http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/copying-music-redux
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/copying-music
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/copying-music-mutar-or-ossur
Wolf – your sentiments are admirable. Possibly they would be included in “v’asisa hayashar v’hatov”. It is still important to know what is the halachah and what is not.
You don’t have to be hard up not to pay for something you are not obligated to (assuming that is the case), regardless of how much you enjoy it. The fact that the artist expects compensation is not relevant if he is not entitled to it.