Another interesting scientific article investigates the optimal time term an original piece of work should be guarded by copyright. The authors establish a powerful formula using various input parameters, i.e. the technology improvement curve, to compute that very time interval. Applying today’s parameters, they come up with an optimal copyright durance of 14 years – instead of the currently applied (more than 50 years).

Now what would this mean for the actual consequences? 14 years ago, in 1993, all the 70s funk and disco music, the 80s’ awesome melodies, early 90s techno, all of this would be available for sampling. Of course, a lot of this is already being sampled, regardless of copyright issues. Most of this, especially in the underground we’re stuck in, never sees the light of mainstream and the lawyers in there, though. Still, I believe, producers would approach sampling a little differently.

Also, I imagine myself marking several dates ahead in my calendar when certain songs or movies run out of copyright shelter. As a consequence, we would create a constant x-year (i.e. 14) backwards loop, like a constant revival. I don’t think this would hurt the original authors too badly. Living more than 14 years off an piece of creativity? Go ahead, be creative again, you lazy bastards! ;)

The optimal level for copyright has been a matter for extensive debate over the last decade. This paper contributes several new results on this issue divided into two parts. In the first, a parsimonious theoretical model is used to prove several novel propositions about the optimal level of protection. Specifically, we demonstrate that (a) optimal copyright falls as the costs of production go down (for example as a result of digitization) and that (b) the optimal level of copyright will, in general, fall over time. The second part of the paper focuses on the specific case of copyright term. Using a simple model we characterise optimal term as a function of a few key parameters. We estimate this function using a combination of new and existing data on recordings and books and find an optimal term of around fourteen years. This is substantially shorter than any current copyright term and implies that existing copyright terms are too long.

Technorati Tags: copyright

Ok, this may prove a little unusual for the average DnB head. This study from Oslo university scientifically compares bass drum sounds from the 70s to 90s. (?!) Go check out, they have loads of material available.

Technorati Tags: bass drum, kick, sound, comparison

Ok, I have finally surrendered the Myspace surge, accepting that it is a valuable plattform despite the unbelievable truths about it.

http://www.myspace.com/dizplaythefunk

So please come on over, have some fun ;)

If you ever have been into early (Happy) Hardcore, check out these crazy “Alarm Dance” videos.

At the start of the 90s/end of the 80s the underground rave scene reached a peak. As the last excesses of an increasingly totalitarian Thatcherite government intensified, the criminal justice act was passed in parliament. This prohibited ‘gatherings’, as I remember it, of more than four individuals in venues where repetitive beats could be heard.

To an increasingly pilled up and blissed out group of hardcore ravers, this was seen as a fundamental invasion of human rights, quite rightly. There were many acts of defiance, including, when warehouse parties were raided by the police, evicted ravers dancing to the ‘repetitive beats’ of squad car and riot van sirens pulled up outside the venue.

To this day, my friend Will and I, despite the fact that we are now in our mid thirties and attempting to hold down senior management positions, will wave our hands in the air like idiots if we hear police sirens.

Those were the days

Technorati Tags: hardcore, rave, dance

N.phect has been available for a Italian DnB community Q&A and a RH interview, both worth reading. Nice one, bro!