigmar• 10 years ago

Did he search Google for "Pirate bay torrent xfer"? Because the page title on pirate bay seems to be static no matter what you search for (unlike in the pic)

edit: someone posted above that he was on this site (might not have been on this specific page though) http://www.pirate-baytorrent.com/xfer-records-serum-1-07b4-v...

cooper12• 10 years ago

Meh, "people in glass houses...":

@deadmau5
I used a pirated copy of sylenth on my last 4 albums. #TrueReveal

https://twitter.com/deadmau5/status/367265601640603648

Steve Aoki was also caught using the above software in a music video with Linkin Park, though he proved that he had bought the software but his assistants installed a pirated version on his road laptop. http://stoneyroads.com/2013/08/steve-aoki-responds-to-claims...

I think this all comes down to effort and usability. To purchase the software you have to go through a bunch of screens, enter payment info, download, install, and then enter a serial number. For pirating software you just search for it and it's usually easier to install, with some cracks even bypassing steps. What's interesting to me is that people don't question their own ethics before doing this, especially music producers like Kanye who don't like pirates. Then again we've seen similar backlash against people using adblockers, but most would sympathize with them instead for other reasons.

robmccoll2• 10 years ago

Lately my experience has been more like log into website with pre-existing account, download latest legitimate licensed software.

r3bl2• 10 years ago

The most amusing situation to me was when Carnage made a god-awful tutorial for Razer Music, in which he used a pirated version of Sylenth. Once he got called out by the public, he said[1] in a tweet:

“lmaooo wtf why does it matter?”

LennarDigital (the company behind Sylenth) decided to reply to his tweet and said that they "are happy to make it a matter".

He later on went and accused Razer that it was their laptop in the video, which resulted in them canceling the contract with him and removing that god-awful tutorial from their website. I laughed so hard as the accusations went on and on.

[1] http://www.youredm.com/2015/10/22/sylenth-threatens-to-sue-c...

pmarreck• 10 years ago

I did not know about this until now (and I, sorta, follow EDM). What a dumbass, that is hilarious

tptacek2• 10 years ago

It's not actually true that you can "lose the copyrights to your music" if you use pirated software to produce it, is it? That doesn't sound at all true.

pierrec3• 10 years ago

"To purchase the software you have to go through a bunch of screens, enter payment info, download, install, and then enter a serial number"

You're forgetting the iLok. Physical license keys are one of those laughable gimmicks of pro multimedia. My laptop only has 3 USB ports - fairly normal - one is always taken up by this dead weight (or I have to use a hub).

Plus, since iLok has the monopoly when it comes to dongles, they racket everyone into purchasing an additional "insurance", otherwise if you lose your key, your licenses are gone forever, unless you pay $130 (+$50 for the new iLok, + $30 for the insurance I belive). Seems obvious to me that this figure is not based on any actual required work, but on the fact that most people have well over $130 of licenses on their iLok, so they eventually give their money to iLok or move to pirating.

briandear• 10 years ago

iLok is starting to go away -- at least it has with Waves. Waves is dead simple to install these days.

iolothebard• 10 years ago

I have copies of Adobe CS for Mac and PC. I always install the cracked versions so I don't have to mess with uninstalling (deregistering) when I wipe my systems.

flurpitude• 10 years ago

To purchase the software you have to go through a bunch of screens, enter payment info, download, install, and then enter a serial number. For pirating software you just search for it and it's usually easier to install, with some cracks even bypassing steps.

For me that's counterbalanced by the fact that you never quite know what you're getting with pirated software. If I just buy it, I know I'm not infecting my main music computer with something nasty. Also, as a software developer myself I like to pay my peers for their work. And how much effort is it to enter a serial number?

My only anxiety is: what happens if I lose the serials? (I try to keep them backed up.) And will it be a huge hassle to move this stuff to another computer? If a company sells me software that's hard to move and reinstall when I change computers, I'm not likely to buy from them again.

jarin• 10 years ago

Password managers usually have a way to add serial numbers or secure notes, that's where I store mine. And you should be using a password manager anyway, if you aren't already.

k-mcgrady2• 10 years ago

> "I think this all comes down to effort and usability. To purchase the software you have to go through a bunch of screens, enter payment info, download, install, and then enter a serial number."

