[Album] Sonic Epiphany (archive)

[Harbinger]

For your listening pleasure, Tassel of Blue submits this playlist album, Sonic Epiphany. Keep in mind, if you download the file, you agree to abide by the terms of our license, which are summarized below. If you won't abide by the terms, we do not give you permission to possess the file.

This is a complete album and will not be separated. It is a 94MB download, made up of 12 .mp3s and other files. No permission is given to dismantle the album for others, so if someone cannot for some reason download the entire album due to their own limitations, they must have someone else download it onto a flashdrive or CD for them. The exceptions to this are the pre-released downloads which already exist at ModPlug Central.

The album is in .zip format, but the extension will not be recognizable until you change the extension from .album to .zip. Why do we do this? By using an unrecognizable file extension, we hope to keep the music for a select few, those friends of ours in the MPT forums. We don't want money or fame or even recognition -- just a deep appreciation from those who have supported us, and who also pursue their own musical hobbies in near-invisibility. Well, you're not invisible to us, and this album is dedicated to those whose art is never heard or seen....

PLAYING NOTE: All the music is bass-optimized. If you hear distortion, turn off bass boost or any equalizer you're using.

Sonic Epiphany

EDIT: Link removed at Tassel of Blue's request. Please e-mail her at the address at the very bottom of this post if you would like the album.

A collection of dance-club music, with influences from 80s Synthpop to 90s EDM. This is all original music, assembled between 2008 and 2009. For descriptions and other notes, please read the Liner Notes in the file archive.

Songlist (with type and duration)

Code Select Expand

A Fairy's Heart               Acid Trance              4:26
Connection (Voiceless Mix)    Tech Trance              6:21
Existential Fractal           Progressive House        5:20
Out of the Question           Acid Trance              4:15
Raving Lunatic*               Industrial Dance         5:47
Compulsion                    Techno-Industrial        4:21
Mass Aurora                   Eurodance                4:55
Titanian Orbit*               Tech Trance              5:00
Decapod*                      Ambient Trance           6:56
The Song From Your Eyes       Synthpop Instrumental    4:57
Every1*                       Progressive House        4:16
Truth B Told                  Classic Trance           7:40

* Available separately at ModPlug Central.

NOTE: If you feel that a song doesn't fit into the given genre, mention it here in this post, and we'll research it with the genre you think it should be.

Other files included:

License Page (README 1st) (.txt)
Notes on this archive (README 2nd) (.txt)
Sonic Epiphany Liner Notes (.doc & .pdf)
Sonic Epiphany Title (.bmp)
Sonic Epiphany Cover (.bmp)
Sonic Epiphany album icon (.ico)

The Liner Notes and Cover were provided in case listeners wanted to create their own CD complete with notes and cover image, using the software of their choice. Then you could say you got this professionally produced album for FREE!

CAVEATS:

However, possession of this music is only allowed under the following conditions, which are spelled out clearly on the license page.

1. Don't sell the music from this file archive.
2. Don't upload it to another site. There are reasons we are not sharing this music anywhere else.
3. Don't use any part of this music in other material that will be commercially controlled.
4. Don't broadcast any part of this music through any media or include it with other media unless you have written permission from Tassel of Blue.
5. You MAY burn your own CD of this music for your own personal use, but we request that you mark somewhere on the CD "Not For Resale" in case it falls into someone else's hands. If you wish to give the CD to someone else, all of the information with this file must stay with the music, so you will need to put these conditions on the CD or in its package, but see next condition. If you wish to send someone this music over the Internet, we prefer that you link them to this thread; otherwise, send them this complete archive with the .album extension (remind them to change it to .zip, but by unarchiving the file they will abide by the license, just as you did).
6. You may not share or distribute this music in mass quantities (more than 8 friends or colleagues), unless you have written permission from Tassel of Blue.

Why all these conditions? We think it's only fair that we control the music we are sharing for free; if we wanted to transfer control to marketing, we'd sell it to you. If our listeners abide by our terms, we have no reason to control this album commercially, where we would have a lot more legal recourse. So we'll try this on the honor system first, mostly because it's the most stress-free option for everyone, but also because it's our firm belief that true art should be made available to all, whether or not they have the means to purchase a copy of it, as long as they abide by the terms of sharing asserted by the artist.

FAIR PRICE:

But for those who can afford it, we allow the listener to set his own price for this album. If you wish to donate to our vband, then by all means send us money, whatever you think is a fair price for this production. Think of it as a donation to the artists so they may continue to produce good art. But no one is absolutely under any obligation to pay anything for this album. It is legally and commercially free for personal use, and we find no reason to market it if it's not within commercial control.
If you would like to send money, we can only accept US dollars in a cashier's check or money order, all other forms are too inconvenenient to be useful. If you can't put your donation in this format, don't feel guilty. Simply send your money to a local children's charity, and drop us an e-mail about your intention and your generosity. That's the next best thing for us to receive from you!

If you can donate in that format, please send whatever you think is fair to N. Kelley, 1736 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd, Suite 47, Clearwater, Florida, 33755. We'll appreciate the gift and keep you in our thoughts and in our hearts.

