how easy is it for a dishonest person to rip off non-watermarked music?

Many authors here use their personal websites to promote their AJ portfolios exclusively. For that purpose, it would seem to me using the AJ player (with link to watermarked files) is a good thing.

I would rather my site be more demonstrative, i.e. I don’t want a lot of my music examples to look “branded” specifically toward Audiojungle. I’d rather put a purchase link somewhere like “Buy Royalty Free” or something, but I want my actual website examples to be ‘watermark-free.’

If my un-watermarked examples are not downloadable directly, is there a big risk of them getting stolen? I am aware of certain ways someone might do this, but I feel that there’s just as much risk of piracy from file sharing sites…

NP

Long answer short, it’s really easy to get ripped off I suggest using a watermark, you can use your own watermark instead of the audio jungle one. I used to use a custom watermark that said “Fifty Tons” on AJ as well, but figured that people could get confused when all the others watermarks say Audio Jungle

I don’t know about stock music piracy, I tend to think there aren’t many people relying on warez sites for stock music. I just googled a bit an all I could find were music packs on warez sites. I doubt there are many people who would rather download huge packs and unzip them just to realize that they’re not finding what they need, instead of spending 14 bucks and saving a lot of time and effort.

Google for “DownloadHelper” plugin, install it, and you can download mp3 previews with 1 click. So it’s not a big risk of items being stolen, it’s certain and easy. For this reason, never put not watermarked files unless you’re willing to give it for free. And unless you’re not allowed to do this, as exclusive authors may not give out the items for free.

TJ – thanks for the response. I have no deliberate intention of giving away my files for free. What I think I may end up doing is an itunes music-style ‘preview’ of each track. That way I don’t have to watermark them, because the length cuts will render them mostly unusable. Either that or I use the AJ player for all of my AJ-only content, and just keep it separate from the rest of the stuff, which will get cut down to preview-length.

the second option might actually be better as it could help promote more AJ sales…

Hi SimpleProductions,

I was debating the same issue over the past months. I’d say, use your knowledge of ripping to your advantage and make it more difficult to steal if you do put up previews. I think a good philosophy for putting up the work without watermark (but shortened) is to make sure it’s more work to steal it than it is to buy it. You know how looping works, where it’s easy to make a break/edit – just make sure the preview reflects the mood/vibe of your work, but doesn’t allow for simple editing/stealing. If someone’s that determined to steal your work, they will find a way (which is a shame) but a reality. If you make it more difficult, then you may have an advantage.

My other idea was only to put up previews at 128k but there’s something inside of me that cringes at the idea of the work being used at such quality, or even previewed at such quality – but I think it is an option.

If you want to see an example, I think I have most methods being used on my soundcloud. I have work that I create for the sake of creating it – some are available for download, some are not. I have AJ work but with watermarks, and an iTunes release that’s only a short preview (less than a minute, but no easy looping edits). http://soundcloud.com/digitallush

Once again, it’s kind of a cut throat world out there, and where there’s a will there’s a way. I think it makes sense to focus your promotion on the buyers you want to reach which is why I’ve made to sure to keep my previews high quality, but watermarked. I hope this helps.

Hello All

Not sure, if i missunderstood some of the mentioned ways you use your preview files. Just keep in mind, that all exlusive authors have to use the AJ watermark, no matter where you promote it. I think, it’s best to use the AJ watermark with dynamic volume range (low in soft parts and louder in loud parts). Even those watermarked files get sometimes used in projects out there, only to save a few bucks.

SonicCube,

I didn’t see anything in any of the Envato legal agreements about the need for watermarked music on your personal site. The language, as I understand it, states that an exclusive author may not sell any AJ content from his/her personal site. Use of the AJ player widget is okay, because it links back to the author’s portfolio page. Please let me know if I’m completely off about any of these things..

Of course, as it seems that it is easy for someone to rip an MP3 from a flash player or the like (even when there is no download link), one should make sure that the tracks displayed on one’s website (AJ or not) should be either watermarked or crippled in some way.

My whole point is that I don’t want my site to be an Audiojungle advertisement – I do other projects other than AJ and I want to focus on my own brand, rather than that of a specific library for which I write..

SimpleProductions said
SonicCube,

I didn’t see anything in any of the Envato legal agreements about the need for watermarked music on your personal site. The language, as I understand it, states that an exclusive author may not sell any AJ content from his/her personal site. Use of the AJ player widget is okay, because it links back to the author’s portfolio page. Please let me know if I’m completely off about any of these things..

Of course, as it seems that it is easy for someone to rip an MP3 from a flash player or the like (even when there is no download link), one should make sure that the tracks displayed on one’s website (AJ or not) should be either watermarked or crippled in some way.

My whole point is that I don’t want my site to be an Audiojungle advertisement – I do other projects other than AJ and I want to focus on my own brand, rather than that of a specific library for which I write..

Hello Again

Well, as far as i remember, and read in the last post from Scott, you have to use AJ watermarked preview files to promote AJ exlusive items on any of the mentioned places / plattforms.

Have a read here : http://audiojungle.net/forums/thread/ways-to-promote-your-audiojungle-music/55643

I’m not saying, that i think this is the best solution for authors Let me know, if anybody has better, or a correct information about that.

Thanks

I did see Scott’s post – and while he emphasizes “WATERMARKED” he doesn’t really state the reason for needing a watermarked file – it could be for general protection, rather than a specific legal reason. I’m not really clear on this issue, and I’ve scoured the AJ legal stuff to no avail..

May be time to contact support…

Hi,

sorry for gravedigging this thread, but did someone find an answer to this? Like SimpleProductions said, the terms say “not sell”...

I am an exclusive author too and want to put some of my tracks on my portfolio site without watermark. I know, it’s easy to rip off… But I think that people who do that, won’t buy my tracks anyway. So I don’t care.

From reading several other threads on this topic, it seems to me that as an exclusive author, I have to deal with the watermark. But I wondered if I can get around this, if I switch back to non-exclusive?

Thomas