Another copyright question

[misterspeakeasy 6]

I’d like to sing to songs that actually aren’t currently in the Smule library.

I can buy the appropriate backing tracks either from Apple, Amazon, or elsewhere.

I would have no problem with that... or, indeed, uploading them to Smule.

But I’m worried about copyright infringement and performing rights or mechanical copyright violations.

(I have seen offers by musicians on Smule to record instrumental versions of songs, precisely for this purpose. Is this the only solution?)

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by misterspeakeasy

[opentype 611]

1 hour ago, misterspeakeasy said:

But I’m worried about copyright infringement and performing rights or mechanical copyright violations.

You are right. The karaoke and background tracks one can buy freely are to be used privately, not to be republished. And that is what you do with a new song in the Smule library. So yes, it usually is a copyright violation. If the owners of the copyright find out, they can take the song and all collabs with it down. (I never heard of someone getting sued for it or anything like that.)

[Q&A 1]

Why doesn't Smule make a deal with X artist, X company, or whatever for the license? They'll just lose customers when everything eventually gets disabled. Is it just too costly for Smule to afford all of these individual licenses at the end of the day? 

[inspired_Dev 13]

If you're getting something for free, and even if you know it is illegal, you also know that you are not being penalized for it, so what incentive do you have to pay?