Subject: Votes and Comments

I don't understand how it can be "take, take, take, gimme, gimme, gimme," when the artist has the option to allow or disallow downloading. If the artist has activated the free download button then he or she is offering their music to anyone who would like a copy. There's always the option to deactivate downloading and say in the song description that you'll email a free copy to anyone who drops you a Macjams Note with their email address and a song comment.

I would be mortified if people were required to leave me "payment" for a download in the form of a comment, mostly because I don't want to force people to react in any particular way to my music AND I believe very strongly that there's something really powerful and freeing creatively about artists sharing their work without a profit motive (even if that profit motive is just for gratitude). I agree with StevilDarkman that we'd see a lot of "cool track" comments, which is kind of redundant when a download already says that for the most part.

So, I want people to be able to take my music freely and you really want people to leave a comment. Both our feelings are valid, obviously, but there's no one solution that would make both of us happy. I guess S&M could institute another download option when we're submitting a song, where we can choose whether a comment is required for downloading and one has the option to check that box if one wants that requirement on the song page. That's the only way I can picture making both sides happy.

I do definitely understand and respect what you and Paul are saying, Bill, and I even said privately to Paul that you guys have thousands of hours invested in your music and have a different perspective. You guys absolutely deserve every bit of praise and gratitude anyone could throw your way. I think though, the spirit of macjams is just openness and generosity, very much on the part of the artist as much as on the part of the listeners, and it's probably not possible to get every last drop of what's coming to you from all the people who traffic in your music. I feel overjoyed about what I get from the people who freely choose to give me their time and energy and comments and I feel happy that some people enjoy my music enough that they want my voice singing in their ear at a later date. My total downloads are only a few thousand, not like your numbers, but I haven't had several thousand comments on my songs. It's never bothered me because I don't measure what I get from macjams in numbers.

You're such an amazing artist, Bill, and I'll bet that you probably get really frustrated at times. I'm very happy that you have a voice here and that you share your music with us all. So, I hope that gives you a little sense of the warmth and caring there is here for you.

I actually think that often what happens is that people have busy lives, and they see a song by one of their favorites that they know will be remarkably consistent high quality, and rather than listen to it at the time they grab a download to listen to later. They don't leave a comment because they haven't listened to it yet. I don't think that it's distrust on the listener's part, I think it's just the opposite, it's great trust. To see and read that the music of worth to the downloader, all you need to do is read the numbers.
I can see the point about paying a compliment to a street musician, as that is a real nice thing to do if you like their music, but it would be a sad day if the musician refused to play any more if he didn't get a compliment!

But as far as I'm concerned, I'm not very paranoid about the motives of those that choose to download my music. Maybe it's because not that many do! :D

ye everytime the line went slow I do tend to download
the song ... its been the thing since I joined here !!