Regarding this specific software it seems to me it's easier to get legally that illegally. Their website is really easy to use, checkout fast, and no copy protection to get in the way of the install.

squeaky-clean2• 10 years ago

Both Sylenth1 and Serum have really easy ways of purchasing and installing. This is a legitimate complaint for some companies, but is a terrible excuse to just pirate all software.

There a lot of music software available. You can avoid any companies using iLok and similar distribution methods and still have all your needs covered.

DonHopkins5• 10 years ago

From the other tabs, it looks like Kayne isn't smart enough to use an adblocker when he visits Pirate Bay.

OscarCunningham• 10 years ago

Perhaps just like everyone else he's realised that pirating is easier than buying, no matter how much money you have.

logicfiction• 10 years ago

It's dead simple to buy Serum (first-hand experience) and you don't have to worry about malware, I don't buy this premise. They also actively support and develop their products and you get free updates and support for years. I don't see why it's so hard to buy.

kdamken• 10 years ago

Not defending him here, he's a professional millionaire musician and should just buy it...

But music software is a HUGE pain in the ass to purchase. Pro Tools, for example, is tied to a dongle. It's 2016, and that's still the security method they choose to use. Lose the dongle? You're fucked. It's unfathomably frustrating.

robmccoll2• 10 years ago

Not even the majority of major music production suites - Ableton Live, FL Studio, Propellerhead Reason are all incredibly easy to license, download, and install and all three have easy-to-use market places to purchase and download third party plug-ins. Pro Tools is really more of an exception than the rule. To be honest, I'm not sure why people are still using it extensively other than legacy purchases and lock-in with some hardware vendors.

busterarm3• 10 years ago

People still use Pro Tools?

I can't think of a single popular commercial DAW that's worse to use. Pretty much the only people I see use it are all aspiring rappers. I guess it has hip hop cred.

Tangentially, I can't think of a single piece of Avid software that isn't a flaming piece of shit.

Full disclosure: I used to have to support Avid.

soundwave1062• 10 years ago

It is 2016, and indeed most of the music software on my computer is tied to no dongle whatsoever.

Dongles are understandably thought of as a bit of a pain by many musicians, and I'm sure many developers understand that they'll lose customers by requiring one.

DonHopkins5• 10 years ago

I knew an artist who would wear his dongle around his neck on a gold chain like bling, to show off to all the adoring groupie chicks that he was rich and important enough to have a license.

dimmuborgir• 10 years ago

The dongle (iLok2) was cracked recently.

https://torrentfreak.com/ilok2-drm-system-appears-to-have-be...

s_kilk• 10 years ago

I dread re-formatting my laptop because of this.

Getting all my (legitimately purchased) plugins back onto the system is an absolute nightmare.

I've started paring my setup down to just Ableton and a handful of plugins for this reason.

ylhert9• 10 years ago

Serum doesn't require a dongle of any kind. Just a serial which is easy to find, it is in your account which is a login and password away

RUG3Y• 10 years ago

Reaper is something like $60.00, has an awesome free trial period and is just as capable for my needs as Pro Tools. Plus you get free upgrades.

azru• 10 years ago

That's not his YouTube account logged in. There's a pic that shows more out there, and seemingly Kanye took a pic of someone's computer.

karlcoelho1• 10 years ago

its a publicity stunt, this is so freaking obvious. kanye west knows the dangers in the public more than enough, to know what he's posting. anyone agree?

caractacus• 10 years ago

No. Kanye is a law unto himself with a vast team of reactive PR people who try and perform damage control as and when needed.

soundwave1062• 10 years ago

Not likely in my opinion. This is not without precedent, there's been several EDM artists who have not thought twice of doing a studio shot with some cracked plugin exposed.

This includes some big EDM names that really should have known better, given that anything like that is bound to generate many articles (Martin Garrix, Avicii, and Steve Aoki were the previous "big name offenders" exposed for showing pirate copies of Sylenth1 in videos). More to the point, several less known DJs have done things (like say a demo for Future Music) where eagle eyes will spot pirated synths there too.

It's pretty clear that Kanye didn't install a popup blocker while visiting The Pirate Bay; if he actually knew what he was doing, surely he'd at least do that, right? :)

ylhert9• 10 years ago

yea, no.

unfocused828• 10 years ago

The Serum team should be pleased with all of the exposure they get from this.

