Aim of Page: Discuss Music in relation to New Media – for example, how music content, radio, music, digital radio (etc) may have developed because of New Media?...Also other related topics that you may find relevant.
All popular songs are based on the same 4 chords. That is a quite an extraordinary statement that not everyone will believe. However this comically done video by Axis of Awesome demonstrates how many songs are actually based on the same four base chords. The threesome do a performance singing many popular songs while only playing the backing four chords at different speeds, and singing the melodies over the top. It is through this simple comedic piece that Axis of Awesome has perfectly exemplified one of the emerging issues surrounding new media. There is currently debate over how much protection should be put on culture. We learnt in this week’s tutorials that “Culture is ours. Restricting our cultural outputs restricts our culture” (Week 9 lecture notes 2010). This videos drives home this point, as if chords and musical structures were strictly protected, all of these songs would not have been able to be produced.
-Portia Vann
Ping on iTunes
Continuing on what Georgia has said with what do sites like Last.Fm and Pitchfork offer for consumers and what they will develop into I think that Lauren has brought up an interesting relevance with in discussion with iTunes and Ping. I think this is an example of how music online has developed for consumers.
Below is a video that discusses what the new iTunes and Ping is:
I think iTunes is a good example of things that are moving music consumption forward.
Abigail I think your case study about Austereo will be very interesting because even I wonder what their radio stations will be doing in the future/how they will be incorporating new media to keep a strong listener base.
My case study also concerns music. In particular, what do sites like Lastfmand Pitchfork offer for consumers and what will they develop into? I wonder how this will change music consumption online. Having music available online and through sites like Pitchfork and Lastfm has enabled consumers to find and listen to new music which they might not necessarily be played on the radio or old music which is not played anymore.
These sites also bring the social networking element into the mix - another important new media tool.
- Georgia Dixon
Radio and Music
For my case study I am researching into Austereo and the radio stations they have created and developed over the years whilst incorporating new media through PLAY. So I thought I could explore their history and give some interesting facts into how they have contributed to the music that we hear everyday, on any Austereo radio station.
Firstly who are Austereo? Well Austereo are “one of Australia’s most progressive and exciting entertainment based media companies” (Austereo 2010). Austereo has three national radio networks which are communicated to their audiences over a “combination of traditional and new media platforms” (Austereo 2010). Some of the presenters that you may know from Austereo are Hamish and Andy, Labby Camilla and Stav, Roy and HG and Kyle and Jackie O, just to name a few. If you are unsure of you any of these presenters are you may know some of the Austereo radio stations such as in Brisbane B105 or Triple M. Austereo is a key entertainment company for radio as it introduced the first FM radio station to Sydney in the late 1980’s. Austereo was also the first entertainment company in Australia in begin digital radio in May 2009 last year.
My assignment is specific to Austereo and how it incorporates new media so I would like to give my first example with the Hamish and Andy show. These presenters have used Youtube to show clips of stunts they have created for their radio show. The segment is a clip from of their overseas travels to the Europe.
Austereo is appears to being uses various forms of new media mediums to connect with its audience. Although it is only a company that has developed radio stations, it is reaching out to its audience in various forms.
Yet again the people at Apple are continuing their constant reinvention of the way we consume music. But why is it that every time a newer iPod emerges it is significantly smaller than the previous model? The smallest iPod to date is the iPod shuffle which owes its miniature size to the omission of the iPod screen. In an effort to provide consumers an easier method of choosing their music Apple created the iPod nano, which could be seen as the baby of the original iPod. Just when it seemed that they could not out do themselves Apple reveals a newer version of the iPod nano which is 46 percent smaller, 42 percent lighter and 100 percent made for music with Multi-Touch (Apple.com, 2010). Apple’s ‘click wheel’ method of menu surfing would usually have to be considered, but not anymore. Due to their experience and success with the iPod touch, Apple have managed to shrink this model to a size that challenges that of the iPod shuffle as their websitedeclares;
“iPod nano has been completely redesigned with Multi-Touch — the same technology that makes iPhone, iPad and iPod touch so amazing. Now it’s half the size and even easier to play. And everything you want to hear is just a tap or swipe away.”
- - Apple.com, 2010
In addition to this new model’s improved technological specs and features, Apple has provided features which can suit the market’s fashion needs. Despite its petite size consumers can be assured that they can have it in seven playful colours.
So why do we have this obsession with miniscule technology? Perhaps it can be attributed to our desire to listen to music while we participate in real world play because let's not forget;
"iPod nano with Multi-Touch is designed to be easy, intuitive and fun — just like music. And it’s even smaller, so music can be an even bigger part of just about everything."
- - Apple.com, 2010
Pirate Radio
In the week six lecture we discussed commerce and different networks that are possible through New Media. In regards to radio there is the Australian Radio Network which “owns and operates commercial radio stations across Australia. The network has a dual brand strategy with a MIX and Classic Hits stream operating in nearly every capital city in Australia”(Australian Radio Network 2003).
