So, I have an account on Beatport and get sent the usual email marketing stuff from time to time.
Today I receive an email from them advertising a remix contest for a track from D-Nox & Beckers, named Call Me. Usual prize stuff - vouchers and an iPad.
So far so good, if you’re into that kind of contest. Then I read the small print… to get the parts to remix you need to download from Beatport and they charge you $3.99 to do so.
So, wait, I have to PAY money to enter their contest? They can F the right off. Not that I would have entered anyway.
How weird, I was just about to post about their remix competition as I got their email too.
These remix comps are a serious joke, not content with getting free remixes, they expect producers to pay for it also.
Its a way for them to increase sales for the song whilst giving the remixer an opportunity. You would do it too if you were the artist.
Howie, no I don’t think I would.
And 4 bucks! That’s outrageous. You can buy the song itself for a quarter of that amount.
The competition itself is a promotional vehicle designed to boost sales through increasing the profile of the artist and the track in places like this. So they shouldn’t be charging to download the stems. That is very wrong. And at four times the cost of the single too.
[quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr]Its a way for them to increase sales for the song whilst giving the remixer an opportunity. You would do it too if you were the artist.[/quote]
its actually a way for them to make money and generate buzz for a lackluster signal.it really has nothing to do with giving anyone an opportunity,none of these guys are looking to give anyone a break,people can get real ****y when this(and djing) becomes their only source of income.
I just think its another avenue to make money. The thing is though, that if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems. Why not? Personally, I dont care to pay to remix someone else’s songs. So there, I see your point. But, for instance, what if I want the bassline or the lead to use in another project of mine? I would pay $4 for that kind of inspiration. I guess it just really depends on how you look at it.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me. Mark Knight (although I love his music) is famous for ripping people off like that.
Heres a free remix comp with free part and 100 bucks for whoever wins courtesy of Audiojelly (my preffered online store!) [url=http://www.audiojelly.com/?a=promo]Audiojelly.com – Tällä sivustolla kuullaan parhaimmat rahapelijuorut
[quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2
[quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo
[quote]gofunk (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo[/quote]
So you’re telling me that if you have a song that you really like, and they are selling the stems, you wouldn’t buy it??? For $4 even??? As a producer, I think that would be $4 well spent, IMO.
[quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]gofunk (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo[/quote]
So you’re telling me that if you have a song that you really like, and they are selling the stems, you wouldn’t buy it??? For $4 even??? As a producer, I think that would be $4 well spent, IMO.[/quote]
Was thinking the same myself
[quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]gofunk (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo[/quote]
So you’re telling me that if you have a song that you really like, and they are selling the stems, you wouldn’t buy it??? For $4 even??? As a producer, I think that would be $4 well spent, IMO.[/quote]
I personally wouldn’t, but then that’s just me.
I get GIGs worth of samples with a £6 music magazine, doesn’t make financial sense paying £4 for a couple of parts that - for the most part - I can’t use in a release worthy track unless i get licensing clearance from the label.
I don’t say that often but I agree with Howie 
[quote]roben (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]gofunk (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo[/quote]
So you’re telling me that if you have a song that you really like, and they are selling the stems, you wouldn’t buy it??? For $4 even??? As a producer, I think that would be $4 well spent, IMO.[/quote]
I personally wouldn’t, but then that’s just me.
I get GIGs worth of samples with a £6 music magazine, doesn’t make financial sense paying £4 for a couple of parts that - for the most part - I can’t use in a release worthy track unless i get licensing clearance from the label.[/quote]
nevermind being able to use them in your own release,you might learn a lot from hearing/seeing all the separate parts that make up a particular song you were really impressed by.no sample cd is going to do that for you.
[quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]gofunk (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo[/quote]
So you’re telling me that if you have a song that you really like, and they are selling the stems, you wouldn’t buy it??? For $4 even??? As a producer, I think that would be $4 well spent, IMO.[/quote]
sure is money well spent. i have and i know you have spent £50+ on a sample packed just from hearing a few samples that you like on a web site.
Right…
And thanks for coming over to the dark side Sean! 
This topic really interests me. I was going to post something about this the next time I got one of these Emails from Beatport & got that Email today also.
Kinda disgusting I think. If they want to charge an small admin fee - then fine… But the price they charge is plain greedy. Its a thinly veiled competition, that is in reality a revenue channel.
The last comp I saw like this was Mark Knight - and I actually paid it, just cos I was curious. Its just another avenue for collecting money for tracks to offset whats going to be pirated in the end.
I wouldnt say never again. If it was a producer that I really respected, then I probably would. I enjoyed bringing the stems in & looking at all the Freq’s & tunings.
But - Its a money racket. Not a feel good competition out of the goodness of their hearts. They’ll be on the Shopping Channel next… Pay by installments for some sh!t you dont need.
They may as well, they’re being that obvious about it.
I really didnt think someting like this would cause such a stir…its 4 quid for god sake, and its not like you are forced to enter the competition. So many people nowadays ecpect everything for free…get a grip!!
[quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]roben (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]gofunk (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]bobby lupo (17/08/2010)[hr][quote]howiegroove (17/08/2010)[hr] if there was a song that I really liked, I would pay $4 for the stems.
But on the other token, I would never pay to do a remix for a competition. They can blow me.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
I wouldn’t pay… thats just pure cheek imo[/quote]
So you’re telling me that if you have a song that you really like, and they are selling the stems, you wouldn’t buy it??? For $4 even??? As a producer, I think that would be $4 well spent, IMO.[/quote]
I personally wouldn’t, but then that’s just me.
I get GIGs worth of samples with a £6 music magazine, doesn’t make financial sense paying £4 for a couple of parts that - for the most part - I can’t use in a release worthy track unless i get licensing clearance from the label.[/quote]
nevermind being able to use them in your own release,you might learn a lot from hearing/seeing all the separate parts that make up a particular song you were really impressed by.no sample cd is going to do that for you.[/quote]
That’s a valid point there! 
However surely if a track is £1.50, how can a label warrent £4 for parts?