REMINDER:

Don't forget to change the extension of the file from .album to .zip, and your archiving software should recognize it. (This method was tested only under Windows XP. You can also double-click the .album, and Windows will ask to choose an application to open it with, in which case select the program that you use to open .zip archives. Windows should recognize it.) If you have any trouble de-archiving the file, drop us a note at aeon_music@ymail.com with the Subject heading "Can't open album".

[Harbinger]

That's the official post. Now for my own personal thoughts...

Perpetual, unrelenting thanks goes out to uncloned for his effort in getting this music to where we wanted it to be, so that Tassel of Blue could share it with our colleagues here at ModPlug Central. He went A and B the C of D to solve our problems and make things happen, given the limitations of the Tassel of Blue's demands. I recommend anyone with music to share to give heavy consideration to SoOn!

It is without exaggeration to say that none of this would have even been germinated without ModPlug Central. I myself found MPT a few years ago because i wanted to make music for Unreal Tournament. I had never even heard of tracking much less .it and .s3m files until i found this website, even though i had done alot of sequencing with various synthesizers. Another thick slab of gratitude goes out to LPChip for making it ALL possible, by maintaining the website and the open-source version of ModPlug.

I put in a lot of hours helping and engineering this album, but Tassel of Blue put in even more, first as student, then as musician. She has come a long way and seems to have a knack for tracking. While she has picked up alot of techniques and theory over the past 2 years, i've started to see her own style emerging, which some of you have thought was MY style. She's just as good as i am in song structure and design, and even better in rhythm and bass lines. She is quickly learning melodic and chord technique, and is more inclined to experiment with timbre than i am.

This music is not for everyone, but you may find something you like in it. But if you feel the urge to criticize anything in this album (as far as the completed music), you MAY want to take a cold shower and forget it. That's my sage advice...

[Louigi Verona]

Ah, so that's the album that you were looking to host! Would've been interesting to listen to it but I cannot agree to the conditions of your license. Which is sad because I am curious about the album. Ah well...

[Tassel of Blue]

thankyou harbinger for that post.it loks very profesional!and thanks for actualy putting tgther th file.

an thanks to "Uncloned" for all he did.Harbinger was rigt,hes someone u can trust and will help u if he can.

-------

i hope evryone likes this music,but if u dont its ok.jsut remember its not art,its just music. ethr u lik it or u dont.i want be mad if u dont lik it,only if u tell me what i did "wrong"! >:[

[Harbinger]

Would've been interesting to listen to it but I cannot agree to the conditions of your license. Which is sad because I am curious about the album. Ah well...

That's too bad, Louigi. But i'm glad you were honest.... :wink:
The license basically says, "Keep the music to yourself." What part didn't agree with you?

[Louigi Verona]

6. You may not share or distribute this music in mass quantities (more than 8 friends or colleagues), unless you have written permission from Tassel of Blue.

This. I really don't want to be counting to how many people I gave the record I like. What if my best friend happens to be the 9th? You are asking me to tell him "No" because I need a written permission from the author? A permission to share something with my friend? Excuse me, but I want to have the freedom to decide who I share things I like with, when and how many people this would be.

We think it's only fair that we control the music we are sharing for free

If by that you mean that you are doing the world a favour by releasing your music for no charge and that now everyone should agree to be controlled by the author and getting a written permission to share files on her computer with her friend, then I sincerely believe it's best to simply not get involved with such music and such musicians.

When distribution of music is such an issue that with the release you are obliged to agree to a license which takes several paragraphs, it makes me suspect that there is something wrong here and that such music is best be kept to the composer.

Don't get me wrong, you are free to release music as you wish. And I am free to react to it as I wish. I strongly oppose such proprietary behavior on behalf of composers. I also strongly believe that a composer should not have so much control over his work and over people who listen to it once he releases it.

[Harbinger]

Now i see where you're coming from. You believe that none of us are allowed our own identities and souls, individual selves creating our OWN works that serve as basically a references to our personhood and talents. You apparently believe, following your logic, that work i created is work YOU created, that the work of one artist is the work of all artists, and no one has a right to claim the work from one's mind or heart.

I believe that when an artist creates in a vacuum, he doesn't need to "control" where it goes. It's out there. When an artist creates in a world where everyone respects each others rights and property, then he doesn't need caveats and conditions to distribute, for an exchange or not. But when an artist creates in a world where people like to assume they can "have" whatever they want, even if it wasn't given to them, for an exchange or not, then he must have recourse. This is where lawyers and licenses come in.

If you feel you are entitled to do with artistic works whatever you want just because you found a way to get it, you're no better than a common thief. And if i may be so bold, if you have that attitude towards other people's creative works, you're EXACTLY why Tassel of Blue did not want to post this music.

Thank you for abiding by our request to honor the license. I will try to convince Tassel of Blue to lay off in a response if you're willing to take the continuance of this conversation to another thread, as she is not as respectful as i am of other's people's opinions. On the other hand if this is all that needs to be said, then we can consider the matter dropped.

Anyway, i'd like to keep this thread on a positive tilt, since this is a debut album of (someone i'd like to consider) a talented musician!