The Australian Radio Network works with radio stations to ensure they meet the standards and regulations of ACMA and the Radio-communications Act 1992. It states that to have a radio station you must have a license, which there are three of (detailed below):
Apparatus licences - specify the category of service, eg, fixed or mobile, and the technical characteristics including the location, power, frequency of operation and the radiofrequency emission type. These licences are usually site-based, usually issued over-the-counter, and represent the majority of our licensing activity. Apparatus licences may be traded. More information on licensing categories and fees is available electronically. An online database of current licensees is also available.
Spectrum licences - these are area-based licences and are intended to be technology and service neutral to the extent possible (ie, the type of service is not specified) so as to give maximum flexibility to the licensee. Once allocated, these spectrum assets are fully tradeable, and can be sub-divided or amalgamated in either the geographic or the frequency band domain. This allows licensees to acquire, through participation in auctions or through trading in the secondary market, whatever spectrum space is necessary to deploy the type of service required. To support this approach, technical frameworks are established to manage interference across the area and spectrum boundaries of adjacent licensees.
Class licences - typically, class licences are umbrella licences designed to provide "public parks" for the authorised use of various low powered devices that have a low interference potential. Common examples of these devices are garage door openers, remote car door locks and intruder alarms, wireless microphones, automatic tollway systems and tag security systems. Provided these transmitters comply with the conditions of the class licence, then individual licences are not required (ACMA 2010)
These licenses ensure that radio stations are monitored to play music and speak topics that the ACMA believe are acceptable for on air/ live radio. Australia is lucky compared to other countries as some radio stations such as the ABC’s Triple J are able to have offensive language on their station. When playing a song that has offensive language the radio station warns the audience beforehand. An example of radio stations that do not have licenses can be called Pirate Radio. A movie was released that demonstrated Pirate Radio in the United Kingdom where their radio transmission was unregulated and illegal.
Having licenses for radio stations is an example of commerce being used to control what is heard by the audiences. By having a radio network such as the Australian Radio Network it ensures that there is someone incorporating ACMA’s regulations.
Reference:
Australian Radio Network. 2003. The Australian radio network stations. http://www.arn.com.au/austradio.htm (accessed 30 August 2010)
To extend on Georgia’s "Play by Play” in regards to DJ’ing in the world of play and collaboration I think the iPad is a great example, which has also been explained by Sophie and Portia in regards to Technology.
Apple has been adding to the world of play and collaboration of new media through their various items that they have available. Through these items they are taking technology to new levels.
The iPad was released in 2010 and is another product from Apple. I have begun learning more about the iPad and the features that are available. I recently came across a Youtube video on DJ’ing with the iPad (below).
The video demonstrates just one version of a DJ’ing application that is available to use on the iPad. This application is an example of new media incorporating play and collaboration. Those who download any of these forms of the DJ’ing tool are able to play around and create different mixes for their audiences. By posting their videos on Youtube they’re able to get different opinions from the public and enhance their mixes.
I believe this is important to new media as it creates another media medium through a previous media medium. It expands on those who already DJ, and also allows for anyone to re-create music. The technology that Apple is constantly introducing to the world is taking these media mediums to new levels. This is important to the world of new media as it demonstrates the further development on media.
In regard to this world of play and collaboration, a student mentioned DJ’s collaborating together on a track. More music examples came to mind; in particular Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal at the Brit Awards earlier this year (see below). Another is example which I think is pretty awesome, a guilty pleasure, is when Run DMC and Aerosmith revamped “Walk This Way” (see below). Run DMC and Aerosmith combined Rap and Rock, Florence and Dizzee combined Alternative and Hip Hop/Rap. That’s the fun part of the collaborations, mixing the genres.
The collaboration list goes on, from Mick Jagger and David Bowie, to Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Or even covers, like the Kooks covering Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” or Mumford and Sons covering Calvin Harris’s “I’m Not Alone”. Concerning new media, these music collaborations are made available to the public so easily thanks to iTunes. Perhaps at a price, but I am willing to pay for my play.
Although it is not exactly like the last FM it does allow you to listen to your type of music on-line. You put in an artist or a genre that you like to listen to and it then makes a playlist out of different bands within the genre you selected. You are able to choice ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ (thumbs up or thumbs down) and if you click the dislike button it will automatically change to a different song and won’t play the song you disliked again. You can have multiple different playlists. Which are basically the first artist/band/genre you picked to begin with.
Pandora first started out linking with facebook and phones such as iphones and blackberry’s and its most recent link is with the iPad in April 2010. Although Pandora is not a brand new technology it is however only a few years old. I couldn’t find the exact launch date on-line but I feel it become popular around 2006 and since then it has been working its way up the social network chain and finding ways to shine into other social medias. A lot of restaurants have profiles with Pandora where they are registered and instead of using CD’s or iPods and having to make your own mix’s, Pandora puts it together for them and if you are registered and paying a monthly fee you don’t have to deal with advertisement, like you would if you were just logged in as a free member (such as myself). So every four or five songs I listen to a 10-20 second advertisement will pop on before going to the next song.
What’s next on their list? I reckon Pandora will make its way into navigations of cars, at least in the states. Personally I don’t know what I would do without music so I really appreciate when applications like these arise.
Geographies of new media explores space imaginaries such as the internet and how it influences developing new media. In our week three tutorial we discussed these space imaginaries and a student used last.FM as an example. This is also an example of play and collaboration within new media. Last.FM is a website where the music you listen to is listed on your Last FM profile. It uses “scrobbles” which occurs when you attach a device, such as your Iphone and it automatically loads it to your profile. This means that those who access your profile are able to see what you have been listening to and can even chose to download your music choices.
