Falcom allows "free" use of their music

[Gigablah]

http://www.falcom.co.jp/music_use/

Announcement dated June 5th: You are allowed to use Falcom music tracks without prior approval in the following example scenarios:
- Live performances
- Radio program broadcast
- Wedding ceremonies (no kidding)
- TV CMs
- Website / blog BGM streaming (as long as no file downloads are made available)
- etc (more here)

Basic copyright rules still apply: you're not allowed to distribute the music files themselves, no commercial usage (especially in games), copyright notice must be displayed.

This is a great move on Falcom's part. I mean, who wouldn't want to make their wedding vows to the Ys Soundtrack?

[Another Soundscape]

That's fantastic! More companies should do this, it most certainly encourages more VGM listening anyway! Good move Falcom.

[PsychoZeke]

As I've always said: "The sharing of VGM does not destroy the video game industry, as it does indeed help it grow." That applies tenfold to VGM in itself, too.

Kudos to Falcom for this, and certainly many other companies should follow their example.

PS: Boy, how embarrassing; I need to expand my Falcom VGM collection. <.<'

[Datschge]

Originally Posted by Gigablah

- Website / blog BGM streaming (as long as no file downloads are made available)

I LOL'ed. Streams are downloadable.

[Anonymous]

Originally Posted by Datschge

I LOL'ed. Streams are downloadable.

I think the distinction is so that "on demand" transfers are no-no, while including their music in your radio stream (so that one can't come, point "Hauu~ I want this" and immediately take it home) is okay.

[Datschge]

Maybe so, but that's not what I'd call "website/blog streams".

Edit: Looking at the page it's referred to as "Website BGM, such as on blogs". In such cases people usually tend to embed a Flash player to playback an easily downloadable MP3 stored somewhere. Falcom's approach is really laudable, but I'm not sure they know what they actually technically allow there. (Of course at the bottom they disallow data duplication, while every data transfer, streams included, involves data duplication...)

[niki]

Aren't those all cases that would be hard to prosecute anyway ?

Anyway, still nice to hear. =)

[Carl]

Wow, a very nice gesture of goodwill on Falcom's part, in step with today's era of user-generated-content.

and Dats, everyone can differentiate on a common sense level what is intended by broadcasts/streaming vs downloads. They are laying out in general terms what is acceptable, they're not looking to pick technical fights and get all nitpicky about defining bits and bytes

[Naka]

Originally Posted by Gigablah

This is a great move on Falcom's part. I mean, who wouldn't want to make their wedding vows to the Ys Soundtrack?

I'm so having Feena or Endless History play at my wedding!

[niki]

More like To Make the End of Battle when the bride enters the church ~

[Naka]

Originally Posted by niki

More like To Make the End of Battle when the bride enters the church ~

That would be the most epic thing ever. I think I'm going to make it a requirement when I am searching for a wife HAHA!

[MAGradio]

Well, I can certainly state this will make us add more Falcom music to the radio station =]

[quintin3265]

Compare this stance to a company with the complete opposite view: Square Enix. I refuse to buy games from companies like Square Enix that kill fan tributes like the Chrono Trigger: Crimson Echoes project.

This step alone has probably convinced me to buy a Falcom game in the future. It's great to see corporations that encourage creativity and treat their customers with respect.