Last week, various newspapers reported about Apple and EMI’s introduction of DRM-free music onto iTunes. From this site：
DRM-free tracks from EMI will be offered at higher quality 256 kbps AAC encoding, resulting in audio quality indistinguishable from the original recording, for just $1.29 per song. In addition, iTunes customers will be able to easily upgrade their entire library of all previously purchased EMI content to the higher quality DRM-free versions for just 30 cents a song. iTunes will continue to offer its entire catalog, currently over five million songs, in the same versions as today — 128 kbps AAC encoding with DRM — at the same price of 99 cents per song, alongside DRM-free higher quality versions when available.
For me, I want my music as high quality as possible. I must’ve been spoiled by my dad’s obession with HiFi systems, because I’m usually annoyed at any song file that sounds remotely low-fi’ed, leaving me to suffer at the hands of those who don’t know how to encode their songs from CDs. The only low-fi music that I can normally take is at a KTV bar, where music quality takes a lesser role behind the performer of the moment.
For others, I’m not quite sure this is the case. I don’t think the majority of listeners are actually bothered as much as I am, so the selling point for for them is….that’s right, feel free to pass it around! This is a business shift that EMI has taken, lowering the boundaries of music access to getting music available to more people out there. Nowadays, the “CD” revenue share has shrunk to become only one of several revenue streams for musicians and artists, and if taken as a single revenue source, makes it very difficult for an artist to survive. For EMI, making their artists more accessible hopefully transfers to more revenue. Only time will tell!
Just recently I had a chance to reconnect with some of my best friends in Vancouver and I must say they’re doing some very interesting things I wanted to share. What started out during university as a group of 4 guys getting together to hang out and jam, I’ve never envisioned how much music would play such a huge part in our lives. I’m going to take some time to introduce a few of them to you, and to know why they’re fiends/friends in my book:
Chris Yip – There are only a handful of people that can melt me when they sing, and Chris is one of them. I still remember when got his first guitar, a satin finish Takamine, and jamming and singing in a Big Red Van, at our homes, and performing together. An amazing poet, he’s definitely got a set of smooth pipes. Already out with his first album, “Wood for the Fire”, he’s up to all good with even more songs of his. You can check out his myspace account at the link above for a quick listen.
Allan Yuet – I’ve known Allan since his days of playin’ drums in the Green House. If you don’t know what the Green House is, that’s too bad. But for those that do, you’ll notice that he’s come a long ways and onto further things. For instance, he’s known to many musicians as their Tone Guru. You want someone who knows their sound equipment and HOW to use them, he’s your man. In fact, he’s set up me with some spectacular gear that I’ve never even heard about. But besides being a sound guru, he’s also an amazing drummer. You can check out his myspace account at the link above.
That’s it for my first installment of my music f(r)iends. Stay tuned for more fiends in the future.
The title above bascially summarizes the question that I’ve been thinking about for some time. I seem to enjoy writing a little bit about everything but nothing in particular. So I think I’m going to try and focus my future written thoughts on music, and music in relation to my life. Hope this gives this blog a more continuity and a little less chaos.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions feel free to drop me a note here.
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