In the week four lecture we discussed play + collaboration + new media. Last FM incorporates all of these characteristics. You play by listening to different songs or even something simple by having “love tracks”. You collaborate by uploading your music to create you profile, which gives people the opportunity to listen to your music choices. Lastly it is a form of New Media as is music online available world wide.
To add to this New Media concept you are also able to get Last.FM on your phone which incorporates the websites details. This means you are able to know where your band is playing their next event, find out information about your band, and buy songs all through your phone.
This video gives a demonstration of Last FM being used on your phone.
Play + collaboration + new media are moving the technological world forward. This is important as it further develops new media and the possibilities that are available within. More people have the opportunity to interact with each and discover certain things about people, that weren’t available online in depth before.
Radio is Embracing New Media! How? Through digital radio!
Radio is a form of media that is progressing from when radio first began in the 1970s. As the world moves forward in the way of technology, so does radio. Australia is embracing Digital Radio with stations being recognised by the Government for turning digital. Not many people are aware of what digital radio is, because it can be confusing. CNet Australia gives a detailed explanation as to why it is better than normal radio “Digital radio is to normal radio what digital television is to your standard analog TV. It's the most significant upgrade to happen since the introduction of FM in Australia...and promises just as much of a leap in quality as FM is over AM. Digital radio works by turning both sound and data into digital signals at transmission, and then decoding them at the other end using digital radio receivers”. (Ramsay and Pendlebury 2009). Below is a youtube video which explains first what digital radio is and how it works:
Austereo was one of the first companies to embrace digital radio launching one of the first commercial digital radio stations – RADAR. Radar Radio has been established for unsigned artist. This is a huge step forward for unsigned artist in Australia as they are now given the opportunity to approach commercial radio, rather than the previous option of Triple J Unearthed, provided through ABC. Austereo currently has eight digital radio stations:
Digital Radio is an example of how different media mediums are being approached by new media within Australia. With radio networks such as Austereo establishing many digital radio stations for the Australian public, it is demonstrates examples of digital radio being used at its best. Digital radio has developed the traditional radio, this form of new media is being embraced and is creating many more opportunities.
After reading Abigail’s piece on DJ’ing with the iPad it got me thinking about how the applications available to iPhone, iPad and the iTouch have revolutionised the way one creates and experiences music.
As Abigail mention the ability to DJ via your Apple device has become possible to anyone. Other applications that enable this creative process are the and Scratch Splatter Edition that allows you to play music from your iPod library and scratch over the top of the track; like a DJ. I Am T-Pain is the application encouraging this music instrument shift to your phone where you sing into the speaker and it autotune’s your voice, made popular by artist T-Pain. Pocket Guitar is another that lets you strum and play guitar, electric bass and ukulele all on your Apple product. An application that demonstrates perfectly this act of play and collaboration is the BeatMaker app by Apple that infuses drum machines, samplers and sequencers into one application. It is a fusion of 3 different musical instruments all available at a simple click.
An example of how the average consumer can utilise these applications to create music and as it appears an internet success is applegirl002. Using the BeatMaker, I Am T-Pain and a synth application this YouTube user successfully recreated the Lady GaGa hit ‘Poker Face’ as seen in the video below.
Stemming from what Josiah mentioned in his ‘Relieve your back pain by yourself’ post in technology, the synergy that is created when two mediums come together, in this case music and technology is thought provoking. This relationship between mediums makes me wonder about where Apple and its applications are headed for the future. Could it be a case of more everyday artists and also those we see on TV and hear on the radio beginning to adopt these Apple music applications as the norm when it comes to creating music? Only time will tell. -Lauren Young
Musicians Created on Television
Continuing on from what Lauren has said about “Becoming a musician is just an app away...” and media mediums I think that television is being used to create musicians.Recently the X Factor has started on Channel Seven, I personally don’t follow it but have watched a few episodes. I think it is different to Australian Idol as it is allowing for group contestants etc. This is a great example of how different media mediums are working within each other to create something new, such as a musician/artist/band. People are able to audition and hopefully be liked by the judges to continue on to the next phase. This demonstrates that the formation of people’s music career is not what is use to be, people now depended heavily on media mediums to help establish their music careers.
If you are unsure of what X Factor is below is a video with the old presenter Sam Newton and the current presenters and judges, explaining what X Factor is:
Also it is not only television that is being used to create music careers as the X Factor is using Facebook now as a media medium to connect with its audience. I think this has a huge relevance to social media and its development. From my research I found that each contestant on other X Factor shows have had their own fan Facebook page created during the series. To connect this with my case study and Austereo I discovered that their radio station U20 encourages presenters to form their own Facebook page for each individual show.
Gemma Lacey discussed the business strategy of allowing free access to products on sites such as Facebook. This strategy is being utilized in a number of different fields, including the music business. At the moment, Apple is fighting to increase the iTunes song sample from the industry standard 30 seconds to 90 seconds - approximately half the length of an average song. Despite the fact that iTunes is the most successful music retailer in the US, they're falling behind in the race to promote the discovery of new music and, as a byproduct, further purchases (Sandoval, G. 2010).
