FAQ
Artist Inquiries
- Why should I put my band’s music into Weed format?
- Why do I need a Provider? Can’t I just Weedify the songs myself?
- Can I submit my songs to more than one Provider?
- How do I make Windows Media-formatted files of my music?
- I recorded a killer cover of Revolution #9. Can I get it Weedified?
- How do I get paid?
- I think I have what it takes to be an Independent Content Provider. How do I apply?
Why should I put my band’s music into Weed format?
Weed offers do-it-yourself, pay-as-you-go promotion and distribution—with minimal up-front cost. When you release your music as Weed files, you can give them away freely, post them on Web sites, distribute them on CDs, or share them on a peer-to-peer network. Anybody who receives one of your Weed files can listen to it up to three times for free. After that, they’re asked to buy it—at whatever price you set. And you get 50% on every sale of your music. You don’t need to be signed to a label or even have a full CD produced to get started.
Weed currently offers a free $5 account balance with every new account, so your fans can start getting your music quickly and easily.
Why do I need a Provider? Can’t I just Weedify the songs myself?
Weed requires content to be submitted in very specific formats, along with signed copies of legal documents. It requires training to do this right, so we train Independent Content Providers for this role. Providers also keep in contact with other Providers around the world to share information, marketing strategies, and technical discoveries.
Can I submit my songs to more than one Provider?
While it’s easier to work with the same Provider for all of your songs, you are free to work with more than one. The only restriction is the “one Provider per song” rule. This means that if you give a song to one Provider for Weedification, you can’t give that same song to another Provider. However, you are welcome to send one album to Provider A, and another album to Provider B, for example.
How do I make Windows Media-formatted files of my music?
If you can convert from an already mastered CD, rip it to Windows Media format using the Windows Media Player 9 or 10, or any other music player that can save a file as .wma. If you don’t have the right encoding software, your Provider can help you find affordable software or a suitable encoding service.
I recorded a killer cover of Revolution #9. Can I get it Weedified?
You must own the rights to the music you submit. If you want to get a license to distribute a cover song, contact the original artist or their publisher and request a license for digital distribution. If you aren’t sure who the publisher is, try the Harry Fox Agency first.
How do I get paid?
Your Provider will set up an account for you and send you the location of the rightsholder account Web site. This site shows you which songs you have in Weed format, how many have sold, and how much money you have accumulated in your account. As people buy your songs, the 50% rightsholder cut is automatically deposited into your Weed account.
If you want to withdraw funds, you simply type in your PayPal account e-mail and the amount you’d like to withdraw from your Weed account. PayPal then processes the payment in whatever way you’ve specified through their site.
I think I have what it takes to be an Independent Content Provider. How do I apply?
Weed recruits Providers based on their ability to introduce large amounts of quality content into the system. We have specific technical, marketing, and promotion requirements for these folks. For more information and to apply, visit the Be a Provider page.
Your Weed Account – How do I log in to my Weed account? – Where can I find out my account balance? – I opened a Weed account, but when I check my balance it shows $0. Where’s my free $5? – Why can’t I use a credit card to purchase a Weed file or manage my account? – I’m having trouble making a deposit. I click on the deposit button and nothing happens. What should I do? – I made a deposit with PayPal but it’s been showing as “pending” for a few days now. What’s the hangup? – I requested a withdrawal from my account, but it still says “pending.” How long does it take? – My friend opened a Weed account on my computer and he didn’t get a free $5 balance in his Weed account. Why not?
How do I log in to my Weed account?
You can log in to your Weed account by clicking on the “MY WEED ACCOUNT” button on the weedshare.com Web site, just below the Weed logo.
Where can I find out my account balance?
Log in to your account to see your balance, displayed on both the Account History and the Deposit/Withdrawal pages. Every time you buy a file, make a deposit, or request a withdrawal, your account balance will automatically update when you refresh the page. However, you may receive sharing revenue and distributor payments at any time, and these don’t always show up right away. They’ll be marked as “pending” in your Account History page until the transaction has been cleared.
