Free stuff. I like free stuff. I think most people do. Unless it's your stuff that other people are getting for free. Then the waters get a little murky. But this is the business that I find myself in and the difficulty is trying to give it away and still make a living.
The only thing constant in the music business is change. The business that I thought I was getting into in 1971 is very different than the business that I'm in today. Not better or worse, just different. I no longer try to sell CDs or books. Recorded music has shifted to streaming services like Spotify or YouTube that can be used for free. Although I'm paid nearly everytime someone listens to my music the royalty can be as little as $0.0001. The fact that I make almost $100.00 every year on royalties impresses me. That's a lot of streams!
It's unlikely that I will every record another CD. The outcome doesn't justify the effort or expense. Or as the old-timers used to say, "The juice ain't worth the squeezing". Actually one of my CDs was never intended to be sold. "Romantic Occasions" is a wedding CD. When potential clients want to hear a sample of my music I refer them to that CD on iTunes. It's been a pretty effective sales tool to book weddings.
My newest venture is giving guitar lessons online. This wasn't even an option a few years ago. Part of the price of the lessons is "free" lesson materials. I've written my own books before. I would then self publish by using my own photocopier and binder. I would sell the books to my students and make a small profit. But I never liked that part of it. It was a lot of labor and expense with a small return. We're back to that "juice" thing again. This way I can email a couple of pages to them and they print it with their paper and ink.
My worry is this. If we are not willing to pay for it then its social value is seriously diminished. Artists are no longer valued members of society. They are replaced by celebrities. Sort of like the cheerleaders and football team captains in high school.
The next free thing, it seems, is education. There are a lot of free "how-to" videos on YouTube. Right now I'm using one to teach myself how to tie a bow-tie. (I think I'm going to stay with clip-ons. We'll see.) Of course there are a lot of guitar lessons there too. Ill conceived and poorly given.
A few years ago Khan Academy started up online. It offers a world class education in every subject you would expect to find at any major university for free. This is way past some high school girl giving make-up tips. This is economics, mathematics, political science, etc. being taught by some of the best. For free.
Currently there are some who believe that all colleges should be free. Again, my concern is that a college education will lose its value. Or perhaps the knowledge itself will be held in higher esteem and the celebrity of some institutions will be diminished. Maybe other changes that we can't predict. I'm not sure what will happen but one thing is certain - giving stuff away for free will have a huge impact on the culture.