This move is in response to the numerous other websites on which users can listen to entire songs for free – namely youtube and Pandora (a digital shuffle radio, expanded on in an article by Amy Hopkinson in the Music section of this wiki). According to Cnet News, Apple have only delayed the rolling out of these considerably longer samples due to licensing issues - despite having all the major record companies in agreement (Sandoval, G. 2010).
This issue reminded me of a topic we explored in the tutorials not long ago – the case of Dungeons & Dragons Online. While the game was initially fee-based (a $50 fee for the actual game, and $15 per month to continue playing), the MMO was released to download and play free with the option to pay for additional material within the game (Kuchera, 2009). The results were overwhelmingly positive, with a boost of one million more users within a year and an increase of 500% to their revenue (Sacco, M, 2010).
Both of these cases are examples of a newer way of thinking about sales. Instead of restricting a customer’s usage and thereby forcing them to pay, the business offers plenty of what the customer wants and gives them the option of paying for more once they’ve had a taste.
Georgia Dixon explained how the rules of 'Play' have been changing within the music industry and I will be expanding on her ideas of remixing and sampling. What once was old is now new. But this whole idea of sampling and remixing is not a new concept. Once you start listening to the 1980’s movie soundtrack “Breakdance” you can see just how many artists have manipulated the samples from this album. The tag line to Missy’s Elliots hit “Loose Control” has been sampled from the Hot Streak song “Body Work” or you will notice Rick James "Super Freak" has been sampled off Bar-Kays song “Freakshow on the Dance Floor.” With the Website Who Sampled? it allows users to research their favorite artists and see what music they have sampled in their own music. The as UCLA describes sampling as “Sampling" refers to the practice, among popular musicians in particular, of lifting portions of an existing recording and using this "sample" (usually in a repetitive manner) as a component of a new song. The term is related to a more sophisticated technique used by music technologists to create a digital record of various parameters of a given sound (e.g. of a single pitch sounded on a particular violin) known as a "sample" that can be used in a variety of MIDI playback devices”
One artist that has gained notoriety from this practice is Girl Talk. His first album Secret Diary was released in 2002 but his 2008 Feed The Animal album is what launched him into the spotlight. Feed the animals has 14 tracks which sample a total of 264 songs with each song being composed from his home studio using easily accessible software (WAXY, 2008). "Like This" uses 26 sampled songs with most songs sampling an average of 19.8 songs (WAXY, 2008) See the full list of samples used on the album click here.What makes his music so controversial is the fact he does not create any new content rather uses already existing music.
In the movie RIP– A Remix Manifesto the viewer is taken into not only Girl Talks studio but also highlights those who sue musicians for breaching their copyright laws. As copyright and intellectual property rights becomes more of a formidable issue we should look into what the laws surrounding this are. It is technically legal to sample ones music as long as 20% of the song has been altered from its original source (ULCA, 2008). This is where the fine line of what is legal and illegal falls somewhere in a grey area.
The most recent copyright infringement case in Australia was that of the Men At Work’s hit “Down Under.” This song was claimed to have illegally sampled the classic Australia hit “Kookaburra sits in the Old Gum Tree.” The judge ruled against Men At Work and they must now pay 5% of royalties from this song to the owners (Jones, 2010).
As the equipment needed to create and sample music becomes more accessible and cheaper to use for the average consumer more people will look to sampling for inspiration. Dj’s have been using this medium to play for years and its started to cross over the mainstream market in recent years. Now also musicians such as Kanye West, Metallica and Radiohead are all releasing stems for others to download and remix. By doing this they are affectively giving away their intellectual property but also creating new mediums for their art to be utilised.
Music
Aim of Page: Discuss Music in relation to New Media – for example, how music content, radio, music, digital radio (etc) may have developed because of New Media?...Also other related topics that you may find relevant.
All popular songs are based on the same 4 chords. That is a quite an extraordinary statement that not everyone will believe. However this comically done video by Axis of Awesome demonstrates how many songs are actually based on the same four base chords. The threesome do a performance singing many popular songs while only playing the backing four chords at different speeds, and singing the melodies over the top. It is through this simple comedic piece that Axis of Awesome has perfectly exemplified one of the emerging issues surrounding new media. There is currently debate over how much protection should be put on culture. We learnt in this week’s tutorials that “Culture is ours. Restricting our cultural outputs restricts our culture” (Week 9 lecture notes 2010). This videos drives home this point, as if chords and musical structures were strictly protected, all of these songs would not have been able to be produced.
-Portia Vann
Ping on iTunes
Continuing on what Georgia has said with what do sites like Last.Fm and Pitchfork offer for consumers and what they will develop into I think that Lauren has brought up an interesting relevance with in discussion with iTunes and Ping. I think this is an example of how music online has developed for consumers.
Below is a video that discusses what the new iTunes and Ping is:
I think iTunes is a good example of things that are moving music consumption forward.
Reference
Tour of Ping and iTunes 10. 2010. Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKbpfyoiz1M (accessed September 19, 2010)
- Abigail Benaud
MUSIC ONLINE
Abigail I think your case study about Austereo will be very interesting because even I wonder what their radio stations will be doing in the future/how they will be incorporating new media to keep a strong listener base.
