Re: [ARSCLIST] the long-predicted tipping point

[Michael Shoshani <mshoshani@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 2008-11-26 at 06:07 -0500, Tom Fine wrote:
> For the classical fan, ArkivMusic has thousands of CD titles back 
> in print via their ArkivCD on-demand CDR program. 

That's something that I imagine all major labels could do with less fuss
than they imagine. If the album or single has been remastered already
(and many of the big-band era recordings have been remastered at least a
dozen times), it is already on a server somewhere - or should be. It
doesn't cost a heck of a lot to burn something to CDR and mail it; my
main worry would be that the burning program would try to "normalize" or
otherwise tinker with the levels of the file.

I am semi-active in audio production. I am a client of APM (Associated
Production Music). APM represents several dozen highly regarded music
libraries; they can send you individual CDs, for which you will pay
dearly for the shipping (you don't own the CDs, they remain APM
property), or you can download tracks in any of several formats,
including lossless WAV. (I don't recall if FLAC is supported - it's been
a while since I needed to audition anything - but that seems to be a
decent compromise.)

APM works on the honor system; you report your usage and pay the fees
accordingly. If they can do this, why can't a major label set up a
download site, put up every obscure little title they can get their
grubby paws on, offer a choice of lossy or lossless, and give you a
download key after your plastic card clears?

Just a rant...

Michael Shoshani
Chicago