I opened a Weed account, but when I check my balance it shows $0. Where’s my free $5?
Your free $5.00 will be credited to your account the first time you go to buy a Weed file.
Why can’t I use a credit card to purchase a Weed file or manage my account?
All of our transactions are currently processed through PayPal because it offers a centralized account with flexible deposit and withdrawal options.
You can use any major credit card to charge cash to your PayPal account, which can then be transferred into your Weed account. You also can deposit money into your PayPal account from your checking account electronically or by check. (Deposits by check will incur a small additional processing fee.)
When you receive a payment from Weed, you can withdraw the money electronically or by check through PayPal. In addition, the PayPal service is available in five currencies and 38 countries.
I’m having trouble making a deposit. I click on the deposit button and nothing happens. What should I do?
Your computer may have a pop-up blocker that is preventing the PayPal browser window from appearing. If you’re using Windows, try holding the Ctrl key down while clicking on the “Deposit” link. (To make sure this doesn’t happen again, set your pop-up blocker to recognize www.weedshare.com and www.shmedlic.com as “safe” sites that won’t get blocked.)
Another possibility is that you may already have a PayPal window open but it’s hidden. If you’re using Windows, try clicking on the task bar at the bottom of the screen to expose any hidden browser windows.
I made a deposit with PayPal but it’s been showing as “pending” for a few days now. What’s the hangup?
The most likely cause is a pop-up blocker on your computer. See the previous question for what to do. You must confirm all deposits with PayPal before we can process them. Pending deposits that don’t clear through PayPal are automatically deleted from your Weed account history after 30 days.
I requested a withdrawal from my account, but it still says “pending.” How long does it take?
Withdrawals from the Weed system are first approved by a Weed staffer. They are mainly just looking for irregularities or abnormally large amounts. This usually happens the same day you make the request. Once it is approved by Weed it goes to PayPal for approval. They sometimes take a little longer to transfer the money. Give it a few days and if you haven’t seen a change send an e-mail to support@weedshare.com.
My friend opened a Weed account on my computer and he didn’t get a free $5 balance in his Weed account. Why not?
The free $5 balance is only offered once on each computer.
Technical Assistance
- Why do I have to upgrade Windows Media Player?
- What if my hard drive dies? Do I just lose all of my Weed files?
- Someone already bought a Weed file on my computer, and I want to buy it with my own account. How do I buy a file if it is already licensed to play on my computer?
- Why am I being asked to install the Weed Media Activator component again?
- How do I uninstall Weed Media Activator v.3?
- How do I uninstall the old Weed software?
- How do I purchase a bunch of Weed files quickly?
Why do I have to upgrade Windows Media Player?
Weed uses a file encryption system that began shipping in 1999. If you are using an older version of Windows Media Player or a compatible player, you may need to upgrade to a more recent version in order to play Weed files.
What if my hard drive dies? Do I just lose all of my Weed files?
In the event of a catastrophe, you’ll need to re-download the Weed files you purchased and license them again (essentially, buy them for no money). It’s pretty simple to acquire a new license, since Weed keeps track of what you’ve bought. On your account page, if you click to buy a song you’ve already bought, you’ll be notified that you already own the track. You will then have the opportunity to acquire a new license at no cost.
Since there is no guarantee that you will always be able to find a new copy of your old Weed files, be sure to back up your Weed files from time to time.
Someone already bought a Weed file on my computer, and I want to buy it with my own account. How do I buy a file if it is already licensed to play on my computer?
This capability is not in Weed v.3, but you can download and install Weed Media Activator, version 2 and use it to buy files that have already been purchased on your computer. Download Weed Media Activator v.2.
Why am I being asked to install the Weed Media Activator component again?
