Basic checklist for my first recording?

[2manyrocks]

Copyright is complicated enough that the school, the director and the superintendent might decide to err on the side of caution and just not record anything. 

From the perspective of dealing with parents, it's an easier thing to say that the school's official policy is that no one records anything instead of trying to explain to the harpist's mom why the director can have a copy of the recording, but she isn't legally entitled to one.  The director might not even want to have a copy if it means his having to tell some pushy Mom why she can't.   

The losers in this are the director who could have used the recording as a teaching tool  and the director's students who could have heard their own performance and been motivated to play better.   Unless the director sees the recording as a useful teaching tool, the director isn't going to push for recording in the face of school district policy headed the other way.

Eons ago, our high school band director showed us video recordings of our marching band so we could see where we needed improvement.  The band can't go sit in the audience and see and hear what they sound like.  If the school district takes away their ability to record themselves, then they've taken away a valuable learning tool.   

[RemotelyLocated]

I'm with you. When I was in high school, the director had a Technics RS1500 he recorded every concert with @15ips ... they sounded good, and so did we. In middle school there was a Sony TC377 that got rolled out in a big wooden console for the same purpose --- kids got to hear themselves the next day.

[RemotelyLocated]

So my little drama continues to play itself out. Got another email from the choir director. Note the last sentence.

"If it is just a recording for school documenting purposes I think I want to run it by Mr. ___.  I was misunderstanding and thinking you wanted to record and sell CDs. In order to submit for conferences and such we need a good base of recordings and this would be the best way to get them."

I quickly replied with clarity about my intentions not to sell or distribute in any way. I also included the part about when we recorded when I was in school. I left out the geeky tape deck model numbers part.

[capnhook]

Pardon me, why don't you just link them to this forum's thread, so they can see for themselves what kind of douchebags they are being.

Deny a parent the right to record a public performance in a public place for her personal use??


Who wants a slug in the mouth first?

[2manyrocks]

We don't know exactly what information or misinformation has been given to the school that needs to be cleared up. 

Choralnet might be a good resource for further research for reasons to support why the school should record.  For one thing, I've been told that the sound a vocal student hears in one's own head is not the sound that others hear, and that's why so many vocal trainers record as part of their student vocal training. 

I remember a lot of wincing among us in high school when we heard what we sounded like.   


edit:  the school drama teacher might also be a supporter in this because it's one thing to tell a student what they did on stage, and another thing to show them a video recording of mumbled lines, missed cues, improper stage position, looking down, hiding behind other actors.... 

[RemotelyLocated]

The information they were apparently given came from a Soundzabound.com rep. You can go to their site and quickly learn of their anti-Fair Use bias. They also have PowerPoints you can download that do nothing but cast doubt on Fair Use, "don't even try to figure it out" type of language. Pathetic. I'm also annoyed they get PAID good money--apparently $1500-$2500--to give these "clinics" that only serve their own interests.

And yes, Soundzabound.com is in the business of selling royalty-free music, which is probably 99% of what no one would want to use, but whatever.


capnhook, the school's educators are on OUR side here, but naturally concerned about getting their ass handed to them. However, parents do not have the right to record anything, for any reason.

Given the last email I received and mentioned above, I'm hopeful this will get resolved.

[capnhook]

However, parents do not have the right to record anything, for any reason.

Given the last email I received and mentioned above, I'm hopeful this will get resolved.

I predict bloody noses and lawsuits 

[RemotelyLocated]

Nah, they'll just hold up their phones and tablets, like always. The days of bringing in even tiny camcorders are pretty much over at these things, unless you still makes calls on your 10-yr old Nokia or are actually a professional.

[Gutbucket]

Unprofessionaly, I accidentally dropped my 10 yr old Nokia into Biscayne bay last winter, and was sorry to see it go- A phone that was simply a phone.

[RemotelyLocated]

Yes, and too bad John's Phone turned out to be a POS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John's_Phone

[capnhook]

Yes, and too bad John's Phone turned out to be a POS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John's_Phone

Wooohoooooo!

"John's Phone features a 32-page paper address book kept on the back of the handset. It includes an ink pen that resembles a stylus, a notepad, and a tongue-in-cheek "Games" section (for tic-tac-toe). The designers say that these features allow the phone to be used even when it is turned off."

[cybergaloot]

I wonder what will happen to the school's policy when a devoted parent shows up with a hand held recorder to record their darling prodigy and gets into with the faculty? I predict all hell breaking loose.

[2manyrocks]

until the school police show up....

The OP might get a feel for where this might actually be headed in his school district by looking to see what policies have been put in place at other school districts that have gone with soundzabound. 

[cybergaloot]

Yeah but what if that devoted parent is a lawyer? Or some other person with clout. Just conjecture on my part, you are going about things the right way.

[2manyrocks]

By the time the school board makes a policy, it's tough as nails to get it changed. That's why the OP needs to stay in contact with the music director, find out what the expert is advising the school district to do, and then try to make sure that the policy allows for archival recordings just the way it's been for years before the policy is put in place by the school board.  Once the school board makes it policy, they will consider it settled business whether it's a good policy or not.