6stringmerc• 10 years ago

Might seem trite but one of the reasons I attribute my rather good PC music laptop experience over the past 10 years is not using any pirate/suspect downloads. Be it software or music itself by others. Sticking with what I could purchase (or demo) meant relatively stable installs. A couple versions of Ableton Live were shaky, but along the way things have been patched and I am a happy customer. Lots of free VSTs as well, it doesn't take a lot of research.

Whether it's him doing it or a member of his 'team' - the guy has a writer stable of 14 known artists[1] and brings in others like he was giving away free studio time and Yeezy shoes - it just smacks of lazy. Certainly it happens in the industry. Lots of various approaches are easy or time consuming type difficult[2], I guess it kind of depends on the producer and the goal.

Personally I just like using great new tools[3] that cost very little but allow for a lot of creative expressiveness. YMMV.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOOD_Music#Current_acts

[2] http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-little-known-recording-...

[3] https://www.propellerheads.se/figure

kevando• 10 years ago

KW only does a thing with the intention that people talk about the thing, and by extension KW. I never thought I'd see a KW thing on hacker news.

blueintegral• 10 years ago

If you opened some of the built in audio files in Windows XP with a hex editor, you could see that they were created with a cracked version of SoundForge.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/pirated-software-used-to-creat...

TazeTSchnitzel• 10 years ago

Vaguely related, Windows 95's iconic The Microsoft Sound was composed on a Mac.

dragonbonheur• 10 years ago

And here I am, stuck with LMMS... Honestly, LMMS is rather cool once you get used to it.

kruhft• 10 years ago

LMMS is pretty awesome actually. I used it to write all of my last album:

    https://kruhft.bandcamp.com/album/listener

fitzwatermellow3• 10 years ago

Hate to hijack what I am sure is a mind expanding discussion on software distribution, the law of karma, and modern celebrity. But I am curious about something and was hoping to get an opinion from some of the music production experts on here. Of which there appear to be legion. Which is awesome :)

How difficult is it to duplicate Serum-esque wavetable generation using ChucK or CSound? It seems in my uninformed opinion you would have a lot more freedom using raw math over visual gui. Do you have the same range of available osc's and filters as you have in commercial packages? Or would they be relatively easy to implement if missing out of the box?

JonnieCache3• 10 years ago

How difficult is it to duplicate Serum-esque wavetable generation using ChucK or CSound?

Serum-esque? Sure, selecting waveforms from a lookup table isn't difficult. However implementing clean sounding alias-free oscillators that can themselves be modulated at audio rate and so on requires years of accumulated domain knowledge. On top of that serum has all kinds of fancy features, such as the ability to import wave files and generate good-sounding wavetables from them, high quality filters, (look up zero-delay-feedback filters) complex modulation routing and most importantly, a GUI that lets you navigate all this complexity and actually compose music with it.

you would have a lot more freedom using raw math over visual gui.

Exactly. Freedom is the enemy of creativity. Hence why the majority of max/msp users don't actually make music with it. The more layers of abstraction and choices there are standing between your musical idea and making actual sounds, the harder it is to ever realise those ideas. By the time you've finished messing around with all the technical stuff and making endless choices, you've lost the idea. Hence the endless appeal of the acoustic guitar and human voice combo.

It's certainly possible to make music the other way around, where you let the machines have the ideas and you simply guide them, but it's a very different thing. Using pure math and code really shines here, as well as modular synthesis equipment.

EDIT: talking of modular, Waldorf, the german company who pioneered wavetable synths in the 90s (you'll take my uWave XT from my cold dead hands!) have just released a wavetable-based eurorack module, and it's pretty extra-crunchy, no anti aliasing here ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEL50hCEj7Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssk_0mg6N6k

fitzwatermellow3• 10 years ago

Thanks for the thoughtful reply and timeless wisdom that seems to apply not just to music, but life as well ;)

squeaky-clean2• 10 years ago

@JonnieCache covers a lot of points about the oscillators. It's not just that Serum offers a wavetable lookup oscillator, but one that can scan through a wavetable in realtime, "Warp" the sound in various way (including FM, PWM, hard sync, stretching) without aliasing. Then there's also the tools to draw, mathematically generate or import your own wave files, and make wavetables blending between them (from simple crossfading to FFT blending, etc)

There's a ton of filters, I'm sure you could find the basic LP/BP/HP filters, but I know some of the moog-style filters have to be licensed. There's also filter options that aren't typically considered "filters" (flange, allpass with multiple stages, a weird reverb-esque one), and a few filters that are just Duda's own experiments (I think he said the French LP model was just him playing around with the math).

