I agree the copyright law needs updating, but we are a country of laws. But if everyone ignores all the laws they don't agree with, what will we have? Anarchy? Is that better?

We have the power to change the laws, but as long as we elect people who get nominated with corporate money, we are going to be ruled by those corporations.

Whether you follow the laws depends on either your personal ethics (or lack of ethics), the probability of getting caught and/or the penalty paid if caught.

My business has been audited by BMI twice and I haven't had to change a thing. Obviously the money I paid for legal advice was worth it. So whatever you purchase from Norton Music has passed two BMI legality tests.

(BTW, I'm over 50 and never owned a copy of the illegal Real Book - so now you know one)

My own personal ethics in the music business follows: I'm a professional musician who makes his living doing music and nothing but music. I depend on people paying for my services to make a living. I also believe in "do unto others" so I abide by the copyright laws.

I know that the money I pay is not distributed fairly and the big corporations get the lion's share of the money, but I don't want anyone giving away my hard work, so I don't steal or give away the hard work of others.

But I am not the conscience of the world, those are my personal ethics. I don't even know if it's the smartest thing to do. It just seems right to me. YMMV.

Insights and incites by Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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