You may have deleted your cookies. We use browser cookies to keep track of installation and to minimize reboots. To fix this, just go through the installation process again. Since the Weed Media Activator component is actually already on your machine, it’ll be a quick process. Install Weed Media Activator component.
How do I uninstall Weed Media Activator v.3?
There are two ways to uninstall the Weed Media Activator component.
1.In Windows, go to c:\windows\downloaded program files
2.Select the item named “Weed Component”, and the click the delete key on your keyboard.
Internet Explorer 6.0:
1.Close any open Weed account pages.
2.Go to the menu bar and select “Tools”
3.Select “Internet Options…”
4.Select the tab called “General”
5.Under “Temporary Internet Files”, click the button called “Settings…”
6.On the “Settings” panel, then click the button called “View Objects…”, which will open a new window called “Downloaded Objects”
7.Under “Downloaded Objects” select the item named “Weed Component”, and the click the delete key on your keyboard.
How do I uninstall the old Weed software?
While it is not necessary to uninstall the old Weed software to begin using the Weed Media Activator v.3, you are free to do so. On your PC, go to Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. Locate Weed on the list of programs, and click “Remove.”
How do I purchase a bunch of Weed files quickly?
If you want to buy large quantities of Weed files, you may prefer to use the Weed Media Activator v.2 software. This version is available for download, but is no longer supported
Troubleshooting
- I’m trying to buy a file that I found online, but it’s taking a long time for it to download. Why?
- I hear my hard drive spinning when the Weed dialog is open. What’s going on?
- I’ve lost my user name and / or password for my Weed account. What do I do?
- I downloaded two files and when I played them I got a message that says I have already played them three times, even though I didn’t play them at all. What the heck?
- I tried to buy a file and I got a message saying it was missing or corrupted. What’s the deal?
- Someone told me the MIME types on my server are incorrect, and they couldn’t download my Weed files. What do I do?
I’m trying to buy a file that I found online, but it’s taking a long time for it to download. Why?
When you want to buy a file, Weed looks for it in a few different places: your “My Music” folder, Temporary Internet Files folder, My Recent Documents folder, and in your recently-visited browser links. If you have a lot of music on your computer, it will take longer to search for the file. You can help speed up the process by clearing out your Temporary Internet Files. In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Interent Options. Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files.
I hear my hard drive spinning when the Weed dialog is open. What’s going on?
Before you can buy Weed files, Weed needs to locate them on your computer, so it attempts to find them in your My Music folder and other possible locations, including the Internet Temp Files directory. In cases where there are a lot of files stored in your Internet Temp Files directory, the search process can cause a lot of activity as Weed scans through them.
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I’ve lost my user name and / or password for my Weed account. What do I do?
Contact us at info@weedshare.com and we’ll help you out.
I downloaded two files and when I played them I got a message that says I have already played them three times, even though I didn’t play them at all. What the heck?
If a file is moved during a purchase, or if some other event causes the file to become damaged, the purchase transaction may not complete properly.
In some cases, you may see that you have been charged for the file, but the file still won’t play. If this is the case, try downloading a fresh copy of the file to your My Music folder and double-clicking on it. Proceed as if you were going to buy the file again and you will see that you can “re-license” the file without having to pay for it.
Replacing the file and re-licensing it guarantees that you have an intact file and that you can play and share it as much as you like.
I tried to buy a file and I got a message saying it was missing or corrupted. What’s the deal?
Check to see if you have the Norton Internet Security firewall installed and active on your machine. This can prevent a connection from being established with the Weed server.
Someone told me the MIME types on my server are incorrect, and they couldn’t download my Weed files. What do I do?
MIME types tell the player what types of files it can support. If the MIME types are set up incorrectly on your Web server, it may be more difficult for fans to experience music from your Web site. The official MIME Type Table for Microsoft media files is here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwmt/html/mime.asp
There’s a table of all the mime types of interest to Weed users—and then some. Do include the ASF type as it is the base for Windows Media Audio (.wma).
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