My case study also concerns music. In particular, what do sites like Lastfmand Pitchfork offer for consumers and what will they develop into? I wonder how this will change music consumption online. Having music available online and through sites like Pitchfork and Lastfm has enabled consumers to find and listen to new music which they might not necessarily be played on the radio or old music which is not played anymore.
These sites also bring the social networking element into the mix - another important new media tool.
- Georgia Dixon
Radio and Music
For my case study I am researching into Austereo and the radio stations they have created and developed over the years whilst incorporating new media through PLAY. So I thought I could explore their history and give some interesting facts into how they have contributed to the music that we hear everyday, on any Austereo radio station.
Firstly who are Austereo? Well Austereo are “one of Australia’s most progressive and exciting entertainment based media companies” (Austereo 2010). Austereo has three national radio networks which are communicated to their audiences over a “combination of traditional and new media platforms” (Austereo 2010). Some of the presenters that you may know from Austereo are Hamish and Andy, Labby Camilla and Stav, Roy and HG and Kyle and Jackie O, just to name a few. If you are unsure of you any of these presenters are you may know some of the Austereo radio stations such as in Brisbane B105 or Triple M. Austereo is a key entertainment company for radio as it introduced the first FM radio station to Sydney in the late 1980’s. Austereo was also the first entertainment company in Australia in begin digital radio in May 2009 last year.
My assignment is specific to Austereo and how it incorporates new media so I would like to give my first example with the Hamish and Andy show. These presenters have used Youtube to show clips of stunts they have created for their radio show. The segment is a clip from of their overseas travels to the Europe.
Austereo is appears to being uses various forms of new media mediums to connect with its audience. Although it is only a company that has developed radio stations, it is reaching out to its audience in various forms.
References:
. 2010. Austereo Corporate Website. http://www.austereo.com.au/. Accessed on September 9, 2010.
The Great Loss – Hamish and Andy. 2010. Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkFc7Cj0RJs (accessed September 9, 2010)
By Abigail Benaud
DOES SIZE REALLY MATTER?
Yet again the people at Apple are continuing their constant reinvention of the way we consume music. But why is it that every time a newer iPod emerges it is significantly smaller than the previous model? The smallest iPod to date is the iPod shuffle which owes its miniature size to the omission of the iPod screen. In an effort to provide consumers an easier method of choosing their music Apple created the iPod nano, which could be seen as the baby of the original iPod. Just when it seemed that they could not out do themselves Apple reveals a newer version of the iPod nano which is 46 percent smaller, 42 percent lighter and 100 percent made for music with Multi-Touch (Apple.com, 2010). Apple’s ‘click wheel’ method of menu surfing would usually have to be considered, but not anymore. Due to their experience and success with the iPod touch, Apple have managed to shrink this model to a size that challenges that of the iPod shuffle as their websitedeclares;
“iPod nano has been completely redesigned with Multi-Touch — the same technology that makes iPhone, iPad and iPod touch so amazing. Now it’s half the size and even easier to play. And everything you want to hear is just a tap or swipe away.”
- - Apple.com, 2010
In addition to this new model’s improved technological specs and features, Apple has provided features which can suit the market’s fashion needs. Despite its petite size consumers can be assured that they can have it in seven playful colours.
http://mashable.com/2010/09/04/iwatch-ipod-nano/ add this info somewhere and link to fashion....
So why do we have this obsession with miniscule technology? Perhaps it can be attributed to our desire to listen to music while we participate in real world play because let's not forget;
"iPod nano with Multi-Touch is designed to be easy, intuitive and fun — just like music. And it’s even smaller, so music can be an even bigger part of just about everything."
- - Apple.com, 2010
by Jayce Silvallana
iPod Shuffle iPod nano w/ Multi-Touch iPod Classic iPod Touch
REFERENCE:
Apple, 2010. Remixed for Fingertips. http://www.apple.com/au/ipodnano/design.html (Accessed September 2, 2010).
Pirate Radio
In the week six lecture we discussed commerce and different networks that are possible through New Media. In regards to radio there is the Australian Radio Network which “owns and operates commercial radio stations across Australia. The network has a dual brand strategy with a MIX and Classic Hits stream operating in nearly every capital city in Australia”(Australian Radio Network 2003).
The Australian Radio Network works with radio stations to ensure they meet the standards and regulations of ACMA and the Radio-communications Act 1992. It states that to have a radio station you must have a license, which there are three of (detailed below):
These licenses ensure that radio stations are monitored to play music and speak topics that the ACMA believe are acceptable for on air/ live radio. Australia is lucky compared to other countries as some radio stations such as the ABC’s Triple J are able to have offensive language on their station. When playing a song that has offensive language the radio station warns the audience beforehand. An example of radio stations that do not have licenses can be called Pirate Radio. A movie was released that demonstrated Pirate Radio in the United Kingdom where their radio transmission was unregulated and illegal.
Having licenses for radio stations is an example of commerce being used to control what is heard by the audiences. By having a radio network such as the Australian Radio Network it ensures that there is someone incorporating ACMA’s regulations.