Then you'd also have to reimplement the FX section, which Serum also provides as a standalone plugin that you can place after other audio sources.

Still though, the GUI is a huge benefit of Serum, which makes editing waveforms, envelope curves, LFO shapes, and modulation routing really easy. Almost anything can be routed to almost anything else, as well as several macro controls, which makes it a great live instrument too.

fitzwatermellow3• 10 years ago

Yes, I'm beginning to think Serum is quite an incredible deal at $190 retail ;)

heuermh• 10 years ago

I'm not sure, but it would be fun to try!

Find me on github, and maybe we can start something.

bossx• 10 years ago

Publicity stunt

Tenhundfeld3• 10 years ago

Hey Kenji, just FYI, I find something a little off-putting in using "midget porn" as the example of something worse.

Maybe I've become overly sensitive to possibly hurtful language in this era of codes of conduct, microaggressions, trigger words, etc. But I think it's marginalizing to use the sexuality of a segment of people (consenting adults, let's assume) as something shameful. I've also read that midget is considered a derogatory slur by many in that community.

Anyway, I'm not trying to condemn you, because I know you didn't mean anything hurtful or negative. You're just using the phrase as a generic example of sexual deviancy. And sexual deviancy is inherently embarrassing in our Puritanical culture – and worse from a PR perspective.

And like I said, I might be way off base here. I might be that annoying guy in the conversation who isn't actually offended but thinks someone else might possibly be offended. But since we're all focused on being more inclusive these days, I thought it was worth saying something. I say accidentally-possibly-exclusionary shit like this all the time – part of the reason I'm more vigilant about it lately, trying to improve my own behavior. :)

kbart• 10 years ago

and I was naively hoping to find /s at the end of your comment..

Tenhundfeld3• 10 years ago

That's fine. If OP had an email address in their profile, I would have sent a private message. I'm not trying to make some big statement here, just share a reflection.

From the Little People of America organization: "The word 'midget' is used as a derogatory slur to refer to people of short stature. Whether or not the intention of using the word is to bully and to demean, or just as a synonym for small, the term has been deemed a slur by those within the community and should be eliminated accordingly. In a recent organizational statement, LPA put forward a call to action to abolish the word from the everyday nomenclature and to replace it with synonymous designations when necessary."

rpgmaker• 10 years ago

OP didn't mean no harm but yours is a very thoughtful observation.

dang• 10 years ago

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11209917 and marked it off-topic.

ccallebs3• 10 years ago

I understand that what Kanye did was as wrong as any other pirating. However, as a result of that screenshot that software got a free endorsement from Kanye West. I imagine that guy is going to wake up surprised this morning when he looks at total sales from last night.

ylhert9• 10 years ago

It's not about that one missed sale, but think about all the (even high profile/rich) people who steal the software

ccallebs3• 10 years ago

I definitely understand, I'm not saying pirating is good. I'm especially not saying "Once you hit a certain level of success, you should pirate!" Just suggesting that due to this incident the creators made quite a few sales.

I think pirating is wrong and I pay for my software/music.

Edit: Whoa! You're one of the creators. Congrats on getting this kind of exposure. It's unfortunate it has to be because wealthy people don't pay for your product. :(

rasz_pl• 10 years ago

"that guy" deadmaus?

ccallebs3• 10 years ago

I should've said *those people. I didn't know it was a team of two.

freyr2• 10 years ago

If you look at the YouTube user thumbnail, it's actually producer Mike Dean who's logged in. Kanye and Dean work closely together, and it very well might be a photo of Dean's computer.

Speculative and sensationalist reporting by Ars.

