IMSTA Bulletin - Who is IMSTA and What is IMSTA Up To?

The music software industry has revolutionized the way that people make music. Music software has shifted the power from the hands of a few to the hands of millions of songwriters, producers, and artists worldwide. Although it does costs money to purchase music software, the cost is a fraction of what it costs to record a song using the services of a traditional recording studio. In short, music software has made it affordable for almost anyone to cut his/her own record by turning a personal computer into a powerful recording studio. Of course there are other equipment such as a preamp, a microphone, and a decent audio interface that one would need to accomplish this task. However, most musicians are good human beings and do not steal the hardware they use and gladly purchase them for their home studios. So why not buy the software you use?

Instead of praising, and showing gratitude, many musicians choose to backstab the industry that has given them this creative freedom and use unauthorized versions of music software. This act, which is also known as software piracy is threatening the very companies that manufacture and sell the software products that these musicians love and use to make music. After all, no company is in business to lose money and if the returns on their time and monetary investments are not there, many will be forced to close shop and invest their resources in other industries.

Although there are organizations which are facing this problem by taking legal action against software pirates, IMSTA is the first and only association that addresses the software piracy problem through education, not litigation. IMSTA believes that by changing end user behavior over time, the association will be able to reduce software piracy and keep the music software industry a viable business.

IMSTA has a board of directors comprised of respected members of the music software industry. The individual members of IMSTA board of directors are:

Daniel Haver - CEO, Native Instruments
Ernst Nathorst-Boos – Founder, Propellerhead Software
Greg Hendershott - CEO, Cakewalk
Michael Logue - VP, Sales and Marketing of Koblo
Paul Fattahi – Executive Director, IMSTA
Ray Williams – President, Music Marketing
Seiji Murai – Managing Director, MI7 Japan

Additionally, IMSTA has acquired the help of numerous supporters to spread its message in other countries. These supporters have enabled IMSTA to reach global audiences which it would not have been able to reach otherwise.

Some of these supporters have formally established IMSTA branches in their respective countries and have themselves become IMSTA ambassadors in those countries. Besides Seiji Murai who had started IMSTA Japan in 2007 and is now a member of the IMSTA Board of Directors, the other IMSTA ambassadors are Aditya Mehta who has established IMSTA India, Stephanie Sobey-Jones who has established IMSTA United Kingdom, and Andrea Pozzi who has established IMSTA Italy.

IMSTA is currently looking to expand its educational campaigns by acquiring new ambassadors and members in more countries around the world. Membership in IMSTA is completely voluntary and its member companies include the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of some of the most popular music software products available in the market. IMSTA member companies also include numerous industry publications, rep firms, and educational institutions.

IMSTA had many successes in 2007 and early 2008. There are now many more music software industry colleagues who know about IMSTA than there were at any time in the past and the association has many more industry members, media members, IMSTARs, and other volunteers and supporters on board. One of IMSTA’s goals for September 2008 and beyond is to add many more educational institutions to its member base. Educational institutions do not pay for their membership. They help IMSTA by spreading its message to their students who are a big part of the music software industry’s future. By helping students see the benefits of purchasing the authorized versions of music software, IMSTA hopes to change piracy behavior within this group early in their young lives and before it has a chance to become routine.

IMSTA has also been very successful in its “Software Day” campaign at the Winter NAMM 08 and Musikmesse 08. IMSTA had hundreds of participants who helped turn these shows blue by wearing the IMSTA T-shirts and displaying the slogan ‘buy the software you use’. Participants included music software industry colleagues, other MI industry colleagues, and trade show attendees.

Below is IMSTA’s agenda for the rest of 2008 and beyond. To promote the legal use of software, IMSTA will:

Conduct an end-user behavior survey on an annual basis and make the results available to its member companies

Exhibit at Winter NAMM, Musikmesse, AES Convention, and MIAC.

Expand piracy education campaigns to other industry trade shows around the world with the help of IMSTA Ambassadors and other volunteers

Continue with the “Software Day” campaign at NAMM and Musikmesse where IMSTA distributes hundreds of free T-shirts with the ‘buy the software you use’ slogan printed on them

Bring the “Software Day” campaign to other industry trade shows and to MI retail chains around the world

Place educational ads in numerous well-known industry magazines

Print and distribute thousands of educational brochures and other materials

Promote a “Piracy Free Zones” where studios, songwriters, producers, artists, sound engineers, and other music industry professionals endorse the legal use of software and certify that they use legitimate software only

Organize contests which promote the legal use of software

Invite more educational institutions to participate and help spread IMSTA’s message to their students

Design and implement new piracy awareness and educational campaigns

Motivate new representatives and volunteers to help IMSTA in other countries in order to improve IMSTA’s global presence

Continue and improve the IMSTA bulletin which is currently sent to approximately 1000 industry professionals

Build new alliances with other organizations and industries

IMSTA has a noble and necessary agenda and in order to accomplish all its goals, the association needs the help of all its members and supporters and needs to acquire additional members and supporters. IMSTA also needs more Ambassadors who will help spread its message in other countries and would potentially attend trade shows in those countries on behalf of IMSTA.

To join IMSTA as a member, please download a membership form and fax the completed form to 1 416 789-1667.

For more information, please contact us at 1 416 789-6849 or e-mail info@imsta.org .