Reference:
Australian Radio Network. 2003. The Australian radio network stations. http://www.arn.com.au/austradio.htm (accessed 30 August 2010)
ACMA. 2010. How does Australia manage the spectrum. http://www.acma.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WEB/STANDARD/1001/pc=PC_2613. (accessed 30 August 2010)
Pirate Radio–Official Trailer. 2009. Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX1SSiFWF-s (accessed 30 August 2010)
By Abigail Benaud
DJ'ing with the iPad
To extend on Georgia’s "Play by Play” in regards to DJ’ing in the world of play and collaboration I think the iPad is a great example, which has also been explained by Sophie and Portia in regards to Technology.
Apple has been adding to the world of play and collaboration of new media through their various items that they have available. Through these items they are taking technology to new levels.
The iPad was released in 2010 and is another product from Apple. I have begun learning more about the iPad and the features that are available. I recently came across a Youtube video on DJ’ing with the iPad (below).
The video demonstrates just one version of a DJ’ing application that is available to use on the iPad. This application is an example of new media incorporating play and collaboration. Those who download any of these forms of the DJ’ing tool are able to play around and create different mixes for their audiences. By posting their videos on Youtube they’re able to get different opinions from the public and enhance their mixes.
I believe this is important to new media as it creates another media medium through a previous media medium. It expands on those who already DJ, and also allows for anyone to re-create music. The technology that Apple is constantly introducing to the world is taking these media mediums to new levels. This is important to the world of new media as it demonstrates the further development on media.
References:
Tan DJing on his iPad with Baby Decks. 2010.Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiGSwzZpVO4 (accessed August 23, 2010).By Abigail Benaud
Play by Play
In regard to this world of play and collaboration, a student mentioned DJ’s collaborating together on a track. More music examples came to mind; in particular Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal at the Brit Awards earlier this year (see below). Another is example which I think is pretty awesome, a guilty pleasure, is when Run DMC and Aerosmith revamped “Walk This Way” (see below). Run DMC and Aerosmith combined Rap and Rock, Florence and Dizzee combined Alternative and Hip Hop/Rap. That’s the fun part of the collaborations, mixing the genres.
The collaboration list goes on, from Mick Jagger and David Bowie, to Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Or even covers, like the Kooks covering Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” or Mumford and Sons covering Calvin Harris’s “I’m Not Alone”. Concerning new media, these music collaborations are made available to the public so easily thanks to iTunes. Perhaps at a price, but I am willing to pay for my play.
- Georgia Dixon
Pandora.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sko_IYdMaxMAlthough it is not exactly like the last FM it does allow you to listen to your type of music on-line. You put in an artist or a genre that you like to listen to and it then makes a playlist out of different bands within the genre you selected. You are able to choice ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ (thumbs up or thumbs down) and if you click the dislike button it will automatically change to a different song and won’t play the song you disliked again. You can have multiple different playlists. Which are basically the first artist/band/genre you picked to begin with.
Pandora first started out linking with facebook and phones such as iphones and blackberry’s and its most recent link is with the iPad in April 2010. Although Pandora is not a brand new technology it is however only a few years old. I couldn’t find the exact launch date on-line but I feel it become popular around 2006 and since then it has been working its way up the social network chain and finding ways to shine into other social medias. A lot of restaurants have profiles with Pandora where they are registered and instead of using CD’s or iPods and having to make your own mix’s, Pandora puts it together for them and if you are registered and paying a monthly fee you don’t have to deal with advertisement, like you would if you were just logged in as a free member (such as myself). So every four or five songs I listen to a 10-20 second advertisement will pop on before going to the next song.
What’s next on their list? I reckon Pandora will make its way into navigations of cars, at least in the states. Personally I don’t know what I would do without music so I really appreciate when applications like these arise.
Resources:
Layton, J. n.d. How Pandora radio works
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/pandora.htm (accessed on Aug14)
Tom Conrad. April 21, 2010. A more social Pandora
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2010/04/ (accessed on Aug14)
Tom Conrad. April 12, 2010. Pandora background listening for iphone OS 4
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2010/04/ (accessed on Aug14)
Tom Conrad. April 21, 2010. Pandora on iPad
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2010/04/ (accessed on Aug14)
By: Amy Hopkinson
Last FM
Geographies of new media explores space imaginaries such as the internet and how it influences developing new media. In our week three tutorial we discussed these space imaginaries and a student used last.FM as an example. This is also an example of play and collaboration within new media. Last.FM is a website where the music you listen to is listed on your Last FM profile. It uses “scrobbles” which occurs when you attach a device, such as your Iphone and it automatically loads it to your profile. This means that those who access your profile are able to see what you have been listening to and can even chose to download your music choices.
In the week four lecture we discussed play + collaboration + new media. Last FM incorporates all of these characteristics. You play by listening to different songs or even something simple by having “love tracks”. You collaborate by uploading your music to create you profile, which gives people the opportunity to listen to your music choices. Lastly it is a form of New Media as is music online available world wide.
To add to this New Media concept you are also able to get Last.FM on your phone which incorporates the websites details. This means you are able to know where your band is playing their next event, find out information about your band, and buy songs all through your phone.
This video gives a demonstration of Last FM being used on your phone.