[1] https://m.youtube.com/user/deanslistproductions

jdamon96• 10 years ago

Thank you, finally someone who actually looks at the photo rather than the headline

freyr2• 10 years ago

Dean just changed his user photo. It no longer matches.

ylhert9• 10 years ago

Xfer records is very small, its just 2 people really (Steve and I). It's nice seeing this get so much attention. We are a very small company (if you can even call it that, I'm not even full time). Every sale is a big deal for Xfer, and piracy definitely hurts us. We don't have the resources to combat it, and we don't put restrictive copy protection on our software because we don't believe in hurting paying customers to slow down piracy.

It's always a sad reminder for us when we see people (who can obviously afford our software) stealing it :(

djhn2• 10 years ago

I reckon this will make you top the charts for VST plugin sales for this day, week and maybe even month.

Even if that means you will top the VST piracy charts...

In fact, is this just a genious marketing stunt..?

JonnieCache3• 10 years ago

It's already arguably the most highly regarded VST synth for modern digital sounds anyway. Serum is basically the new massive. They don't need marketing stunts.

KMag2• 10 years ago

stealing it :(

<rant> While I empathize with most of your comment, you lost me at the end. Let's not use hyperbolic rhetoric. The crime is copyright infringement (unlawful copying), not stealing (theft), and not plunder and murder on the high seas (piracy). Yes, the sheet music publishers back in the day were able to convince people to use the language of the terrorism of their day (piracy). The hyperbole still harms discourse. </rant>

ratsmack• 10 years ago

Color it by any technicality you want, but it is taking something from somebody and in common vernacular, that is theft.

wnevets• 10 years ago

While I wanna agree with you, I feel like once you start making money off of someone else's unlawful copied software you're stealing.

ylhert9• 10 years ago

A kid in his bedroom who hasn't saved up enough allowance to buy Serum yet is unlawfully copying our software. Kayne stole our software

dylanz• 10 years ago

As someone who has purchased most of your products, I just wanted to say thank you!

I admit I've pirated a lot of software in order to try it over time, but I end up buying what I start using in my workflow. I don't make money producing music (yet!), so I definitely use trials or pirate expensive plugins (I'll often try to re-trial something if my trial lapses and I haven't yet used it enough).

Serum? I downloaded the trial, used it, then bought it. The same with LFO Tool. It is a complete steal at its price point, and an absolute beautiful piece of software. I hope Kanye gets more flac for this.

Keep up the great work! I'm constantly blown away at the work you and Steve do.

JonnieCache3• 10 years ago

I hope Kanye gets more flac for this.

I see him as more of a 128 kinda guy.

ylhert9• 10 years ago

Thanks dude! You rock! And I bet the music you make with Xfer products rocks! :D

samstave• 10 years ago

I'd like to hear the music you made with these tools please.

hackercooler• 10 years ago

love serum and its the first vst that i've bought personally. thanks

mayreck• 10 years ago

Me too. I was compelled to buy it and it has changed my life!!! :)

michaelbuddy• 10 years ago

had never heard of it before, but your software looks awesome.

cubano• 10 years ago

I am almost embarrassed to fanboy-out on you, but Serum is utterly amazing, and I must admit I am happy to be telling its author this directly.

I have never heard anything like in my 35 years of playing, writing, and producing music, and altho I am sure there are other synths that perform as well, given the low price and accessibility of it as a VSTi, it constantly blows me away.

Thanks for developing it.

ylhert9• 10 years ago

Thank you so much! I will relay your message to Steve as well!

k-mcgrady2• 10 years ago

I've just purchased Cthulhu. Easy purchase process, easy installation (no keys required etc.), and a really nice plugin. Keep up the good work.

savanaly• 10 years ago

Surely you can take heart that in this particular case, since he got caught and it turned into a thing, his piracy is going to generate many, many more sales for you.

aerovistae• 10 years ago

Serum is by far the most fun to use synth I've tried out. Nothing else compares. The UI is just joyful. And the sound; well, it goes without saying that's it's the best sounding synth on the market. Seriously, every time I adjust that wavetable, I smile.