IMSTA:The First and Only Organization Facing Piracy Through Education The music software industry has revolutionized the way that people make music. Music software has shifted the power from the hands of a few to the hands of millions of songwriters, producers, and artists worldwide. Although it does costs money to purchase music software, the cost is a fraction of what it costs to record a song using the services of a traditional recording studio. In short, music software has made it affordable for almost anyone to cut his/her own record by turning a personal computer into a powerful recording studio. Of course there are other equipment such as a preamp, a microphone, and a decent audio interface that one would need to accomplish this task. However, most musicians are good human beings and do not steal the hardware they use and gladly purchase them for their home studios. So why not buy the software you use? Instead of praising, and showing gratitude, many musicians choose to backstab the industry that has given them this creative freedom and use unauthorized versions of music software. This act, which is also known as software piracy is threatening the very companies that manufacture and sell the software products that these musicians love and use to make music. After all, no company is in business to lose money and if the returns on their time and monetary investments are not there, many will be forced to close shop and invest their resources in other industries. Although there are organizations which are facing this problem by taking legal action against software pirates, IMSTA is the first and only association that addresses the software piracy problem through education, not litigation. IMSTA believes that by changing end user behavior over time, the association will be able to reduce software piracy and keep the music software industry a viable business. IMSTA has a board of directors comprised of respected members of the music software industry. The individual members of IMSTA board of directors are: Daniel Haver - CEO, Native Instruments Ernst Nathorst-Boos – Founder, Propellerhead Software Greg Hendershott - CEO, Cakewalk Michael Logue - VP, Sales and Marketing of Koblo Paul Fattahi – Executive Director, IMSTA Ray Williams – President, Music Marketing Seiji Murai – Managing Director, MI7 Japan Additionally, IMSTA has acquired the help of numerous supporters to spread its message in other countries. These supporters have enabled IMSTA to reach global audiences which it would not have been able to reach otherwise. Some of these supporters have formally established IMSTA branches in their respective countries and have themselves become IMSTA ambassadors in those countries. Besides Seiji Murai who had started IMSTA Japan in 2007 and is now a member of the IMSTA Board of Directors, the other IMSTA ambassadors are Aditya Mehta who has established IMSTA India, Stephanie Sobey-Jones who has established IMSTA United Kingdom, and Andrea Pozzi who has established IMSTA Italy. IMSTA is currently looking to expand its educational campaigns by acquiring new ambassadors and members in more countries around the world. Membership in IMSTA is completely voluntary and its member companies include the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of some of the most popular music software products available in the market. IMSTA member companies also include numerous industry publications, rep firms, and educational institutions. IMSTA had many successes in 2007 and early 2008. There are now many more music software industry colleagues who know about IMSTA than there were at any time in the past and the association has many more industry members, media members, IMSTARs, and other volunteers and supporters on board. One of IMSTA’s goals for September 2008 and beyond is to add many more educational institutions to its member base. Educational institutions do not pay for their membership. They help IMSTA by spreading its message to their students who are a big part of the music software industry’s future. By helping students see the benefits of purchasing the authorized versions of music software, IMSTA hopes to change piracy behavior within this group early in their young lives and before it has a chance to become routine. IMSTA has also been very successful in its “Software Day” campaign at the Winter NAMM 08 and Musikmesse 08. IMSTA had hundreds of participants who helped turn these shows blue by wearing the IMSTA T-shirts and displaying the slogan ‘buy the software you use’. Participants included music software industry colleagues, other MI industry colleagues, and trade show attendees. Below is IMSTA’s agenda for the rest of 2008 and beyond. To promote the legal use of software, IMSTA will: Conduct an end-user behavior survey on an annual basis and make the results available to its member companies Exhibit at Winter NAMM, Musikmesse, AES Convention, and MIAC. Expand piracy education campaigns to other industry trade shows around the world with the help of IMSTA Ambassadors and other volunteers Continue with the “Software Day” campaign at NAMM and Musikmesse where IMSTA distributes hundreds of free T-shirts with the ‘buy the software you use’ slogan printed on them Bring the “Software Day” campaign to other industry trade shows and to MI retail chains around the world Place educational ads in numerous well-known industry magazines Print and distribute thousands of educational brochures and other materials Promote a “Piracy Free Zones” where studios, songwriters, producers, artists, sound engineers, and other music industry professionals endorse the legal use of software and certify that they use legitimate software only Organize contests which promote the legal use of software Invite more educational institutions to participate and help spread IMSTA’s message to their students Design and implement new piracy awareness and educational campaigns Motivate new representatives and volunteers to help IMSTA in other countries in order to improve IMSTA’s global presence Continue and improve the IMSTA bulletin which is currently sent to approximately 1000 industry professionals Build new alliances with other organizations and industries IMSTA has a noble and necessary agenda and in order to accomplish all its goals, the association needs the help of all its members and supporters and needs to acquire additional members and supporters. IMSTA also needs more Ambassadors who will help spread its message in other countries and would potentially attend trade shows in those countries on behalf of IMSTA. Please contact IMSTA if you wish to become an IMSTA Ambassador in your country. To join IMSTA as a member, please download a membership form and fax the completed form to 1 416 789-1667. For more information, please contact us at 1 416 789-6849 or e-mail info@imsta.org . © Copyright IMSTA 2008
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