Collaboration and Arturia Software licenseing

Sound Explorers Corner Free speech
#1

I am an indépendant artist. I am not big and let’s be honest, I am not independently wealthy so I do need to live and work within my budget.

I have quite a few other artists that I converse with over zoom living far away from where I live. I have done some small collaboration work with them and it was painful at times but got done. I have a new much larger project that I am wanting to undertake with an artist in Germany. She is wonderful and we have some great synergy together and I can see doing possible long term work with her.

The problem is that some or most of the tools that I work with plugin wise are not ones she owns. It’s sort of hard to ask for someone else to spend the €1000+ to go out and buy the Artura libraries that I own to facilitate the production process from two separate locations. It’s easy via the internet to share a Logic project file back and forth, but the required plugins makes it just a pain.

I actually own now multiple copies of some of the same plugin. Like I own a full version of Collection X, and a complete copy of Collection 11. I have effectively licences for 10 installs for all the instruments they hold in common.

THE QUESTION: What is the best way to allow a collaboration artist you are working with to install and use some of the instruments you own the license for?

I wonder if I can actually sell myself my own second copy of the the Arturia Collection X to a different user ID login / password. then I guess I can lend my access to login with that new account to the artist while we collaborate and then just revoke it at the end. Trying to do a project in the amount of time that a demo license would last for might be difficult, so yes I had thought of that.

From a what is in it for Arturia perspective… I know that I fell in love with the sounds and use of their software from using it. Perhaps it was writing songs with the software and over time I saw that owning legitimate versions not only got me to purchase the Keylab midi keyboard and both Collections FX and Pigments that I now love. I can see this being the case with this artist if we continue to make more music together,

is this something that I need to try and work out with Support ? and is there a direction that is already used so I am not trying to invent a wheel again.

#2

This is a VERY interesting question actually, and one that’s likely to affect more and more of us as time goes on.
Personally, in the same position, i’ve either rendered/frozen any tracks that a co-writer/performer might not have 3rd party plugins for.
If it’s someone with a different DAW, then i’ll export either a single, stereo file or stems, cut to exactly a bar before the start of the piece, so they’ll line in their DAW precisely.

The subject of ‘loaning’ a licence to a co-writer etc is rather interesting and, one i’ve thought about myself in the past. It would be useful for clarification for sure.

Regarding selling ‘spare’ licences, you should be able to find that information via this link, which is currently broken unfortunately, i’ve just informed the relevant people about this…

HTH!

#3

In my understanding your Arturia licences are personal. You can use them on computers you own. And the products can be used when they are activated through a installed Arturia Software Center on each of those computers.

You should be able to sell products that have a individual license, unless perhaps if they have been used to get an discount for another product.

Products are attached to one account.

I would do like @matjones suggest and collaborate using audio tracks, if not both own the plugins.

However - I also suggest you contact Arturia support to be certain about all this.

#4

You don’t even have to sell it. You can create a 2nd account and request a transfer (or to unregister it so it can be re-registered to the new account), as long as that license is not linked to another license (for instance, if you got your VC11 as an upgrade from VCX, or if it’s a license that was bundled with another purchase such as a KeyLab or AstroLab).

This is the current active link: Ask For Help, and select “Registration & Third Party”. (you need to be logged in to select the license in your account that you want to unregister or transfer)

Also, from the “My Products” section of your user account, when you click on “Show more details” for a product in your account, at the bottom of that expanded view, there’s a direct “Contact support to unregister this product” link.

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#5

Perhaps a better explanation or definition is needed.

I bought a program, or a collection of programs that come with a license. That license is pretty well defined in its for a single user to install onto up to 5 computers. So a single use can use the software on several machines that they own. I get this and am perfectly fine with it. I under this license have a copy installed on my MacBook laptop and also have the same software license installed on my Studio Mac mini . So of the 5 installs that can be done with this license I have installed it on 2 computers. All is still good.

This is where the question comes. I OWN 2 full copies of the instrument Collection. So its to actual different licenses with 5 installs on each of them. So this would mean that I have legally paid for 2 people to concurrently use the plugins at the same time.

Where my question comes into play is I guess the term ‘computers you own’ as this is a totally unenforceable requirement. So this would mean if I lease or rent a computer then I cannot legally install the software as I never have ownership. So, if I went on a gig to another country and rented a computer for my time there, would I be allowed to use the plugin??

Then you can also question the single authorized user part as well. So I own my own computer that I have installed my license of software on. Am I not allowed for example to allow someone other than myself the ability to use the computer? So I own the software, but can’t my daughter use my computer with my Arturia midi keyboard with my Arturia software installed play and make music with it? Its a single person using it at a time, in if she if physically using the computer to play, I cannot use the same computer at the same time. I get that I can’t at the same time use the other computer in the studio so that two people aren’t playing at the same time. For that I need two licenses that I actually do own.

This is quite easy when the computers are in the same house or location. But here is where I get to the heart of the question. It is now sort of running like as if a business purchased the software. I don’t know if Arturia has a business license that is different from a personal license. I don’t see for the sale of the software where they have different prices attached to different license types.

So why am I not just working with Sound Files… like bounce it down to a .wav. We are developing the music. So we are working in midi. So, I have come up with a melody and she will take part of that melody and do some transformations to come up with counter melody from it. In the past project I took her piano part and stripped down/out keys from the chords played and moved them to a new instrument in Pigments… I’d like to be able to do some sound design to parts she is playing. its far easier to have her play using the instrument than going back and forth many times to get it right,

All I want to know is how I’d go about letting her use an additional license that I own.

#6

If you have two produts with separate licenses, then perhaps you can transfer one to another Arturia account. But i assume another will stand as owner of the account. Perhaps you can stand as owner for both accounts.

A firm can own a license afaik.

I don’t think it’s a problem your daughter use your license on your computer at your place at least.

Can’t tell the above for sure. I’m a user like you, and not an Arturia employee.

You have many questions.
It’s best you ask Arturia support.

#7

From my point of view, one license comes with 5 activations: up to 5 computers on the same account can run the software.
It is very common for touring musicians to have at least 2 computers activated at the same time for the tour (main + backup), while still having another computer activated in their studio.

Installing and activating the software on another computer (like a rental, in your example) for your own use is OK too, again, using your account. You can easily de-activate that computer once you’re done with it (the activation goes back into your account).

Sharing your computer(s) with your daughter in your home isn’t an issue, but that means you’re also sharing your entire account with her, not just one of the licenses in your account.

Now, sharing licenses with someone else that you are working with remotely would also mean sharing your entire account (including all the licenses and any payment info stored in your account), and that’s definitely a big no-no!

That’s where you have to create a 2nd account, transfer only one (or a few) of your duplicate licenses (again, as long as it is not tied to another license through a promotion), and give access to this account to the person you are working with. When done, you could also de-activate his/her computer and change the password to this account for another collaboration. Of course, you must trust that this person doesn’t change your password before, or you would be locked out of this account.

Makes sense?

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