Other so-called "labels" might be taking YOUR hard work, putting it in their "products", repackaging it, then re-selling it under their name without your permission. I call these guys "soundware sharks". There are a LOT of shady vendors out there who prey on talented newbies. In some cases, they are doing it successfully - even more so than the actual creator of the original work! Something needs to be done about this.
Recently, a few 3rd-party labels took me on board to help out with quality control, reviewing preset banks before they are launched at their stores. One guy submitted a Sylenth bank, and I immediately recognized one of the bass patches from my own "Urban Flavors" set. It was also apparent that he was stealing the work of other people, too, so I told that vendor we should reject his Sylenth set for publishing.
People who have been doing sound design for a long time can easily spot the difference between original work, and someone using the work of several different sound designers as a basis for "their" sounds. The more experience you get, the easier it is to notice. Let's just put it this way: There are people who are very talented musicians and graphic designers, but when it comes to preset design, clearly don't know what they're doing. That's all I'm gonna say on that, because I don't want to help the sharks cover their tracks better.
It has also been confirmed by one 3rd-party that 2 more "brands" have been taking my work, as well as that of others, repackaging it, and reselling it without permiession. The one who "borrowed" my work the most heavily has consistantly been on the top of the bestseller charts at various places. It's not cool when you put in a lot of time providing original work, then some asshole steals your work and outsells you with it. Nor is it cool when a customer pays for something he expects to be original work, then finds out it isn't.
I'm not the only one effected by soundware sharks. Honest sellers need to band together, look out for each other, and DO something about this! Since I've started reviewing submitted items for other stores, I see how bad it has gotten nowadays. It really is bad, guys. Soundware vendors need to be aware of what's going on, and stores should be a lot more careful in what they accept, because too many fakes at their shop reflects badly on them. We've had so many sets submitted to us that are clearly NOT original work. It's only a matter of time before I find more of my own stuff in those submissions. I've called for some investigation on a few individuals already, and there will probably be more.
I work really hard to create original work from scratch. I design every sound from a single, very basic, blank canvas. If a synth doesn't have an "init" function, I go out of my way to create a basic, single saw wave with all parameters initialized, then save it as a blank canvas to work with. When somebody takes another person's work, which was probably pirated to begin with, alters a few settings, then calls it "their" work, that's not "sound design." Doing so without permission falls into legally dangerous territory, and it can be proven a lot easier than many of those soundware sharks seem to think
.Just a heads-up to any sharks that might be reading this: I'm not a safe target to exploit anymore, because now I'm ON THE REVIEW TEAM for some of those online stores you submit your content to
. It's only a matter of time before I see more of my stuff in "your" work. I ain't saying which stores I work for, because when you don't know that information, I'm in a better position to bust ya . Leave my work alone! Also, don't think I'm just looking out for myself. If and when I find out who else these sharks are ripping off, I WILL tip off the original artist about it! People who do real work need to look out for each other.Anways... More and more "labels" are getting caught doing this, and these stores are getting tired of all the extra work they have to do when this happens. I really think more labels out there should invite trusted sound designers on board to review new products before accepting them. The soundware sharks are ruining the integrity of this entire industry, andthey'll drag everyone else down with them if we continue to do nothing about it.
It's gotten to the point where any sufficiently talented musician can download pirated copies of other people's work, create a very good MP3 demo, slap a flashy cover design on it, then outsell the actual creators of the original sound files. The market is also bloated with inexperienced bedroom producers thinking sound design is an easy way to a quick buck. The market isn't just saturated. It's bloated. The industry really needs to do some serious house cleaning.
If you're a soundware label, it doesn't matter how well your brand is doing right now, you should all be very concerned about the long term effects of these things. It WILL affect your bottom line if it goes on often enough, for long enough. Honest vendors really need to step beyond competing with each other, and instead, unite against a common enemy. Soundware sharks are a legitimate problem that needs to be addressed before it gets worse. This industry really needs better quality control!
Here's an idea I've been toying with for a while, which could help remedy this issue...
Perhaps experienced and trusted sound designers might be interested in forming an elite club, with STIFF standards for admission? I'm talking ELITE level standards, here. New soundware submissions would have to be reviewed by all the sound designers on board, and the new applicant would have to be voted in. This ensures quality and the buyers' trust.
If any of those sound designers on board recognizes their own work, and can show the other club members that those accusations are not groundless, then that applicant would be automatically rejected. This insures that customers are actually getting original, real work. It could also make things more difficult for the soundware sharks who prey on talented newbies and profit from it.
For example, members of the club could be given a banner, which they can put on their site, which reads "Verified Member of (whatever the club's name is). That banner would be a link to the club's website, explaining what the club is about. The club would be a great "vouch system", and if this idea takes off, it would be a lot harder for the sharks to be taken seriously. No banner = the product itself probably doesnt live up to the hype.
I strongly believe an elite "club" that only accepts top-level and original sound design would do a LOT of good for the industry and its customers. I'm _NOT_ interested in running this club, nor do I think I'd be any good at it, so if someone else wants to do this, please do. I would, however, apply for membership, and could also recommend a few people your way
.We have many talented people who don't get enough credit for the work they do. Not everyone can afford to pay for the sharpest packaging or the flashiest demos, and many of those who CAN are soundware sharks who steal from the work of others. An elite club would really help separate the wheat from the chaff. Ever get taken in by clever marketing, only to be disappointed by what you actually get?
When people pay their hard earned cash, they expect truly original and well-made work. I say it's time to start an elite club and do those customers a favor. Anyone in with me on this? Please PM me. Let's gather some people together and see what we can do.
Just to get the ball rolling, here is a list of some sound designers that I think should easily qualify:
Leap Into the Void (His Bazille factory patches were amazing!)
Kevin Schroeder (VERY good EDM patches in Hive. Suffix "KS")
BigTone
Eclipse-Sound
Monomo Sound (GREAT 80s-style Hive factory patches)
Howard Scarr (If you're a retro fan, you'll agree with me on this)
...and a lot more, but can't think of their names right now.
...but their memberships would be up for vote by all members. Those listed are just my opinion.
This club would be a great business opportunity for whoever wants to run it. I have neither the funds or the business skills for such a position, and really think it's best for somone else to take the reins and be in charge. Anyone interested?
