Petition for High Definition Music Downloads.

sometimesuk

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Hi,

Im trying to start a petition to try and get Record Labels (and Retailers) to release High Definition music downloads (24 Bit) of popular mainstream music that people actually want to listen to. Many of the websites selling 24 Bit music mainly offer classical and other obscure music that doesnt have mainstream appeal, there seems to be nowhere where people can download popular High Definition music.

Another major problem in the industry is the loudness wars This is where the volume of the recording is turned up to grab the listeners attention upon first hearing. They make both the loud and quite passages loud, so that there is very little difference between them in terms of dynamic range The music has become compressed and often distorted.

While this is fine for radio broadcasts, it also means that listening to such music can often become tiring and many people experience listeners fatigue. When music isnt compressed it actually increases peoples enjoyment and they also hear the music the way the artist originally intended.

Many music lovers would be satisfied with non-compressed CDs or 16Bit Downloads, but it is obvious the generally public seem to be content with the poor quality records currently on offer. This is because they have been sold a lie and havent been told that there is better. You only have to speak to a handful of people to quickly find out that many are not fussed with music and could quite easily take it or leave it. This is a direct reflection on the quality of records available today, the high levels of compression used is making music unlistenable and unenjoyable.

Its not realistic to expect this situation to change overnight but an increasing number of music lovers are getting fed up and want to access music that hasnt been heavily compressed. One way to do this is to offer High Resolution - Studio Quality Recordings (24 Bit). This would differentiate uncompressed music in the market place and would also attract many people as they seek the best in the process. It would also have the benefit of reintroducing people to music the way its meant to sound.

16 Bit (CD) recordings have been available for 30 years now and instead of sound quality improving it has at best stagnated and in terms of downloads has managed to go backwards. Its about time the industry took a leap forward and offered quality 24 Bit recordings. The playback technology is readily available, even modestly priced equipment and portables such as the iPod can support 24 Bit playback, so there is no reason why it shouldnt happen.

If you want change then please show your support and sign the petition:

Petition | Record Labels: Release High Definition music downloads | Change.org

There is also a Facebook Group, intended to act as a focal point for anyone who shares the above views and wishes to get involved:

We want High Definition music downloads: http://www.facebook.com/groups/463034807076103/
 
Stop the loudness wars and release High Definition Music Downloads

UPDATE:

After listening to the peoples comments on various forums the petition title has been changed to:

Stop the loudness wars and release High Definition Music Downloads

Petition Link: Petition | Stop the loudness wars and release High Definition Music Downloads | Change.org

Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/463034807076103/

I had emailed all those who signed the petition for comment before doing so.

Please note that while many would like to see a fundamental change within the industry so that no record is heavily compressed, this is not realistic as no doubt the record labels / retailers would argue that many people prefer the music louder (Even though we may fundamentally disagree).

Instead the petition focus would be for record labels and retailers to offer uncompressed downloads alongside the mainstream offering in the download market in both 16 Bit & 24 Bit format. Its not realistic to expect an uncompressed CD to be brought to market alongside the normal version.

My personal opinion is that if a new product market is created the focus should be on 24 Bit downloads and advertised as the best, as even modestly priced equipment is able to playback 24 Bit files and its also important for the industry to move forward.

If you agree and havent already done so, please sign the petition and ask your friends to do so too.

If change is ever going to happen then we need peoples participation.

Thanks
 
I have been asked by a few people what my objective is with the petition and what Im I going to do with it, for clarification my broad intentions are below. Bear in mind, its still very early days, which is why I intent to use the facebook group as a place to take on board peoples suggestions and advice.

Objective
: To raise the issue of compression and availability of high quality downloads with major record labels and online retailers

When: Once I / others (facebook group) believe that the petition has reached its peak, or has reached a number that I believe would warrant notice, ideally between 2000 3000 people.

How: By letter to each of the major record labels and online retailers. The letter would bring to their attention the petition and ask them to take into consideration our views and ask them for comments (future plans etc).

I plan on using the facebook group to communicate draft versions of any final letter, to accompany the petition letter for people to comment on and who to write to. I will them email all those who signed the petition before it gets sent for comment.
 
At some point in time I actually thought of talking to Indian record lablels to buy rights to remaster and re-release some of the popular music from the past in high resolution digital format.

Then sanity hit me and I realized there is something called torrent. I will spend my entire life's earning on buying rights to release high resolution downloads and they will be on torrent in no time. I would be lucky to even be able to recover part of my investment.

The real challenge is to get people to pay. So long as companies continue to face piracy challenges, they will continue to skimp on quality and use average technicians and average equipments for releasing stuff made for the masses using mass production standards.

Besides, if such a petition is required, it is required more for recording engineers and editors than the record labels. You would bang your head against the wall if you get to know what low class equipments some audio recording engineers use and how acoustically pathetic their studios are. We see pictures of top studios and get impressed. A lot of studios use substandard quality equipments and engineers employed there don't care about the "fidelity" at all.

If record labels don't get properly recorded and edited masters in first place, what are they gonna do with releasing them in high res?
 
I don't feel ths petition will help. It's a waste of time.
Do you know how many of our own forum members have bought music on flipkart's flyte? Instead of a petition to record companies, why don't you try and stop people from buying mp3 ? At least try that in this forum itself.

If people who know about the quality of music still feel it worthwhile to buy mp3, then why would record companies and music stores not offer 16/44.1 CDs and even MP3 of various qualities? It's a matter of economics. If I had a record company, I too would have sold mp3 if the demand was there and not space consuming hd music for handful of people.

We still have to deal with mp3 and other forms of lossy music, then it'll be the turn for low quality CDs (like from Saregama) and then will people understand hd music. For me it is analogue till that time.
 
The petition aim isn't again mp3. Its main aim about ending the loudness wars (this link explains it better:The Loudness War - YouTube) and also making CD equivalent and better, files available for download.

If people want to buy mp3, that's fine, but they would still benefit from their music not sounding dynamically compressed. If someone wants to use data compression (mp3) then that's their choice.
 
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