[Saga Musix]

Easy Solution, Louigi: Give your friend the link to this thread and no the files. Why? There's no difference. It's a digital copy, therefore perfect. He can download it from here and it's all legal.

[Louigi Verona]

You believe that none of us are allowed our own identities and souls, individual selves creating our OWN works that serve as basically a references to our personhood and talents.

No need to be so categorical. A reference to your talents is there, in a name which is on the record.
I also believe a good artist is entitled to a reward - that is, if I like the music I would be happy to pay for it to encourage the artist, to help him make a living off of his music.
If, however, an artist asks that for his sake I agree to be controlled by him - with how many friends I can share the music I like - then I believe this to be too much to ask.

As simple as that. Claiming that you wrote the work which someone else wrote is plagiarism and is unethical and I was not speaking about it at all. It is actually very weird that you saw this in my words - no need for so much emotion.

To be honest, this is the first time that I was presented with such a license. I repeat - an artist is entitled to recognition and monetary reward. But I think it is outrageous that you believe you have the power to control with how many friends I can share your music.

You perhaps think it is absurd. But let's look what moral dilemma you are putting your listeners to.


Moral dilemma.

When I share your music with my friend it affects you indirectly and me directly. As I've said, if the 9th person would be my best friend and he would say - "wow, nice music, can you copy it to me?" I am faced with a moral dilemma.

1st - either I have to say "no" to my friend and offend him
2nd - or I have to break a license and simply give him the files

It is best to choose a lesser evil which is to break a license agreement and give my friend a copy.
But breaking a license agreement is not good too, so the best thing would be to not enter such a dilemma. Therefore, the decision to simply not get involved with music which puts restrictions on my relationships with other people.

You may see it differently, because you are the one putting virtual handcuffs on other people. You wrote something and believe that you have the moral right to control what people do with your music once you've released it - but by trying controlling music you are controlling more than that.

And please don't slide once again into other people remaking your music. I am not speaking about it now at all.
And if Tassel of Blue did not want to post the music because other people may see it and do something with it, then maybe it is best to unrelease it until it is too late and the world has destroyed the album by tampering with it.
Look around. So many musicians on this forum and noone has yet attached a license to their music. Why aren't these people afraid? I wonder. Maybe we should all attach licenses.


Also, if you would've said - guys, we don't really want to spread this music around, please don't share it much - believe me, I would've gladly complied. But when I am presented with a license with 6 points to it my attitude is different.

Harbringer, Tassel of Blue - think about it. Do not react to me, this is not about me. Do not fear the distribution. Noone will steal your music. Noone will sell it. You are protected by copyright and if that happens you can sue the people. But if you are real musicians and not businessmen - stand proudly and present your material. Your devoted listeners will not let anyone use your music in an unrespectful way - believe me, I have had such an experience. And plagiarism is very rare because most people love to create something on their own.
If you don't want us to give this particular album to many people, just ask so in a friendly manner. No need to attach an official license. That makes a whole lot of difference.


Jojo: yes, it can be done that way, which really makes this whole license absurd. On the other hand it can be viewed as "sharing", can't it? Once you put such restrictions on people, it all becomes very absurd.
I am disgusted by such an attitude from a musician so my decision to not listen to this album is an act of social opposition to such behaviour.

[Sam_Zen]

Hmm. Got a bit fed up with debates like this, and decided not to listen to this album, because I lost interest,
even before I read the last line of Louigi.
This is a ridiculous mix, that we should be very grateful for this gesture, and that we are restricted to whatever.
And in this way I don't like to be forced to download one huge file. Which is quite undemocratic too, regarding poor people with a slow modem.

Then you could say you got this professionally produced album for FREE!

This is pure commercial demagogy.. It just would cost me. Jewel case, empty disk, paper, ink, time.
And seeing all those rules just make me feel not trusted.
And most of them are not even necessary, because there's such thing as common sense, and/or as LV states, copyright laws.
Why being that paranoia ?

[psishock]

There are really every kind of people in our word Sam. Harbinger and Tassel of Blue may seems to be too paranoid from our angle, but they most likely have their own reasons, mayb their life taught them to trust so little the people, i couldn't know. Anyways, neither of that will stop me from listening to their creations (when i'll have time). Think about it with a bit more calmer approach, i'm 100% sure they aren't having trust problems with You, or me, or most of the people they knows here, but with some possible strangers. They may had burned themselfs before.

[Saga Musix]

Jojo: yes, it can be done that way, which really makes this whole license absurd.

That's exactly what I was implying...

[Sam_Zen]

Don't worry Psi, I'm as calm as a synth without a player.

To make some balance, I would like to state, that it's anybodies freedom to declare any restrictions about any of the own publications.

I could make a rule that downloading my file is ok, but it should only be played through a open car stereo system, wearing no socks and with a green hat on. And raising anybody who was standing in the right wind direction to hear it, some tax.

[Nahkranoth]

Jeez, popcorn mode ON!
Guys, you already made quite a promotion (more of negative kind) with this discussion. Gotta listen what's all the fuss about just to ease the burden.

[psishock]

That is a very good one Sam, goes right to sig.