Play + collaboration + new media are moving the technological world forward. This is important as it further develops new media and the possibilities that are available within. More people have the opportunity to interact with each and discover certain things about people, that weren’t available online in depth before.
Reference:
Last FM .2009.Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiGSwzZpVO4 (accessed August 12, 2010).
Last FM. 2010. Scrobbles.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last.fm (accessed August 12, 2010).
By Abigail Benaud
Radio is Embracing New Media! How? Through digital radio!
Radio is a form of media that is progressing from when radio first began in the 1970s. As the world moves forward in the way of technology, so does radio. Australia is embracing Digital Radio with stations being recognised by the Government for turning digital. Not many people are aware of what digital radio is, because it can be confusing. CNet Australia gives a detailed explanation as to why it is better than normal radio “Digital radio is to normal radio what digital television is to your standard analog TV. It's the most significant upgrade to happen since the introduction of FM in Australia...and promises just as much of a leap in quality as FM is over AM. Digital radio works by turning both sound and data into digital signals at transmission, and then decoding them at the other end using digital radio receivers”. (Ramsay and Pendlebury 2009). Below is a youtube video which explains first what digital radio is and how it works:
Austereo was one of the first companies to embrace digital radio launching one of the first commercial digital radio stations – RADAR. Radar Radio has been established for unsigned artist. This is a huge step forward for unsigned artist in Australia as they are now given the opportunity to approach commercial radio, rather than the previous option of Triple J Unearthed, provided through ABC. Austereo currently has eight digital radio stations:
Digital Radio Stations
Digital Radio is an example of how different media mediums are being approached by new media within Australia. With radio networks such as Austereo establishing many digital radio stations for the Australian public, it is demonstrates examples of digital radio being used at its best. Digital radio has developed the traditional radio, this form of new media is being embraced and is creating many more opportunities.
Reference:
Austereo Radio Network. 2010. Digital Radio Stations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austereo_Radio_Network#Digital_Radio_Stations (accessed August 2, 2010).
Digital Radio BTN (ABC 1) .2009.Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r8WOGQ1b0c (accessed August 2, 2010).
Ramsay, R., and Pendlebury, T. 2009. Digital radio: all you need to know. http://www.cnet.com.au/digital-radio-all-you-need-to-know-240053702.htm(accessed August 23, 2010).
By Abigail Benaud
Becoming a musician is just an app away...
After reading Abigail’s piece on DJ’ing with the iPad it got me thinking about how the applications available to iPhone, iPad and the iTouch have revolutionised the way one creates and experiences music.
As Abigail mention the ability to DJ via your Apple device has become possible to anyone. Other applications that enable this creative process are the and Scratch Splatter Edition that allows you to play music from your iPod library and scratch over the top of the track; like a DJ. I Am T-Pain is the application encouraging this music instrument shift to your phone where you sing into the speaker and it autotune’s your voice, made popular by artist T-Pain. Pocket Guitar is another that lets you strum and play guitar, electric bass and ukulele all on your Apple product. An application that demonstrates perfectly this act of play and collaboration is the BeatMaker app by Apple that infuses drum machines, samplers and sequencers into one application. It is a fusion of 3 different musical instruments all available at a simple click.
An example of how the average consumer can utilise these applications to create music and as it appears an internet success is applegirl002. Using the BeatMaker, I Am T-Pain and a synth application this YouTube user successfully recreated the Lady GaGa hit ‘Poker Face’ as seen in the video below.
Stemming from what Josiah mentioned in his ‘Relieve your back pain by yourself’ post in technology, the synergy that is created when two mediums come together, in this case music and technology is thought provoking. This relationship between mediums makes me wonder about where Apple and its applications are headed for the future. Could it be a case of more everyday artists and also those we see on TV and hear on the radio beginning to adopt these Apple music applications as the norm when it comes to creating music? Only time will tell.
-Lauren Young
Musicians Created on Television
Continuing on from what Lauren has said about “Becoming a musician is just an app away...” and media mediums I think that television is being used to create musicians.Recently the X Factor has started on Channel Seven, I personally don’t follow it but have watched a few episodes. I think it is different to Australian Idol as it is allowing for group contestants etc. This is a great example of how different media mediums are working within each other to create something new, such as a musician/artist/band. People are able to audition and hopefully be liked by the judges to continue on to the next phase. This demonstrates that the formation of people’s music career is not what is use to be, people now depended heavily on media mediums to help establish their music careers.
If you are unsure of what X Factor is below is a video with the old presenter Sam Newton and the current presenters and judges, explaining what X Factor is:
Also it is not only television that is being used to create music careers as the X Factor is using Facebook now as a media medium to connect with its audience. I think this has a huge relevance to social media and its development. From my research I found that each contestant on other X Factor shows have had their own fan Facebook page created during the series. To connect this with my case study and Austereo I discovered that their radio station U20 encourages presenters to form their own Facebook page for each individual show.
References:
X Factor Australia TV promo - EMOTION - Channel 7 - 2010 . 2010. Streaming video recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-_AhureN_8&feature=related (accessed September 23, 2010)
By Abigail Benaud
Free = Profit
Gemma Lacey discussed the business strategy of allowing free access to products on sites such as Facebook. This strategy is being utilized in a number of different fields, including the music business. At the moment, Apple is fighting to increase the iTunes song sample from the industry standard 30 seconds to 90 seconds - approximately half the length of an average song. Despite the fact that iTunes is the most successful music retailer in the US, they're falling behind in the race to promote the discovery of new music and, as a byproduct, further purchases (Sandoval, G. 2010).