Sarkie• 10 years ago

I assume you can tell if he's bought it or someone at his company has? So when he buys it today, you'd be able to tell?

johnloeber• 10 years ago

Hold on. If you're not Steve Duda, then you're Deadmau5?

joshmanders• 10 years ago

Yan Lhert https://twitter.com/yanismydj

ylhert9• 10 years ago

Deadmau5 isn't super involved anymore. I suppose we are 3 if you count him, but obviously he's been pretty busy with other stuff the last few years

logicrook• 10 years ago

But little kaka is very poor, the poor little guy has been reduced to begging over the internet. And you expect him to pay you for your work? Monstrous Thénardier. You should pay such a genius to use your lowly software. Don't you know he's, like, totally the third millennium m0zart? Come on, it's 2016 already.

noonespecial• 10 years ago

I actually came here expecting this to be a story about production on the road, dongles (iLok), and "look, even the pros don't put up with that garbage".

But it was the opposite.

You're one of the good guys and it sucks that this happened to you.

jfdi• 10 years ago

@ylhert I hope you all jump all over this press - have to imagine this could be netted out as an order of magnitude of goodness for you, Steve, & co with some great timely digital campaign/promo work. Maybe you could even find a way to get Kayne in on it?!

Joof• 10 years ago

Not to knock you, but if they wanted to demo it for a studio session length then 15 minutes is a pretty limiting amount of time. VSTs have varying quality, take a while to learn the workflow, tons of features and are very expensive. It's like Photoshop, but you have no idea if it will be useful to you.

Kanye is probably bad with money, but he remembers what it's like to be a poor musician.

If you haven't already come out at him outraged, maybe you can talk to him about your product and get some good publicity. Or start a temporary 'Kanye' discount and offer it to him first.

Karunamon• 10 years ago

Straight up false headline from Ars, which is sadly becoming more and more of a problem there.

Kanye West was not caught doing a damn thing. A screenshot of a computer that may or may not be his has a Pirate Bay tab open in the background.

That's a far cry from "caught using to download".

jharohit• 10 years ago

Jeez what a knob this guy...

vanattab• 10 years ago

Begin #KanyeWestHatesProgrammers

alanh• 10 years ago

He recently tweeted that "San Francisco" software execs listen to rap but shamefully weren't lining up for to "invest 1 billion dollars in kanye ideas" [sic]

cJ0th• 10 years ago

I am wondering whether he did that on purpose just to get attention. But then again I saw many video interviews of famous artists who were using a pirated copy of Sylenth1. Many people probably really are that cheap.

metanoia• 10 years ago

He'll probably take credit for making Serum famous.

kafkaesq• 10 years ago

Wait -- what's his net worth again?

nickpsecurity• 10 years ago

"Browsing and posting like a Gay Fish!"

dctoedt2• 10 years ago

First: While I'm definitely not a Kanye fan, I think it's appropriate to withhold judgment on these allegations until more facts are available.

Second: Unauthorized use of a copyrighted tool (e.g., music-editing software) to create a copyrighted work of authorship --- a song and a sound recording of the song, let's say --- normally wouldn't result in loss of the copyright in either the song or the sound recording.

(This is a different situation than creating a derivative work without authorization.)

But such unauthorized use of the music-editing software could result in the author of the song and sound recording having to pay the owner of the copyright in the music-editing software for the former's "indirect profits" arising from the infringement. That can be a remedy with real teeth.

The case I usually teach to illustrate this point is Frank Music Corp. v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. [0], 886 F.2d 1545 (9th Cir. 1989) (Frank Music II). In that case:

+ The MGM Grand Hotel had a floor show called Hallelujah Hollywood!, which included 'tributes' to various MGM movies. The floor show incorporated significant portions of the Broadway musical Kismet, which years earlier had been made into an MGM movie.

+ The court found that MGM's use of the Kismet material in its floor show went beyond its 'movie rights' license and therefore infringed the copyright in the underlying Broadway musical.

+ As a result, MGM had to pay not just a portion of profits from the Hallelujah Hollywood! floor show itself (such as profits from sales of tickets to the show), but also 2% of the profits from the MGM Grand's overall hotel operations — including 2% of the casino profits — which, the court found, were indirectly attributable to the promotional value of the floor show. [1]

It didn't help MGM's case that its annual report had boasted about how great the floor show was as a draw for the casino, thus helping the copyright owner prove up its case for indirect profits.

[0] https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=169034711262654...

[1] The above description is copied essentially verbatim from my piece, http://www.oncontracts.com/a-better-way-to-handle-a-breach-o...

Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

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