This move is in response to the numerous other websites on which users can listen to entire songs for free – namely youtube and Pandora (a digital shuffle radio, expanded on in an article by Amy Hopkinson in the Music section of this wiki). According to Cnet News, Apple have only delayed the rolling out of these considerably longer samples due to licensing issues - despite having all the major record companies in agreement (Sandoval, G. 2010).
This issue reminded me of a topic we explored in the tutorials not long ago – the case of Dungeons & Dragons Online. While the game was initially fee-based (a $50 fee for the actual game, and $15 per month to continue playing), the MMO was released to download and play free with the option to pay for additional material within the game (Kuchera, 2009). The results were overwhelmingly positive, with a boost of one million more users within a year and an increase of 500% to their revenue (Sacco, M, 2010).
Both of these cases are examples of a newer way of thinking about sales. Instead of restricting a customer’s usage and thereby forcing them to pay, the business offers plenty of what the customer wants and gives them the option of paying for more once they’ve had a taste.
References
Sandoval, G. 2010. iTunes song samples may double in length. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20015113-37.html (Accessed September 8, 2010)
Sandoval, G. 2010. Why iTunes song samples are still only 30 seconds. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20015734-37.html (Accessed September 8, 2010)
Kuchera, B. 2009. Dungeons and Dragons Online: behold the power of free. http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/10/ddo-free-to-play.ars (Accessed September 8, 2010).
Sacco, M. 2010. PAX East 2010: Turbine on renting vs owning in the MMO market. http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/pax-east-2010-turbine-on-renting-vs-owning-in-the-mmo-market/ (Accessed September 8, 2010).
Samantha Oldham
Haven't I Heard This Somewhere Before?
Georgia Dixon explained how the rules of 'Play' have been changing within the music industry and I will be expanding on her ideas of remixing and sampling. What once was old is now new. But this whole idea of sampling and remixing is not a new concept. Once you start listening to the 1980’s movie soundtrack “Breakdance” you can see just how many artists have manipulated the samples from this album. The tag line to Missy’s Elliots hit “Loose Control” has been sampled from the Hot Streak song “Body Work” or you will notice Rick James "Super Freak" has been sampled off Bar-Kays song “Freakshow on the Dance Floor.” With the Website Who Sampled? it allows users to research their favorite artists and see what music they have sampled in their own music. The as UCLA describes sampling as “Sampling" refers to the practice, among popular musicians in particular, of lifting portions of an existing recording and using this "sample" (usually in a repetitive manner) as a component of a new song. The term is related to a more sophisticated technique used by music technologists to create a digital record of various parameters of a given sound (e.g. of a single pitch sounded on a particular violin) known as a "sample" that can be used in a variety of MIDI playback devices”
One artist that has gained notoriety from this practice is Girl Talk. His first album Secret Diary was released in 2002 but his 2008 Feed The Animal album is what launched him into the spotlight. Feed the animals has 14 tracks which sample a total of 264 songs with each song being composed from his home studio using easily accessible software (WAXY, 2008). "Like This" uses 26 sampled songs with most songs sampling an average of 19.8 songs (WAXY, 2008) See the full list of samples used on the album click here.What makes his music so controversial is the fact he does not create any new content rather uses already existing music.
In the movie RIP– A Remix Manifesto the viewer is taken into not only Girl Talks studio but also highlights those who sue musicians for breaching their copyright laws. As copyright and intellectual property rights becomes more of a formidable issue we should look into what the laws surrounding this are. It is technically legal to sample ones music as long as 20% of the song has been altered from its original source (ULCA, 2008). This is where the fine line of what is legal and illegal falls somewhere in a grey area.
The most recent copyright infringement case in Australia was that of the Men At Work’s hit “Down Under.” This song was claimed to have illegally sampled the classic Australia hit “Kookaburra sits in the Old Gum Tree.” The judge ruled against Men At Work and they must now pay 5% of royalties from this song to the owners (Jones, 2010).
As the equipment needed to create and sample music becomes more accessible and cheaper to use for the average consumer more people will look to sampling for inspiration. Dj’s have been using this medium to play for years and its started to cross over the mainstream market in recent years. Now also musicians such as Kanye West, Metallica and Radiohead are all releasing stems for others to download and remix. By doing this they are affectively giving away their intellectual property but also creating new mediums for their art to be utilised.
By: Audrey Stadelmann
Jones, B. 2010. Copyright Trolls, Not Just for Patents Anymore. http://torrentfreak.com/copyright-trolls-not-just-for-patents-anymore-100920/(Accessed: 21 September, 2010)
ULCA Law & Columbia Law School. 2000. Copyright Infringement Project. http://cip.law.ucla.edu/cases/case_grandwarner.html(Accessed: 21st September, 2010)
WAXY. 2010. Girl Turk: Mechanical Turk meets Girl Talks "Feed The Animals." http://waxy.org/2008/09/girl_turk/ (Accessed: 21st September, 2010)